University library as a learning and teaching hub
Claire Shaw writes about the architecture of the academic library in a piece from the Higher Education Network in The Guardian. A snip:
This drive to refurbish, redesign and rebuild university libraries plays into a wider shift occuring in higher education – the change in the way students, researchers and academics are accessing and studying information.
“Pedagogy is the driver for the changes in library design,” says Ann Rossiter, director of the Society of College, National and University Libraries – “changes to the way undergraduates are expected to study, for example, including more social spaces, more social learning and group learning. The way that library buildings are changing is designed to reflect that.”
With universities investing so much time and money into making these aesthetic changes, is there any evidence to show that building design actually enhances learning or drives more people to use the library and its resources?
There is evidence pointing to an increase in usage. David Lindley, executive director of Designing Libraries, an online resource for the library community, says: “redesign and refurbishment will commonly increase usage by 50% and even double the occupancy as libraries introduce multi-purpose spaces, study spaces and more relaxed furnishings”.