It was the day of my big debut at The Library. I had rehearsed the scene over and over in my head. Excitement. Nervousness. Like the feeling on the first day of school. Still, I was ready to take on my new role as The Librarian…

Breather began with an idea: to reinvent the workplace through beautiful, peaceful, spaces you could rent on-demand. It sparked something for people of all types. Creativity, productivity, and focus. The Library began with a mission. To recreate the feeling of creativity, productivity and focus, in an environment that’s affordable for individual users (today, that means a shared workspace). Individual members, booking their own desk, in peace and quiet.

When embarking on a new journey, you envision all of the things that could go wrong. Would members book? Would they enjoy their experience? What would they tell their friends and colleagues about the new concept?

Like any Breather, the design and experience had to be perfect. I arrived at the space and frantically began obsessing over every last detail. Each chair set an equal distance from its desk. Snacks meticulously showcased, in the same way an interior decorator arranges art on the wall. Everything was coming together. And then it began. Less than an hour passed, and our first guest arrived. A Harvard student who discovered The Library that same morning when searching for a quiet workspace away from the hustle and bustle of the city. I took my first seat at the librarian desk.

I could never have predicted what happened next. I envisioned my new role as The Librarian might become a distraction from my daily tasks. Would I constantly worry about members’ experience? Would I become the stereotypical librarian, hushing people every five minutes? But these worries immediately disappeared. Our first guest took a seat, and got right to work looking focused and comfortable. Just like we imagined. Peace and quiet, on-demand, in a beautiful shared workspace by Breather. Our hard work had paid off. We could finally enjoy the space as it was meant to be.

To my surprise, I too became a beneficiary. A desk of my own. No distractions. No headphones necessary. All the amenities you could ask for–fast Wifi, charging devices, coffee, and snacks. The sort of productivity and focus you only get in a Breather. I was no longer just the librarian. I became a member. Who would have thought working a second job would increase the productivity of my day job.

Adam Wright, The Librarian, is also the Partnerships Manager at Breather.

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