Bullecer 1

Daniel Bullecer

Dr. Santosh Khadka

English 113 B

30 September 2019

Library and Snapchat Spaces

In everyday lives, we do not realize how much we use third space. Third space is a place

between home and workplace and we use this space for relaxation or enjoying free time doing

the things we like to do. Although there are many physical and digital places to be used as third

spaces, in this case, libraries and snapchat are used for these spaces for relaxing and enjoyable

free time. Library, a physical space, can be used for relaxing in a quiet place and can be also used

for an enjoyable time for those who like to study. Snapchat, a digital space, can be also used for

enjoyable free time as a third space for communication with people on social media, texting and

viewing friends stories, and also catching up on the news around the world. However, the library

is more of a third space than snapchat due to the fact that you can relax in the library whereas

snapchat you can’t because it is a digital space. How is snapchat and the library related to third

space? Is the library and snapchat productive?

Libraries and thirdspace are relatable to an extent. Libraries are used for people who want

to have the time to study and use the libraries technologies for extended research studies. It can

also be used as a place where people can relax and enjoy peace. “When we talk about library

space, we are usually talking about buildings. Library buildings give form to the collections of

libraries by providing appropriate space specifically designed to house and provide access to the

holdings” (Elmborg 339). Just like a house, the library provides an amount of space and modern
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technologies to make users feel at home. The library gives you a limited space for you to relax

and enjoy learning in peace. In the article, “Libraries and the Space Between Us,” Elmborg

mentions, “We have come to think of learning as a constructive process, which has encouraged

us to redesign schools and libraries to foster collaborative learning and active learning, and we

are exploring digital environments as spaces we structure and design for learning, as well”

(Elmborg 339). Nowadays, libraries have developed and adapted to the modern era and has

improved our learning abilities.These libraries are always updating their technology for uses to

enjoy new content and expand their research tasks. In the article, “The Library as a Third Place,”

Joe Hardenbrook mentions, “I tend to avoid oversimplification of generations, but millennials are

more likely to use a public library compared to other generations. I recognize that many of the

college students now fall into the Gen Z category, but I think similarities can still be drawn”

(Hardenbrook). People who go to the library to enjoy their third space will be benefited by the

supplies given out for public use at the libraries. Libraries are very useful but underrated and

people don’t see that.

Snapchat, however, relates to thirdspace but in a digital platform. We can all consider

that snapchat is just an app, but how do you use that as third space, since its digital and we can’t

enter that place. As mentioned in our group’s “Project Space Video”, “Snapchat is a commonly

used app meant for socializing with friends. Most teens apply filters for their pictures to make

themselves look presentable. Snapchat also provides advertising and gives news to users”

(Project Space Interview). Well, people use snapchat primarily to connect with friends, family

and sometimes strangers. Snapchat is a very social app and lets users post about what is

happening in their daily lives and lets other people view them. On top of that, snapchat also
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reports news to users who are interested in following up on what is happening around the world.

When you use snapchat, usually you use it at a time to relax or using it in a time of having fun.

Which explains that snapchat does relate to third space, but not as much as the library. Snapchat

gives you entertainment and the library gives you education while relaxing yourself from in

between home and work. Snapchat is accessible at anytime during the day but the libraries you

have to make time for. However, snapchat can also be used while being in the library. Which

also extends the point that using snapchat in the library is considered as a third space because

you are relaxing at the library while having a fun time communication with your friends and

watching their posts.

Snapchat and the library are related to third space because people can relax and enjoy in

either of the spaces. In snapchat, you can easily have a fun time when socializing with your

friends on it, also relax when watching your friends stories or watch advertisements and even

read what the snapchat news are offering. However in the library, you can relax and read books,

listen to some music while studying or doing your homework, and have a fun time while

whispering to your friends or communicating with people at the library. To include, libraries are

considered productive because it is a place where you physically have to do something and

Snapchat is not productive due to not having to physically move but just your fingers. There's a

lot of things you can do in the library, most of what i said are redundant for instance, reading a

book, socializing, checking books out, and or play quite games in the library. Rather than

snapchat, you have to focus on your fingers to enjoy the app. Therefore, libraries are more of a

thirdspace than Snapchat because a library is a physical space where you can move freely and
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educate yourself but Snapchat is not as much of a third space because it is a social media

platform.
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Works Cited

Bullecer, Daniel. “Project Space Interview.” Accessed on September 30, 2019.

Elmborg, James K., “Libraries as the Space Between Us: Recognizing and Valuing the Third

Space.” American Library Association. Vol. 50, No. 4, Summer 2011, pp. 338-350.

Accessed September 28, 2019.

Hardenbrook, Joe. “The Library as a Third Place.” Academic Libraries.

https://mrlibrarydude.wordpress.com/2019/04/05/the-library-as-a-third-place/​. Accessed

on September 28, 2019