Information Commons

Proposal to Create an Information Commons:

The Bartle Library will serve as “host” for the South POD that must be relocated from the Engineering Building. This is a one-time opportunity for us to join a national movement (see collaborative facilities at http://www.dartmouth.edu/~collab/) and achieve virtually overnight what many other universities have taken years to accomplish through strategic planning and fund raising. Juxtaposing two compatible learner-centered activities under one roof in the center of campus would create a technology enriched learning environment. A memorandum of understanding would insure no change in administrative, fiscal or personnel responsibilities for either party, although both should attain savings through economies of scale.

Rationale:
Since the 1998 Boyer Report (http://naples.cc.sunysb.edu/Pres/boyer.nsf/) characterized research universities as being out of touch with their undergraduates, our nation’s universities have refocused their attention upon being learner-centered. One of many national initiatives responding to this Report has been the promotion of information literacy and holistic computing (informed information retrieval and data manipulation with on-site assistance for both activities) through collaborative facilities such as “information commons.” Hitherto, students faced the inconvenience of seeking information in libraries but processing it in computer labs because neither entity offered software or assistance for activity deemed the other’s responsibility.

“Information commons,” such as those developed at the University of Arizona http://www.library.arizona.edu/library/teams/pic/pic.htm and the Georgia Institute of Technology http://www.library.gatech.edu/about_us/computing.html are located in their respective libraries but also adjacent to an “academic commons” where lower division classes are taught. In each of these two instances, major construction projects were undertaken to achieve this goal.

Binghamton University has the opportunity to create a comparable learning environment without major construction by simply re-purposing existing facilities. Since Bartle Library is located at the physical crossroads of campus and adjacent to the Lecture Hall (providing a defacto “academic commons”), positioning the South POD in close proximity to our Reference Room will provide a centralized and concentrated learning environment quite similar to those achieved at other universities.

Economies of Scale:
Binghamton University Libraries absorb the cost of purchasing, supporting and routinely replacing over 100 personal computers for public use. The hardware expense of providing “information access” has been maintained even during the recent round of journal cancellations. Since the library provides microfilm readers for microfilm, it logically follows that an array of public access computers must be provided for access to digital resources. However, it is time for our libraries to concentrate upon acquiring additional information resources while leaving public hardware and networking purchases to Computing Services.

Computer Services keeps the South POD in Engineering open until 3:00 a.m. during the week. Bartle Library will begin closing at 2:00 a.m. instead of midnight within the next two weeks. There is an opportunity to further expand library hours and provide students equal access to print and digital resources without maintaining separate facilities and staffing.

The Bartle Library Reference Department Staff recently implemented electronic “chat” reference service. There is an opportunity to examine this service in conjunction with the Computer Services’ Help Desk and its use of tracking software.

The information commons at Arizona recently announced wireless capability for students using laptops. Bartle Library lobby and the area proposed to house the POD currently support wireless technology.

Library technology personnel are currently supporting Computer Services’ implementation of the BUC$ card for printing. However, the Library requires assistance to implement scanning stations for students wanting to convert print documents to digital format in lieu of printing. The Bartle Library and Computing Services can collaborate on these initiatives within the “information commons.”

Competitive Pedagogical Advantages:
Although many universities have implemented the “information commons” concept, it is appropriate that Binghamton University closely examine this venture at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Georgia Tech has 15,000 students with an average SAT of 1330, 90% freshman retention and six year graduation rate of 68%. Binghamton University has 13,385 students with an average SAT of 1235, 92% freshman retention and six year graduation rate of 80%. Georgia Tech envisioned its information and academic commons initiatives as a means of improving students’ academic performance and increasing their graduation rate. (See EDUCAUSE Presentation about creating its “information commons” cited on URL page http://www.library.gatech.edu/about_us/computing.html).

Endicott Interconnect Technologies will be working closely with over 100 engineering students from Binghamton University and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Students coming from Georgia Tech have a holistic computing environment on their campus that we have yet to provide. Read about the Georgia Tech Library’s West Commons with a “central technical and library reference counter immediately adjacent to the commons area, staffed by both Library and OIT personnel” (http://www.library.gatech.edu/about_us/computing.html). Also view their Library West Commons from start to finish at http://www.library.gatech.edu/about_us/lwc/renovation/lwc_panoramic.htm)

“Electronic Theses and Dissertations at Georgia Tech will begin with a pilot program in summer 2003 for those wishing to submit an ETD instead of a paper thesis or dissertation. Beginning in 2004 all Georgia Tech theses and dissertations will be submitted electronically.” (http://etd.gatech.edu/introduction.htm) Binghamton University is discussing ETD but must provide appropriate infrastructure support (e.g. “information commons”) for students wishing to incorporate multimedia into interactive digital term papers, theses and dissertations.

November 12, 2003

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