During the last 10–15 years the societal context and thereby the library's societal legitimacy has changed in a crucial manner. The development of the Internet and tendencies toward globalisation, detraditionalisation and cultural liberation has challenged the library. Therefore the role of the physical library has changed from a more or less passive collection of books and other media to an active space for experience and inspiration and a local meeting point. One could speak of a transformation from ‘collection to connection’ or even from ‘collection to creation’ rather than the predicted transformation from ‘bricks to clicks’. In this article we will present a model for the future public library that includes some overriding goals as well as outlining four spaces in the public library which support these goals. We propose the model as both a framework for the discussion of the values of the public library in the beginning of the new millennium and as a more concrete tool for designing, developing and redesigning the library.