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Prepared By: Angel Durr, Willis Graduate Assistant

INFORMATION COMMONS: WHAT’S IN A NAME?

“[An information commons is] a new type of physical facility or section of a library specifically designed to organize workspace and service delivery around an integrated digital environment…”

-Donald Robert Beagle, Author of The Information Commons Handbook

Many institutions are renovating their libraries to become information commons or learning commons. Frequently, the information commons occupies one floor of a library facility, generally a main service floor, which often includes or replaces the library's reference area. Most information commons are currently in library spaces that have been renovated; a minority are in totally new buildings. A small number of information commons are in non library buildings.Retrieved from: http://www.educause.edu/learningspacesch7

INFORMATION COMMONS: ENGAGING STUDENTS

“I see that one rationale for the Commons is to "get the students to the library." In our case, it has been very effective in attracting students…our gate count was 110 percent higher…so, it will attract students. But that begs the question? Once they are in the building, what do we do with them? How do we engage them? The rationale for the learning commons, in my view, is that, properly designed, implemented, and operated, it will enhance student learning and scholarship. That is the real challenge, and the real goal, of the learning commons.”

- St. Thomas University Librarian, Dan Gjelten, posting on the EDUCAUSE LIBIT listserv, October 31, 2005.(retrieved from: http://www.educause.edu/learningspacesch7)

LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: STATISTICS

•Total enrollment: More than 15,951

•71 undergraduate majors and 71 minors

•85 master's, 31 doctoral degrees, and 26 graduate-level certificate programs

•1,100 full-time staff members, 40 part-time staff members, and 650 full-time faculty members

•15:1 Undergraduate student/faculty ratio

•138,000 alumni; 82,000 in Chicago

•One of only eight percent of all American colleges and universities to have a Phi Beta Kappa honor society chapter

•Undergraduate tuition (full-time entering fall 2010): $31,040(retrieved from: http://luc.edu/keyfacts/index.shtml)

LOYOLA UNIVERSITY: INFORMATION

COMMONSIn support of this mission, the Information Commons will:

• Create a library environment that is flexible, open, empowering, comfortable, inviting and conducive to study and research

• Facilitate collaboration through group study rooms, group workstations, software packages and open spaces to accommodate a variety of group needs

• Provide access to technology and library professionals to facilitate access to encourage the creation of new scholarship

• Partner with others whose mission is to facilitate the learning, research and service objectives of the university

MissionThe mission of the Loyola University Chicago Information Commons is to fulfill the Loyola Promise, "Preparing People to Lead Extraordinary Lives," by providing a technology-rich learning environment that supports both collaborative and individual research.

Retrieved from: http://libraries.luc.edu/

The concept of an Information Commons (IC) is part of a national trend which has three objectives:1. Focusing on the needs of

undergraduate students

2. Providing a one-stop shopping experience for all types of information needs: Library research, technology and more

3. Considering how and why we access and use information

Image from: http://inamemef.com/seminaries_illinois.html

THE INFORMATION COMMONS PHILOSOPHY

LOYOLA UNIVERSITY: INFORMATION COMMONS

• Unique Feature: Green Construction

• Reduced energy consumption by 50%

• Recycled construction and building materials

• LEED Certification from Green Building Rating System

Image source: http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-5778-leed_gets_tough_on_water_energy_use/

INDIANA UNIVERSITY: BLOOMINGTON PROFILE

Enrollment, Fall 2009

• 32,490 undergraduates

• 9,857 graduate and professional students

Freshman Class, Fall 2010

• 7,020 students

• 63% Indiana residents, 37% nonresidents

• 52.3% female, 47.7% male

• 73.8% in top quarter of high school class

Test Scores and GPA, Students Admitted for Fall 2010

• SAT: middle 50%, Critical Reading and Math 1090-1310

• ACT: middle 50%, composite 25-29

• GPA: middle 50% 3.4–3.9 Brenda Johnson, IU Dean of

LibrariesRetrieved from: http://www.libraries.iub.edu/

INDIANA UNIVERISTY: INFORMATION COMMONS

The Information Commons (IC) provides/is responsible for:

• reference services

• media services

• instructional services and support to IUB faculty and students

• Outreach

• cultural programming

• building collections that support undergraduate coursework and learning

Retrieved from: http://www.libraries.iub.edu/index.php?pageId=4931

INDIANA UNIVERSITY IC: MISSION

As a partnership between the Indiana University Bloomington (IUB) Libraries and University Information Technology Services, the Information Commons (IC) supports and enhances student learning and research by providing state of the art technology and resources in an academic environment.

- The Information Commons 1 provides an environment conducive to active learning and collaborative work.

- The Information Commons 2 provides a productive environment for quiet, individual work.

Retrieved from: http://www.libraries.iub.edu/index.php?pageId=310

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

http://YouTube - Weigle Information Commons Music Video

Click The Link Above to See The Weigle Information Commons

Music Video.

THE CHANGING FACE OF REFERENCE: KENT STATE

• In addition to the typical reference services, desk, chat, email, and phone Kent State Offers students the option to meet with a Personalized Research Consultant (PERC)

• Librarian staffed

• 30-60 minute time slots

• Scheduled via online, phone, and in person at least 2 days in advance

• Provide detailed information about assignment during scheduling

• Still offer one on one Reference services with subject librarians as well.

Retrieved from: https://www.library.kent.edu/page/10750

INFORMATION COMMONS AND REFERENCE SERVICES: HAPPY

TOGETHER• Reference Services will still be

necessary

• Benefits of Peer Learning via student assistants

• All of the libraries who have switched to the “IC Model” still make room for the same Reference Services i.e. Chat, Email, Phone, and Face-to-Face with tremendous success.

• “Reference librarians are a libraries eyes and ears.” –Charles W. Bailey Jr., The Role of Reference Librarians in Institutional Repositories

FINAL THOUGHTS"You see, I don't believe that libraries should be

drab places where people sit in silence, and that's

been the main reason for our policy of employing

wild animals as librarians."

— Monty Python skitRetrieved from: http://aplfriends.blogspot.com/2008/06/quotations-about-librarians.html