According to the latest Horizon Report: Library Edition 2017:
“The transformation of physical spaces is an ongoing trend within higher education. Listed as a long-term trend in the NMC Horizon Report > 2015 Library Edition, the 2017 expert panelists believe that the reconceptualization of library spaces is maturing. Recent studies are helping to highlight the ways in which these changes are occurring. The report Planning and Designing Academic Library Spaces, for example, identified the approaches, challenges, and best practices in designing new academic library learning spaces. Through a series of interviews, the authors found that 77% of architects and 50% of librarians prioritized flexibility, favoring spaces that are movable and customizable based. Supporting a spectrum of learning needs was another shared goal. Most interviewees noted that new library spaces were being designed to support academic learning activities, with collaboration at 83%, individual study at 73%, and point-of-need services at 63%.” (see original report here by Project Information Literacy.)
Here are some great resources for rethinking library spaces, from the 2017 Horizon Report:
Coalition for Networked Information Introduction and Program Plan 2016-17 go.nmc.org/cnipro (Consortium of Networked Information, accessed 20 February 2017.) CNI has produced a program plan that has three major features, including transforming organizations, professions, and individuals, under which spaces and services that support technology-enhanced research and learning reside.
Evaluating and Designing Learning Spaces Guide go.nmc.org/jisceval (Jisc, accessed 20 February 2017.) Jisc’s website provides a quick guide to the evaluation and design of learning spaces, covering assessment methods, project management, and the design process.
Imagine Our Library go.nmc.org/ucdlib (UC Davis University Library, accessed 20 February 2017.) The UC Davis Library is soliciting suggestions from students, faculty, and researchers about how the library’s space, technology, and services can best serve their needs. Phase one involves visioning, phase two focuses on detailed programming, and phase three is the actual design.
Learning Spaces Collaboratory go.nmc.org/lsc (Learning Spaces Collaboratory, accessed 20 February 2017.) The Learning Spaces Collaboratory is synthesizing findings from research and practice in learning space design to build resources to shape and assess undergraduate learning environments, such as an “Emerging Template for Assessing Learning Spaces.”
Library Refurbishments go.nmc.org/refurbish (The University of Western Australia Library, accessed 20 February 2017.) The University of Western Australia libraries are transforming to provide more interactive, flexible, and collaborative spaces. Once home to print collections, the Medical and Dental Library will be renovated with e-learning suites, computer training facilities, and collaborative learning areas.
Measure the Future go.nmc.org/measure (Measure the Future, accessed 20 February 2017.) Using inexpensive sensors that collect data about a building’s usage, the Measure the Future project will help libraries track the number of visits, items patrons browsed, and which parts of the library were busy during specific times. The data collected will inform the strategic dec
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