LibraryLinks Fall 2005
Information Commons to Debut Spring 2006
By Dave Vose & Bern Mulligan
Binghamton
University students will soon have a new
space to access a powerful selection of print and online
resources, a vast array of application software and tools,
and expert assistance to help with their use.
The Bartle Library Information Commons (IC), scheduled to
open Spring 2006, will be a welcoming, state-of-the-art,
student-centered
space with the information and technology resources
and expert staff needed to support and enhance the scholarly
needs of the BU community in the 21st Century. It represents an
important collaboration between the Libraries and Computing
Services, which will allow further collaborations between students,
faculty, and staff.
Today’s students want more than information. They want a
blend of information and techn
ology that enables them to complete
all aspects of a project, from initial research to finished
product. They also want spaces where they can work together in
small groups, to study and share ideas in a secure, comfortable,
and motivating learning environment. The way students seek,
discover, and
process information
is
changing. By
blending library
resources
and
services with
the enhanced
technology the
students require,
the Information
Commons is a
response to
this change.
Phase I of the Information Commons will occupy portions of Bartle Library’s reference area (currently undergoing renovation). The space will feature 150 computers, new furniture designed to encourage collaboration, and a new service point staffed by librarians and information technology consultants. Scanning, color printing, laptop loans, advanced resource discovery tools, presentation practice space, and multimedia production capability are just some of the services planned for the IC. Phase II of the commons will be implemented when additional funding is identified and feature an expanded footprint and additional resources and services.
We believe the IC will bring to life the Libraries’ new slogan, “Connect, Discover, Create” in a meaningful and dynamic way, as patrons make both physical and mental connections, discover new (and old!) resources and pathways to knowledge, and create new solutions and even new problems that lead to new connections, discoveries, and creations.