Project: Open Library
Location: Visoko, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Program: Library
Year: 2024
Status: Implementation
Size: XXS

The Open Library in the city of Visoko, Bosnia and Herzegovina, represents an innovative initiative aimed at creating a shared space for the exchange of knowledge, ideas, and books. This library will be accessible to all citizens, offering them the opportunity to explore a diverse literary collection and participate in cultural activities.

The initiative was launched by MIZ Tabhanska Mosque in partnership with SETUP – Center for Social Initiatives. Bookshelves are being installed along a section of the existing fence of the Tabhanska Mosque. A total of eight segments of the wall contain four shelves each. Below four of these segments are flowerbeds, while the remaining segments feature benches for seating. The design motif on the shelves is inspired by the entrance door to the mosque courtyard.

Tabaks were craftsmen engaged in the chemical processing of leather, and their workshops were called tabhanes. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there were around fifteen places where this craft was highly developed. The presence of this trade was recorded in the first half of the 17th century, during Ottoman rule. The exact year of construction of the Tabhanska Mosque is not known, but it is assumed to have been built no later than the first half of the 17th century, when the tabak guild had grown strong enough to collect funds for such a project, as was the case in several other Bosnian-Herzegovinian cities. In addition to Visoko, the tabaks built mosques in Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Mostar, and Tešanj. The Tabhanska Mosque has been declared a National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Open access to books and educational materials will provide children and young people with opportunities for learning, exploration, and the development of reading habits. The outdoor library will offer resources for the continuous education of adults, enabling them to access books, literary works, and information that support their personal and professional growth. This space can also be a place where older members of the community can enjoy social gatherings, share their experiences, and participate in cultural events.

The creation of an outdoor library is a step forward in building an inclusive community that values education and connection. By enabling children and youth to develop their reading habits and explore new worlds, and by offering adults and seniors access to resources for their development and socialization, this library becomes a local symbol of community and culture.