Collaborative Workstation
We are experimenting with some changes in the library. Read more and find out what we have done, why we’re doing it, and then tell us what you think. Navigate to each of the sub-pages on this Blog and see more about the individual pieces and provide specific comments about what you like or don’t like about them. Also, don’t forget to tell us if we missed something you think we should be doing.
The Creative Learning Spaces Project:
A group of McDaniel College administrators, faculty and students have been working together to develop ideas about how we can improve spaces around campus and enable students to work more effectively on collaborative projects. In libraries these new space designs are typically called an Information Commons. The Creative Learning Spaces Project group at McDaniel College decided to experiment with some of the space redesign features commonly found in Information Commons environments and bring them into the Hoover Library. At the beginning of the Fall semester we borrowed some sample pieces from a furniture vendor and gathered your feedback. We selected the pieces to buy for the Information Commons experiment based on your comments. All of the pieces for the experimental project have arrived. Try them out and tell us what you think! We want to make things better for you. The information you give us will inform a larger project to build creative learning spaces in the Library and around your college.
This experimental project is made possible through funds generously donated to the library through contributions to our library gift fund and the Hoover endowment provided for the long-term support of the library.
[...] more information, click HERE for our own blog, where you can leave us comments about the Information Commons Project. Updates [...]
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Thank you for posting the specifics of your experiment. We are working out the stages and plans for our Library Knowledge Commons “sandbox” space to try out different furniture and technologies and look forward to the feedback from your open house today.
Michael Brown
Portland State University Library
Portland, Oregon, USA
I think some parts of the furniture here don’t make sense.. like the screen and shade.. we’re not outside, and they’re not going to block sound in any noticeable way. but these huge-ass computers are pretty cool i guess. I don’t think this is the best spot for encouraging group-working, because a lot of people come to this area (and to the library in general) for a quiet place to work alone. I’m not sure why anyone would be particularly excited about this little, kind of odd change to the library.
I don’t know if this is the right place to post this, but I really don’t like the changes made to the library computer lab either. Fewer people can use the computers at a time (and MANY people need to use that lab, especially around midterms and finals, for which there might have been too few computers as it was before). The set up in that room is odd, and makes it less comfortable to use the computers for any length of time. Plus, the new yellow color of the walls… sucks. Where did the rest of the computers go, btw?
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[...] Self-tours will be available all day. For more information visit the project’s news blog at http://hooverlib.wordpress.com/information-commons/ or contact Jessame Ferguson at [...]