Transforming Libraries into Social and Community Spaces -US experience As new academic and research areas are emerging in today's academic environment in the U.S., and as student enrollment continues to increase in many institutions, it becomes imperative that academic libraries envision new approaches to provide efficient services and enhanced facilities to students. Today's undergraduate student will need to work in a team setting with other students. The team's success will largely depend on how efficiently they worked with each other, shared interdisciplinary subject area expertise, gathered all the relevant information necessary for their projects and completed group assignments. They are also required to present their final project in class as required by the professor teaching this class. Normally, this presentation is a group presentation requiring elaborate planning, and collaboration while preparing for it. Students after graduation are also required to effectively work in a team setting in companies they will be working for. Since group work is absolutely critical, students must learn how to successfully collaborate in a team setting, if they are to succeed in real life scenarios. Therefore, to assist students in this endeavor, libraries must envision and design space that provides opportunities for students to learn and apply skills in successfully completing team based projects. This presentation highlights how libraries at some U.S. institutions have redefined and redesigned space to inspire successful collaboration, research, group based team consultations, learning through interaction and in the process create engaging learning environments. Collaborative space designs also encourage dialog and interaction among group members to result in active knowledge learning and sharing among themselves. The space must also provide opportunities for quiet and individual learning environments. New technologies, wireless access, latest electronic resources whenever possible, and equipped classrooms provide excellent opportunities for librarians to create interactive instruction sessions in those learning spaces resulting in active and engaging learning environments

1. Creating learning environments through exploring space designs
Virtual presentation for Library and Information Professionals Summit 2014: “From Brick to
Click: Transforming Libraries into Social Spaces”, University of Delhi South Campus & Society
for Library Professionals , New Delhi, India, February 7th, 2014.

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Student enrollment increasing
New programs emerging in various
disciplines
Collaboration and team based projects
Critical thinking component
Group based brain storming
Learning through inquiry and dialog

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Source: http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub129/freeman.html
The Library as Place: Changes in Learning Patterns, Collections, Technology, and Use

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Library space as active learning motivator
◦ Collaborative space
 More interaction, engaged learning, inquiry and dialog
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Visually stimulating space
Inspiring space
Communicative space
Learning and teaching space
Research space
Team based writing
◦ Let us explore various designs!

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Source:
ImpactLAB, A Laboratory of the Future Human Experience
Academic libraries are shaping the future of learning and research,
http://www.impactlab.net/2013/08/07/academic-libraries-are-shapingthe-future-of-learning-and-research/
“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.”

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Source:
http://www.library.drexel.edu/blogs/newsevents/2011/10/31/succeedingat-group-work-with-help-from-the-libraries
Vision of space to foster group work:

7. Future role for librarians to support
trends
Embedding
Conversing
Collaborating
Communicating
Sharing expertise
Partnering with faculty members
 Embedding space to enhance emerging roles
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Workspace design
Support for team and collaborative work
◦ Space
◦ Furniture
◦ Technology
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Classroom with latest technology
Individual and group based study spaces
Consultation space with librarians
Space for preparing presentations
Software and hardware
◦ Team based presentations

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Source: http://www.buffalo.edu/ubit/service-guides/computing-sites/collaborative-learningspaces.html

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http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/7-things-you-should-know-aboutcollaborative-learning-spaces
https://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7092.pdf
Source(s) ELI 7 Things You Should Know, EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI)
Contributions by: Robert J. Beichner (North Carolina State University), Joseph Cevetello
(University of Southern California)

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Source: http://cllc.osu.edu/space-digital-collaborative-classroom
Library Instruction session in a collaborative Environment
Student group discussion on individual tables – opportunities for interaction
with librarians
Flexibility in using electronic resources for individual group projects

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Source: http://learningspaces.unl.edu/cls
Small group consultations
Mobile devices
Wireless access
Active learning through collaborative interactions

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Source:
http://www.higheredtechdecisions.com/article/turning_the_library_into_a_hi
gh_tech_collaborative_space
“Two main collaborative spaces use video displays and audio to support collaboration-based
educational strategies as developed in the Scale Up Project, and the PAIR-up Model, a model developed
by the University of Minnesota that encourages students to work in pairs to ensure full participation.”

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Digital signage provides wayfinding, branding and messaging throughout the
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library

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Source:http://www.ncsu.edu/per/scaleup.html
“The primary goal of the Student-Centered Active Learning Environment for
Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) Project is to establish a highly collaborative,
hands-on, computer-rich, interactive learning environment for large-enrollment
courses.“ Tremendous scope for partnership with faculty, students and librarians.
Active learning in classes with 100 students or more. Interactive and engaging.

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Students sit in three groups of three students
at 6 or 7 foot diameter round tables.
Instructors circulate and work with teams and
individuals, engaging them in Socratic-like
dialogues.
Each table has at least three networked
laptops.
The setting is very much like a banquet hall,
with lively interactions nearly all the time.
Source: http://www.ncsu.edu/per/scaleup.html

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Source: Research Connections,
http://www.library.drexel.edu/blogs/node/4315
Drexel researchers connect over shared research interests and ideas

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Library Learning Terrace features flexible indoor furnishings providing
students the ability to work at individual tables or collaboratively in groups.
Source: http://www.library.drexel.edu/about/learning-terrace

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Source: Phil Morehart , Building the Future, 2013 Library Design Showcase
http://www.americanlibrariesmagazine.org/article/building-future
American Libraries

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Crucial roles for libraries to help create
engaging learning environments
Social Interaction
Collaboration for team based projects
While Interdisciplinary research requires
teamwork, depending on research
requirements, individual learning is
important.
◦ Individual learning space
◦ Collaborative learning space

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Thank you!
Would love to learn more from your
experiences
Applicable to all disciplines
Thoughts and questions
Jay Bhatt
 Liaison Librarian for Engineering
http://www.library.drexel.edu/engineering
 bhattjj@drexel.edu
 215-895-1873
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