{"id":4969,"date":"2014-02-04T18:00:50","date_gmt":"2014-02-04T18:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.hampshire.edu\/llc\/?p=114"},"modified":"2014-02-04T18:00:50","modified_gmt":"2014-02-04T18:00:50","slug":"learning-commons-proposal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.hampshire.edu\/theharold\/2014\/02\/04\/learning-commons-proposal\/","title":{"rendered":"Learning Commons Proposal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Library<\/span> <\/strong>Learning Commons Proposal\u00a0 <\/b>
\n<\/span>Jan. 31, 2014<\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Background<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In 1968, the Harold F. Johnson Library at Hampshire College was imagined as the \u201ceducative aorta of the College,\u201d critical to Hampshire\u2019s interdisciplinary, experimental program. In 2014, we have the opportunity, thanks to the Portal Building project and the bookstore\u2019s 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. While much of the commons project will focus on the ground floor, there are implications for reprogramming library spaces throughout the library\u2019s five floors and the adjacent Airport Lounge, including examination of front-of-house\/back-of-house, and quiet\/active spaces. Hampshire\u2019s President, Jonathan Lash, issued a charge to the library to lead a campus-wide process to explore these issues.<\/span><\/p>\n

October 2013, Library Learning Commons[i]<\/span><\/a> Charge<\/span>:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The library will partner with the Academic Program to create a robust and energized space for both study and access to academic support services. Combining these resources in the library\u2019s centralized location will create an accessible, interdisciplinary, and supportive learning environment for all Hampshire students.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Library Learning Commons Concept will be developed by an ad hoc steering committee, convened and chaired by Library Director Jennifer King, and based upon broad input from students, faculty, staff, and affected programs.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Learning Commons Ad Hoc Steering Committee[ii]<\/span><\/a> representing curricular and academic program areas from across Hampshire formed in November 2013. The committee, taking guidance from the consultancy Brightspot Strategy[iii]<\/span><\/a> and the Learning Space Toolkit[iv]<\/span><\/a>, engaged in a series of activities to explore the current state of the library.\u00a0 From Dec. 1 \u2013 Jan. 15, the steering committee solicited feedback on butcher-block paper posted in the library and conducted: an online survey, observations, interviews, focus-group discussions, and a participatory workshop with consultants Brightspot Strategy and campus stakeholders.[v]<\/sup><\/sup><\/span><\/a>\u00a0 The feedback we gathered identified gaps in the following four areas:<\/span><\/p>\n

Space:<\/span><\/b> The library lacks both adequate quiet study and group study workspace, has uncomfortable and unattractive furniture, poor lighting (\u201cthe lighting kills my soul\u201d), and inconsistent temperatures; the layout\/navigation is challenging and not ADA compliant, and the building needs better maintenance and more student storage space.<\/span><\/p>\n

Technology:<\/span><\/b> Students and faculty expressed a need for more computer workstations, software and editing stations; technology-rich mediated workrooms with whiteboards and chalkboards; infrastructure for data storage and backups; and an expanded circulating collection to include laptop computers and tablets.<\/span><\/p>\n

Programs and Services<\/span><\/b><\/span>:<\/b> <\/span>Students and faculty were satisfied with the quality of many of the library\u2019s current services but desired extended library hours, a coffee shop and food, and better ways to connect students to (integrated) resources to support their work; i.e. academic support, community-engaged internships and academic programs and resources; support for maker space activities that would include expanded media hours; and event\/gallery support.<\/span><\/p>\n

I<\/span>nformation Resources<\/span><\/span><\/b>:<\/b> Gaps identified include a the need for a browsable DVD film collection (currently non-browsable), an archive that is more easily accessible, a desire for more books and e-journals, and the ability to access electronic resources on circulating computers and notepads.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Hamshire<\/a><\/p>\n

Library information gathering activities included observations, interviews and open feedback.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Broad Findings <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n