The library will be situated amidst subject experts. The departments it represents are Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Physics & Astronomy, and Psychology - all housed within the same building. And talk about user-based design! Students and faculty using the ISL will be treated to group study rooms, individual and collaborative study areas, state-of-the-art technology, the Northwest Corner Blue Java coffee bar, a 170-seat lecture hall (along with a smaller seminar room and a classroom) - not to mention a small print collection and a extensive collection of core journals. Situated within the same building are research laboratories throughout the 7th to 13th floors. Columbia University has several libraries but one major 2010-2013 Strategic Plan. In this plan, there are 5 major focuses: global and special collections, digital collections, effective interfaces and improved access, library space, and a new type of research library. The last two focuses relate directly to the new ISL. Students want to work in library spaces on comfortable furniture, supported by a reliable, up-to-date technology infrastructure, and with knowledgeable staff nearby for consultation and assistance. At the same time, space at Columbia continues to be at a premium... (page 20).Along with space, this new library offers the chance for researchers and scholars and students to partner and share. Up until now, each of these subjects had a separate library - and recently, all of those libraries were closed and their materials moved to the Mathematics building. Once the new library opens next spring, students and faculty from each of these areas will be able to meet and exchange ideas and information, and even collaborate on research. The labs will be right there within reach of information resources! Even with all of the comforts and new technology, it sounds like the best part of this new library will be the convergence of amazing theories and ideas - all because of the decision to bring everyone together.
This isn't an actual embedded librarian situation, but it is as close as it can be. To me, having the library in the same building, along with the study areas, encourages the students to think of the library as part of their program and career. It sounds like this new space will be a definite improvement over the disjointed library collections Columbia has right now.
ISL information was found in the following places:
Columbia University Facilities: Current Construction Projects.
http://facilities.columbia.edu/node/1328/1331
Columbia University Libraries/Information Services Strategic Plan 2010-2013.
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/img/assets/6675/CULIS_Strategic_Plan_2010-2013.pdf
Northwest Corner Building. Office of the Executive Vice President for Research.
http://evpr.columbia.edu/content/northwest-corner-building
Spaces. Office of the Executive Vice President for Research.
http://evpr.columbia.edu/content/spaces
I'd never thought about a classroom in a library, but we could certainly use one. Jeff's blog told of a medical library with a conference room and that is something else that the small (two room) library where I work could use. To be fair though, we are in a large building that already has classrooms and conference rooms. Still, the library sometimes get used for these purposes and it takes away from the quiet study there.
ReplyDeleteActually, Stephanie, the building is full of classrooms and labs. The advantage is that the library has space within the same building instead of being housed separately.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting that researchers/scholars/students will be able to work together and share ideas! I bet they will love it too!
ReplyDeleteI think it is a great idea to have a classroom in a library. They work great for freshman orientation instructional sessions, as well as a place for a class to meet if college classrooms overfill.
ReplyDeleteReading your blog, reminds me of the campus. It is on a couple of block so to say it doesn't have much space, I can so see it. Sounds like a great remodel to a couple of old library buildings.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of labs being in the same building with the library. Even though if any experiment goes horribly wrong the library's resources would be in jeopardy as well...
ReplyDeleteIt seems that all of the library remodel projects are realizing the need for more space for collaborative work amongst students and faculty. Each of the projects I've read so far have included space increases and then each library has their own part that makes it unique - coffee house, 24-hour section, displays for work, etc.
ReplyDeleteI definitely see a trend with user-centered design! Looks like people want to work and study in teams. I recently heard a sound bite on NPR that talked about what we can learn from bees, and other animals that work together to one goal. I like how libraries are being "re-imagined", and giving students and scientists the opportunity to work together.
ReplyDeleteHaving the library so close to the research laboratories is a very user centered feature. I also like the collaborative work spaces and agree how important group work is- that is the real working world and the sooner students are used to collaborating with others, the better.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lisa, the proximity to the research labs will benefit both staff and users. The collaborative working environment appears to be a common thread in many of these renovations.
ReplyDeleteA coffee bar in a library is just such a great idea and so is the lecture hall. Librarians often give presentations and the lecture hall in the library would be the perfect setup.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like the ISL is providing the science folks their own little world, a school within a school complete with coffee bar and librarians. By putting all the disciplines together there is also great opportunity for collaboration.
ReplyDeleteI think it sounds nice, especially the part about integrating the disciplines. Collaboration, yes, but also the opportunity to simply observe and interact with other disciplines. Also, creating a usable space (the lecture hall and coffee shop). We've all been to 'conferences' in tiny rooms with the wrong technology hookups and chaos insues!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea that this library is located in the same building that other research is happening. In some colleges I have been to, the library was clear across campus from where the actual students were congregating.
ReplyDeleteThe word "Integral", or variations of it, are becoming increasingly popular...a new version of "wholistic". I absolutely love the idea of classrooms and labs being part of the library commune...although, I echo Savannah's concerns about an experiment gone awry. There is something ancient and satisfying about having an "integral" community of scholars and scholarly materials within the "palace walls", so to speak...a spawning ground for new ideas and progress. These are the new "monasteries", where focus is on knowledge and learning. I guess the only concern is that it not become one-sighted to the exclusion of outside ideas...which doesn't seem a great danger in this global information revolution.
ReplyDeletePlacing classrooms in the library for professors to use is a great way to integrate the library. Many professors have students go to the library but they do not take them. Now, they can teach right in the library. And if needed, they can show them what they are talking about by stepping outside the classroom door.
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