Service & Design Objectives
Owned by Learners: To provide an innovative and stimulating learning environment and make the Library a vibrant extension of the classroom. Services will be designed with learners in mind. Our three main learner communities are:
Undergraduate Students, who are:
- learners: doing assignments, reading, studying, working individually and in groups
- social creatures
- technologically savvy
- teachers: increasing number of upper year undergraduate TA's
Graduate Students, who are:
- learners
- teachers: some carry heavy teaching responsibilities
Faculty, who are:
- partners in the learning process
- instrumental in the students' use of libraries
- experimenting with new forms of teaching
Inclusive: To be inclusive by providing group and individual learning spaces, and by embracing universal design principles [ "The design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. (NCSU CUD, 2005)"].
McLay will be designed and configured to facilitate group learning and the Reference Area will be designed and configured as individual study and work space.
The working group considered how best to meet the needs of users with visual, physical and learning disabilities. We determined that two types of learning spaces are necessary:
- open - access to general computers in a large, public space. We propose to meet this need by installing some adaptive programs on all "general" computers and by creating an Adaptive Technology (AT) "Hub" for software/hardware which is too expensive to put on all of the general computers
- enclosed - students need quiet space if they: have learning disabilities and need to eliminate external distractions, or if they have low vision and need to use a voice-activated program. Students also sometimes need to discuss private issues with a staff person. We will address these needs by providing 3 bookable consultation rooms equipped with "Adaptive Technology Plus" workstations.
Collaborative: To design services collaboratively (initially: Mills Reference, Library IT, Centre for Student Development and University Technology Services). To promote collaborative learning.
Accommodates the social: To design in recognition of the need for social space.
Protects the traditional: To protect contemplative, quiet spaces in the Library. To link e-resources with the wealth of print resources in the Library.
Excellent Customer Service: To build innovative, effective customer services which:
- include both encounter-based transactions (IT & Research Help Desks) and relationship-based services (consultations)
- provide a new mix of service points: Research & IT Help Desks/ Consultations/Virtual Help
- give a prominent role to web-based services
- restructure our service interactions to meet various learning styles
- replace an aging reference service model in light of developments in learning, communication & information technology
- address the need for reference AND technical help
- involve roving (getting out from behind Help Desks) whenever possible
- provide backup systems for key services (printing)
- are based on existing customer service standards
Learning Enhanced by Information Technology: To develop a technical infrastructure which supports our service objectives.
Flexibility for the Future: To plan the renovations to accommodate change. We know that the Commons will bring more people into the library. However, we do not know: how usage patterns and user traffic will flow; how the introduction of productivity software will change usage patterns; how users will remake the space (if permitted) to suit their needs; how information technology will evolve
over the next decade.
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