The library is becoming a bit of a fitness studio: not only can visitors find literature there, they can now also pedal - and generate electricity in the process. As an innovative addition to a healthy learning environment, so-called desk bikes are available at all three library locations.
Instead of handlebars, the special bike has a small table at the front as a storage surface on which a book or laptop can be placed, for example. "With the desk bike, we are creating the opportunity to combine reading and learning with exercise," says Mario Hütte, head of the library. At the same time, muscle power can be used to generate electricity, which in turn is directly available for charging smartphones and other devices.
The new Desk Bikes can be found here:
- Emil-Figge-Str. 44 location: 2nd floor, by the parent-child area
- Sonnenstraße location: In the BibLounge (room A207)
- Max-Ophüls-Platz location: In the passageway between the entrance area and the book collection
They can be used at any time without registration during the library's opening hours(Opens in a new tab) . There is also a "conventional" desk bike in Emil-Figge-Str. 44 (2nd floor, in the west wing near the literature on architecture), which also offers the combination of learning and exercise, but cannot generate electricity.
Mario Hütte is enthusiastic about the new equipment: "Especially if you've been working in the same position for a long time, the easy cycling is a welcome change. And it's fun to see that you're generating energy at the same time!"
You can see how the desk bikes work in a little more detail in a video on the library's Instagram channel.