Project Space Video

Kasey Wang 

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Are the Library and Tiktok seen as Public or Private Spaces? 

The world is shaped for society to experience the good and bad in all aspects of life. Humans are originally taught to be equals in a diverse world filled with universal perspectives, but this concept can be questioned within the private and public space. Environments such as the library are seen as public spaces where hierarchies are hardly visible. People gathering to connect through a common outlet defines one of the many purposes of the library. On the other hand, web-based platforms such as Tik Tok question the direct differentiation that separates the public and private space. Although both the library and Tik Tok stand on different ends, the aspect that drives the two platforms together is their common ground as representatives of the public and private space. 

The Library is a universally spared space that connects people of different ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds. In this quiet environment, library visitors are all welcomed without fail. With this level of acceptance and safe-leveled equality, the library can be seen as a strong example that represents the concept behind the public space. Associate professor James K Elmborg writes, “Library buildings give form to the collections of libraries by providing appropriate space specifically designed to house and provide access to the holdings. They also provide other more “mythic” functions by intentionally symbolizing thorough architecture and design the values that libraries espouse. (page 339)” More than just a building filled with books, the architecture, and morals that stand behind the creation of a library explain why it is a center of peace that unites a community. Marie Ostergaard, the head of community engagement at a community center in Aarhus, Denmark shared a personal insight on how she perceives the library. In the blog post, Ostergaard states that the community library is the “living room of the city,” 

Represented as a traditional landmark in many cities, the library is often forgotten as a physical space that provides an equal playing field environment for the society. Many citizens may not utilize the library anymore due to the introduction of the internet, but the building is a reminder that public spaces are still present. Without the need to be judged based on any existential reasonings, a library is a place where people have the opportunity to find peace within themselves as well as be assets to their community. Diane Bruxvoort, University of Aberdeen librarian shared a quote claiming that “The academic library today has a long list of roles and responsibilities as we simultaneously provide in-person and electronic support for teaching and research, for students and academics, for local and distance users. And still, amid this mix of activity stands the physical library.” Stretching the idea of libraries as common buildings, Bruxvoort's insight on the importance of library statuses expresses how libraries should not be claimed as a stereotypical place with an assortment of boring books. The intricately designed building has the potential to be a placeholder for educational and social resources. As exclusiveness is set aside, the library is a public space that offers freedom and equalized individuality to all of its guests. 

Although the concept and morals of libraries stand alongside the definition of public spaces, a new set of network systems has recently stirred the question of where they stand when it comes to public and private spaces. Tik Tok is a newly developed mobile application that allows its users to post and view 1 to 3 minute long videos. Even though it has gained extreme global popularity, Tik Tok has managed to be a very questionable topic when it comes to determining whether it serves as a private or public space. After interviewing a few California State University Northridge students, the consensus came out to agree that Tik Tok is in the fine line that separates the public and private space. Political science major Leslie Scherny shares that she would describe Tik Tok as “neither a fully public or private space. This is because everyone is sharing the same amount of space and information but there are too many outlying factors that make Tik Tok different from a quiet library.” In addition, Theater major Tiffany Aineruhanga stated that “there are too many restrictions on TikTok for it to be considered a fully public space. Some people prefer to be viewers and other people want a bigger platform. Also, not everyone can have TikTok. It's not 100% equal.” As Tik Tok grew tremendously over the past few years, the hierarchy scale has also risen. Popular Tiktokers is now holding the record of highest like and follower count. Influencers such as Charlie Damelio and Addison Rae are currently sitting at over 80 million followers on the app thus making it an unequal playing field for all Tiktok users. 

Contrary to Tik Tok's similarities to public spaces, the app also holds many private qualities. The Tiktok guidelines restrict its users to most if not all forms of profanity and violence. Users also have the choice of creating a private account. As private account holders, users can modify what they share and whom they share with. Videos may be locked for certain individuals or shared with the general public. In the journal post titled, Social Media and the Transformation of Public Space, University students Jose Van Dijick and Thomas Poell explain the evolution of how social media has shaped the world of public and private spaces. DIjick and Poell state, “It starts by highlighting how in the emerging platform society public and private communication is reshaped by social media’s commercial mechanisms, transforming the political economy of the media landscape.” The introduction of social media has transformed the world to view the definitive aspect of public spaces differently than what it once was. As social media cannot be considered a physical space, web 2.0 platforms such as TikTok have become indefinite features that comply with both public and private space rules. 

The third space describes a time or place of moderate peace and freedom through the busy reality. Although some may disagree with the placement of libraries and Tik Tok on the two spaces. The wide-ranged information shared above leads to the conclusion that the two entities strongly represent the third space. Despite the fact, the third space connects the library and Tiktok, the intricate details that describe the overall system of how the library and Tiktok circulate throughout society are told by their placement under the public and private jurisdiction. 

Works Cited 

Libraries as the Spaces between Us ... - Journals.ala.org. https://journals.ala.org/rusq/article/download/3297/3497 

Library as Third Place - SCONUL. https://www.sconul.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/3_18.pdf 

“Moving beyond the ‘Third Place.’” American Libraries Magazine, 29 Aug. 2016, https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blogs/the-scoop/library-design-moving-beyond-third-place/ 

Social Media and the Transformation of ... - Sage Journals. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2056305115622482  

Interviews: Leslie Scherny, Tiffany Aineruhanga