Update: Grand Valley State's Mary Idema Pew Library

A lot of care and planning went into the spectacular new library at Grand Valley State in Allendale, MI.  The website tells the story:

"In this new library, students will find a range of environments, from noisy to quiet, in which they can work on an assignment alone or in a group; receive coaching from a peer consultant in research, writing, or presenting; practice a new skill or play with a new idea; learn something unexpectedly; engage easily with each other in spaces engineered to accommodate the sounds of natural conversation; or curl up by the fireplace in a contemplative space with the best views on campus. Students will do all of these things in a building that was crafted with their needs in mind—the right lighting, the right furniture, the right resources, the right services, the right spaces, and the right amount of flexibility. "Going to the library" will take on a whole new meaning as the Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons becomes and integral part of every student's experience at Grand Valley."

Steelcase helped produce this video intro to the building, furnishings and services.

Conference Announcement: Designing Libraries for the 21st Century

U. of Calgary.  September 28-30, 2014
http://ucalgary.ca/designinglibraries/

Co-sponsored by CNI and North Carolina State U., the event includes two pre-conferences and tours of the Taylor Family Digital Library.

"The Battle over Library Spaces"

If you are about to embark on a commons project that involves co-locating services,  Rick Anderson, U. of Utah's Marriott Library, recommends eight principles "to bear in mind when faced with requests from other entities on campus to occupy space in the library."

1. The library does not belong to you

2. Say “yes” or “no” based on strategy, not defensiveness

3. Cooperation creates political capital

4. Begin all space-sharing relationships with a formal document… that clearly lays out rights and responsibilities of both parties.

5. Bear in mind that if the library hosts other services, patrons will likely experience them as “library services”

6. Don’t treat your guests like tenants, or even like guests; treat them like fellow citizens. 

7. Invite partners to meetings and events, maybe even on a recurring basis.

8. There will be blood. Clean it up promptly. 

Anderson's article, in two parts, appeared in Library Journal, March 27 and May 1, 2014

Canadian Learning Commons Conference June 9 - 11

Please note that registration is now officially open for the 7^th Canadian Learning Commons Conference to be held in Sherbrooke, Quebec this coming June 9-11, 2014.

All Canadian and international delegates are welcome to attend. You are invited to visit the conference website for more information: http://www.clcc2014.ubishops.ca/home.html

The online registration form can be found at: http://www2.ubishops.ca/formprocess/clcc2014/

Hampshire College - Learning Commons: Proposal and Process

"In 1968, the Harold F. Johnson Library at Hampshire College was imagined as the “educative aorta of the College,” critical to Hampshire’s interdisciplinary, experimental program. In 2014, we have the opportunity, thanks to the Portal Building project and the bookstore’s impending relocation, to re-envision a library that includes a Learning Commons designed to respond more actively, directly, and with a greater impact, to the Hampshire curriculum."

"Educative aorta" aside, Hampshire College (Amherst, MA) has set its sights on a transformation of the Johnson Library.  The process started in November, 2013 and is well documented on the project's web site.

Salem State University: Library and Learning Commons

Salem State University (MA) Library and Learning Commons, which opened in 2013, "brings together the Center for Academic Excellence, academic advising, TRIO programs, disabilities services, the Writing Center, and the honors program, and recognizes the synergy between and among these academic services and the library."

Hudson Valley CC Learning Commons

The Marvin Library Learning Commons at Hudson Valley CC (Troy, NY) provides a full array of research and academic support services.  In addition to the Library and Instructional Media Center:

• Computer Learning Center (CLC)
  Learning Assistance Center (LAC)
• Learning Disabilities Services (LDS)
  Writing and Research Center (WC)
• Collegiate Academic Support Program (CASP)

Information Commons - The Future Is Now

“Information Commons: The Future is Now” 
A brief (7 pages) overview of the Information Commons phenomenon and some pointed lessons learned at Loyola U. Klarchek Infomation Commons by Robert A. Seal, Dean of University Libraries, Loyola University Chicago 

Conference paper presented at “Change and Challenge: Redefine the Future of Academic Libraries,”
Peking University Libraries, Beijing, China
November 5, 2012 

Learning Studio at U. Kansas

The Learning Studio at KU's Anschutz Library is an integrated set of academic support services, including writing, tutoring, technology and information/research.  See the Flickr set.

Libraries as Spaces for Teaching, Learning and Research: The Learning Commons Model

Uploaded to YouTube by Wellesley College

"The library has been central to the learning process at Wellesley since its inception. The library's collections and services have evolved over time as the curriculum, pedagogy and technologies have advanced, but serving as a learning center has always been central to its role. As we consider anew the factors driving change in higher education and scholarship we see a set of new learning and teaching spaces, located in a renewed library environment that brings together the student, the teacher, the resources, the services and the specialist staff in engaging, effective and highly collaborative ways. What does the Wellesley Library look like in 2015 or in 2020?"

Featured speakers: Gene Spencer, Gene Spencer Consulting and Michael Nieminen and Natalie Rebuck, Kliment Halsband Architects

7th Canadian Learning Commons Conference - Call for Proposals

Bishop’s University and the John Bassett Memorial Library invite you to submit a proposal for presentation at the 7^th Canadian Learning Commons Conference CLCC. Bishop’s is proud to be hosting this year’s conference from June 9-11, 2014 at the Delta Hotel, Sherbrooke, QC. Please visit the website for more information on the conference and keynote speakers. Attached to this email are details in regards to submitting a proposal for presentation. Kindly forward this email to colleagues who may be interested. http://www.clcc2014.ubishops.ca/home.html

Xavier University - Conaton Learning Commons

Xavier University - Conaton Learning Commons opened on the Cincinnati campus in 2010 as part of the five-story James E Hoff Academic Quad.  Shepley Bullfinch did the design work.  See the Projects page for a description and images.

'via Blog this'

Simply Stated - Learning Commons Defined

University of Northern Iowa's Rod Library is in the early stages of transforming the main floor into a learning commons. They have crafted a simple, but elegant mission statement:

 The Learning Commons is a student-centered physical and virtual learning space designed under the guiding principles of openness, flexibility, comfort, inspiration, and practicality. It fosters collaborative and independent active learning by providing technology, resources, and services that help to engage students and faculty in the learning process. Through the Learning Commons the library will strive to create active partnerships with other university units that incorporate campus-wide goals and objectives.

The Learning Commons supports the Library’s goals to provide “high quality services responsive to the
changing cultural, research, and informational needs of our community” and “functional, flexible, inviting,
safe, technology-equipped learning spaces.”

The Learning Commons supports the mission of the University of Northern Iowa to provide “transformative learning experiences that inspire students to embrace challenge, engage in critical inquiry and creative thought, and contribute to society.” http://bit.ly/15F6OoO

U. of Iowa, Early Adopter, Takes the Next Step

Way back at the dawn of the Commons Era, before Phil Tompkins dubbed it so, the University of Iowa rolled out the Information Arcade in 1992.  Now UI is engaged in a new enterprise: the Learning Commons:

"In the fall of 2013, University of Iowa students will discover a tech-infused, 24-hour, comfy study space and one-stop academic help center…with good coffee.

Designed with significant student input, the new Learning Commons will provide an “intellectual hub” with room for 500-plus students. The 37,000-square-foot facility in the Main Library is the product of a unique partnership among Information Technology Services (ITS), University Libraries, and the Office of the Provost.

“The Learning Commons is focused, first and foremost, on furthering the academic success of students,” says Nancy Baker, university librarian. “The staff will provide students with a ‘concierge’ experience. They’ll answer common academic, library, and technology questions and point students to the resources they need to succeed, like help with their research, writing, or tutoring.”  

Video Walkthrough on YouTube

Better Late Than...

Last May, 2012, University of Calgary hosted two landmark conferences. Good for you if got to one of them.  If you were at both, you either live in Calgary or your travel budget should be investigated.

The 6th Canadian Learning Commons Conference was May 7-9. Nineteen presentations have been archived and you can browse them at: http://tinyurl.com/a9ag4bf  The next CLCC will be June 9-11, 2014 at Bishop's U., Quebec

Designing Libraries for the 21st Century, May 17-19, was a co-production of U. of Calgary and CNI.  Links to nine of the presentations are here: http://library.ucalgary.ca/lib21/presentations. Joseph Rondinelli's slides, with highly detailed renderings and photos of five Shepley Bulfinch projects (Duke, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Teachers' College and Atlanta U. Ctr) are at: http://tinyurl.com/aryqkmy

Grand Opening at San Jose State

January 31, 2013 is the date for the opening of the Student Learning and Research Commons at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, San Jose State U.

Library Journal: Year in Architecture 2012

The diner booth as a learning space started at U. Penn's Weigle Information Commons. It is fast becoming a standard element in academic libraries.

That's the reference desk in the background at Purdue's Parrish Library of Management and Economics, one of five very different takes on the ever-evolving commons concept in LJ's feature story on new and renovated academic libraries.  The others are:

IDEA Commons at U. of Illinois - Chicago

Massachusetts Maritime Academy's ABS Information Commons

The CUBE at Colorado State U. Morgan Library

The Center for Science and Social Science Information at Yale U.

Windward CC Library Learning Commons Grand Opening

Windward Community College (Hawaii) celebrated the grand opening of the first "green" library in the U. of Hawaii System on August 29.  The building's Hawaiian name, Hale Laakea, means Hall of Enlightenment.  The college hopes to attain LEED Silver certification.

Library Learning Commons Grand Opening:

Marywood U. - From Library to Learning Commons

Marywood University in Scranton, PA has announced plans to transition from the library to a learning commons, "a true learning center for students and faculty, where available information-technology resources are centrally and efficiently integrated to further student learning and to facilitate faculty and staff transformation."  2015 is the target date. http://www.marywood.edu/archives/articles/learning-commons.html

New Learning Commons at Northwestern College

Northwestern College (Orange City, IA) dedicated a new multipurpose, $14 million DeWitt Learning Commons which houses the college’s library, academic support center, writing center, multimedia center and institutional technology help desk. September 2013.