U. of Calgary - Information Commons to Learning Commons

U. of Calgary's Information Commons was an exemplary innovation when it opened in August, 1999. (The original website is archived at: http://www.ucalgary.ca/IR/infocommons/)

On December 24, the original Information Commons in McKimmie Library will close, to be reborn on January 3, 2011 as the Learning Commons in the new Taylor Family Digital Library, known as TFDL.

Susan Beatty, Information Commons Head at McKimmie, co-wrote a wonderfully descriptive account of the development of the IC in her paper "Collaboration in an Information Commons: key elements for successful support of eliteracy."  The paper also points the way to an expanded, broadly conceived gathering of academic support services that will make up the new Learning Commons in the TFDL.

A fuller description of the TFDL by Tom Hickerson, Calgary's Vice Provost, Libraries and Cultural Resources, and University Librarian, is in the video archive of his presentation at OCLC's Distinguished Seminar Series.  The presentation is entitled "Convergence of Knowledge and Culture: Calgary's Design for the Future."

Seattle U. Opens Learning Commons

Dedicated on September 30, 2010.  Here's the website's description of the new Library/Learning Commons:
"Lemieux Library & McGoldrick Learning Commons combines new construction and renovation to offer a state-of-the-art facility of approximately 125,000 square feet.  

This new facility blends student academic support services, scholarly research, collaborative learning, and social interaction in a technology-rich, light-filled environment.

The Library and its Learning Commons Partners -- Writing Center, Learning Assistance Programs, Math Lab and Research Services -- promote student success through the provision of integrated services, collaborative programs, and effective referrals that draw on a variety of academic professionals in a single facility."

See pictures and video from the library dedication.

U. of Washington Opens Research Commons in Allen Library South

The iconic image of the information commons is a large array of PCs and iMacs for accessing electronic resources. UW's new Research Commons has a four word motto -- Talk. Share. Connect. Research. -- emphasizing the importance of collaboration and interpersonal contact.  Twenty-five computers actually take up little of the Commons footprint, which features open spaces with wheeled furniture, whiteboard walls, and group work areas.  Lauren Ray's blog keeps you up-to-date on the project.  Go there for a link to a Flickr slide show.

Grand Valley State University (MI)

Groundbreaking for the Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons will be Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI.

From all indications, this is going to be a new benchmark for the integrated learning commons.  The video gives a detailed picture of a wonderfully rich environment for all kinds of learning: collaborative, technological, scholarly. It won't be finished until 2013, but look in on the website now and then to see how it's coming along.



And this video was produced by Steelcase after the project was completed.

The Race to Bookless

It used to be that when you wanted to take the measure of an academic library you asked, "How many volumes does it have?"  That question seems to have been stood on its head.  In the "race to bookless" the University of Texas at San Antonio has claimed victory.  The Applied Engineering and Technology Library opened on September 8, 2010, claiming to be "the nation's first completely bookless library on a college or university campus."  Although it is relatively small (80 person capacity), it does have "similar features to what are commonly called 'information commons,'" according to the report in LJ.