LibraryLinks Fall 2007/Spring2008

University Downtown Center Library Opens

By Dave Vose

Since opening on August 20, 2007, the University Downtown Center Library Information Commons (IC) has been a vital part of the new UDC campus. The Downtown Library IC has thirty-six computer workstations that provide access to the Libraries’ vast array of electronic resources and a welcoming staff of librarians, professionals, and student assistants. Students in the College of Community and Public Affairs (CCPA) as well as non-CCPA students who live in the downtown area have found the Downtown Library IC to be a convenient and hospitable location for research and study.

In addition to the online content available from computer workstations and the wireless network available throughout the building, the Downtown Library IC has a small but growing monograph collection, a local and regional government documents collection, and a browsable print journal collection. The facility offers reference and research assistance, circulation services, course reserves, interlibrary loan, document delivery, and IT assistance.

Twenty-four laptops are available for checkout. Printing (black/white and color), scanning, photocopying, an adaptive technology room, and five individual study carrels are also available. Adjacent to the Commons, four group study rooms with laptop-ready projection equipment and a twenty-one seat computer pod provide additional space for group and individual work.

The Downtown Library IC is staffed by a combination of Libraries’ and Information Technology Services’ personnel. Gate count averages over 500 people a day. Because of its popularity, additional weekend hours were added. It is now open Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5:00 p.m. Staff members are in the process of planning workshops to educate UDC campus users about the resources and tools available to them in the Downtown Library Information Commons.