The Learning Commons
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Today's students engage in many learning activities while connected to the Internet; in fact, they have been characterized as the "Net Generation." They also want and need well-equipped, comfortable spaces on campus in which to study and collaborate - it is being shown that much learning takes place through students' peer interactions, along with their engagement with faculty.
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The library, with its 24-hour schedule, services, and access to print, electronic, and media collections, is a natural gathering place for these activities. Recent library building and renovation projects offer many successful examples of the "information commons" or "learning commons" model.
The East Wing Renovation project provides an opportunity to reconfigure approximately 14,500 square feet of the first floor as a Learning Commons to complement the Learning and Research Center for the Digital Age on the second floor. A variety of seating and use configurations will facilitate activities ranging from individual study and computing to small group work and demonstrations. A service desk will serve as a "headquarters" for assistance with both library research and software applications.
The Learning Commons will support a continuum of activities, from search and retrieval of information resources through processing and interpretation (e.g., use of discipline-specific software), to packaging, production, and presentation.
Proposed furniture layout for the Learning Commons (not finalized):
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