Cees-Jan de Jong, “The Information Commons Handbook” (review), Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library Information Practice and Research 2, no. Level of need: Variable levels of complexity must be considered among, for example, an eighteen-year-old, a graduate student and a senior researcher - the services need to be adapted to the different levels of complexity.
UNIVeRsItY oF ARIZoNA
The Commons consists of two adjoining rooms, both of which are accessible from the library's main lobby. Each desk faces one of the two adjoining rooms in which the Commons is located.
Many of the chairs in the Commons have casters, allowing easier set-up for group study. Statistics are maintained in a sampling plan on all reference tables, including shared information.
UNIVeRsItY oF CALGARY
The Information Commons is an integrated service provision that focuses on providing full service to the user. All PCs in the Commons have the same download with internet access, productivity software and specialized research resources. This has been a good tool for receiving instant feedback and information about day-to-day operations and for gauging longitudinal concerns about the service.
Although the focus of the survey was on users' perceptions of the quality of services in the library as a whole, good information was obtained on users' attitudes towards services, access and places mentioning the Information Commons. The Property Manager reports to the Assistant Director of Client Services, but other IR and IT units have an interest in operations, planning and decision-making related to property services, policies and procedures. Concurrent with the construction of Phase One Commons, Cal Poly students were invited to make recommendations for a student-centered Phase Two Commons.
UNIVeRsItY oF GeoRGIA
We also count the people in the building every hour, which has been a great benefit in evaluating the hours to be open, the building's heaviest use areas, and the heaviest use hours in the building. Another service point in the building (not listed in the table count) is the Classroom Support Office, from which comes troubleshooting, maintenance, and training of teachers and students in classroom technology. All staff in the Center's Electronic Library wear a badge that identifies them as reference librarians, but not by name.
In addition to training on resources and software, it is also important that all staff are familiar with the more operational procedures in the building. As mentioned in the statistics section above, we use them to monitor usage to help with recruitment and security. With the goal of the building offering integrated resources and services, care was taken to involve faculty, students, staff and administrators from many areas around campus in the design of the facilities and development of the building's operations.
UNIVeRsItY oF GUeLPh
The Learning Commons at the University of Guelph brings together services to support learning, writing, research and technology use. It is based on a partnership model with the Learning and Writing Service from Student Affairs and the Library and Computing and Communications Service from Student Affairs. The Learning Commons offers services built around four key pillars: learning, writing, research and technology.
The Information Technology Help Desk is a service provided by Computing and Communication Services and is staffed by student consultants. The Library Center for Students with Disabilities offers services and adaptive software that enable students with disabilities to access information resources in the library. No new posts have been created to staff the Learning Centre; rather, staff and services were brought together in a single location.
INDIANA UNIVeRsItY bLooMINGtoN
MURReY AtkINs LIbRARY,
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA At Charlotte. UNCC Associate University Librarian for the Information Commons) and Barbara Gunter Tierney (Information Commons Desk Coordinator). Instructional Services provides educational support in library services and resources to the campus community. Training, both primary and ongoing, is essential to the functional success of the Information Commons public service banks.
The Information Commons is the heart of the library and is under the direction of the Associate University Librarian for Information Commons, who reports directly to the University Librarian. Additionally, the Atkins Library Public Services Committee consists of representatives of all library departments and units and serves as an advisory body to the university librarian and the library's management team. The Information Commons Planning Group met monthly and was responsible for developing all Commons resource and service plans and policies.
UNIVeRsItY oF soUtheRN CALIFoRNIA
The information community is the most innovative and original aspect of the library building. The two entrance/exit doors from the east and west wings of the huge rectangular room give access to the Lower Common. Around the perimeter of the Lower Commons is a basic/core print reference collection that fuses digital resources with traditional resources from an undergraduate library.
A tiered service concept is at the heart of the reference model in the Leavey Information Commons. Services at both Commons are integrated so that patrons can receive research/reference assistance and data processing from the same desk, creating "one-stop shopping service." The integrated tiered service model draws on student navigation assistants to answer basic reference, information, directional and computing questions while referring more challenging questions to professional staff and librarians. The assessment result generated data on user satisfaction with the library's resources and services.
UNIVeRsItY oF soUtheRN MAINe
The Glickman Commons is located on the second floor of the library and includes fifteen workstations. The second floor of the library has two additional workstations, which also contain IC software and menu. Research and technical support is provided at each information center service point, which is also the reference desk.
The Lewiston-Auburn campus library has a combined Circulation and Information Commons/Reference service desk. All USM Information Commons workstations include access, via a branded resource menu, to the Microsoft Office suite; 194 proprietary databases; EndNote, the bibliographic management software package; Whiteboard, course management software; Internet; and the USM Computer Lab software packages. Decisions are now made by the Director of University Libraries, the Head of Reference and the Information Commons Coordinator, with feedback from all library staff.
UNIVeRsItY oF VICtoRIA
The Commons offers seventy-five computer workstations in an open area and twenty-eight workstations in the library classroom on the main floor of the library near the lending desk, reserve desk, and reference desk. Print collections that are part of the Information Commons include references, reserves, maps and aerial photographs, current periodicals and newspapers. The ACU Learning Commons area is 14,450 square feet of prime real estate in a large building—the Brown Library—on the west side of the university mall.
Regular partner meetings and close physical proximity have facilitated the fusion of cultures and the creation of the new Learning Commons culture. For the first time in the 2005/2006 budget cycle, the Learning Commons partners integrated the needs and interests of the Commons into their respective units' five-year plans. The partners contribute staff to each of the key services of the Learning Commons.
AsbURY theoLoGICAL seMINARY
Whether students have trouble finding a book or their computer has crashed, they can come to the Information Center desk for help. Traditional library technical services and information technology, although part of information services, are located in another building and not in the Information Center. The Information Center has six professional staff with library degrees, postgraduate degrees or specialized training.
There are eight professional staff and ten support staff in the technical services of libraries and information technology not housed in the Information Commons. The Information Commons is evaluated through an ongoing seminar evaluation program and student survey. The Information Commons is part of Information Services and is supervised by the Dean of Information Services.
CARLetoN CoLLeGe
More computer capacity is available in the library instruction room (fifteen PCs), which was completed in 2003, and a new Mac lab with fifteen computers one floor below the Reference Room. Whenever possible, every SCIC staff member has at least one shift in the library, creating a culture where the Research/IT desk is as important as the original service point in the IT building. Frequent interaction between the SCIC students and librarians has resulted in sharing of expertise and closer collaborations.
All public laboratory computers in the library, including those in the Reference Room, have a full suite of software available on campus that makes up our standard academic toolkit. Two network printers are in the reference room, and there are additional printers in each of the two laboratories on the third floor. The Assistant Director of Academic Computing and the Head of Reference join them on a regular schedule to discuss topics of mutual interest, including the Reference Room, labs in the library, and joint projects.
ChAMPLAIN CoLLeGe
The second floor of the Commons houses one of the campus computer labs with a network printer. Oversized chairs line the walls and windows of the third floor, as well as the two nooks of the study. The ground floor of the Commons houses the library's bookshelves, as well as three general-use computers, individual study rooms, technical services, and a second electronics classroom.
Reference computers at the main level of the Miller Information Commons do not include the Microsoft Office suite and are intended for reference use and not for general use. Students and faculty adapted well to the change, and Commons gate numbers continued to grow, despite the relocation of this major service area. We are committed to keeping our print book collection alive and relevant and have adopted a 'Make Every Book Count' rallying cry. The challenge of providing a strong collection in.
DICkINsoN CoLLeGe
How often do you come into the library building?
If you have never come into the library, may we ask why?
Have you ever asked for assistance (in person, by telephone or e-mail) from one of the library’s public service desks?
Were staff at the service desk helpful and friendly?
Were staff at the service desk able to answer your questions?
Were you assisted by the Circulation Desk (checking out, renewing and returning books, laptops, AV equipment)?
How satisfied were you with the Circulation Desk’s assistance?
Were you assisted by the Information Desk (Group Study Rooms, referrals to other service desks and staff)?
Have you been assisted by the Presentation Support Desk (help with productivity software, wireless, scanning and multimedia labs, etc.).
Were you assisted by the Presentation Support Desk (assistance with productivity software, wireless, scanning and multimedia labs, etc.)?
How satisfied were you with the Presentation Support Desk’s assistance?
Were you assisted by the Reference Desk (research assistance, electronic searching, etc.)?
How satisfied were you with the Reference Desk’s assistance?
Were you assisted by the Collections Desk on the second floor (reserve materials, periodicals, etc.)?
How satisfied were you with the Collection Desk’s assistance?
Do you have any comments (likes/dislikes; praise/suggestions) about any of the public service desks mentioned above?
Are you satisfied that the library helps you meet your learning/research needs?
What should the library do differently to help you meet your learning/research needs?
What difficulties/barriers (if any) have you encountered while using the library?
How often do you use Atkins Library resources from outside of the building?
Do you find the library welcoming?
Do you have any further comments about the library’s physical appearance?
What do you do in the library? (Mark all that apply) r Consult librarians and other staff; get research assistance
Which of the following tools and services do you usually use while in the library?
How satisfied are you with the library’s public computers?
Have you ever had to wait for a computer?
If you’ve had to wait for a computer, how long has your wait been?
Do you have any comments about the library’s public computers?
How satisfied are you with the library’s multimedia and scanning services?
How satisfied are you with the library’s group study room facilities?
What would you like to change or improve about the library?
When you are in the library, do you usually work r Alone
What days do you visit the library?
What time of the day do you visit the library?
How much time do you usually spend in the library per visit?
Are you satisfied with the current arrangement of public service desks, computers, study areas and collections on the library's first floor.
Are you satisfied with the current arrangement of public service desks, computers, study areas, and collections on the library’s first floor?
If you were to redesign the arrangement of public computers on the library’s first floor, would you
Of the following suggested changes for the library’s first floor, please RANK 1-2-3 your top 3 choices with 1 being most important, 3 least important
If you were to locate additional student services in the library, what would you prefer?
In considering new library services, how important do you consider the following? Please RANK 1-2-3 your top 3 choices with 1 being most important, 3 least important
Do you have any suggestions for other library services?
Information Commons 101: Planning the Nuts and Bolts.” Association of College and Research Libraries Preconference, Jan. From Shared Information to Shared Learning.” Association of College and Research Libraries National Conference 2005, Minneapolis, Minneta. Integrating Services into the Information Community: Towards a Comprehensive Library and Computing Environment." Library Administration and Management 16, no.
Information Center at Brigham Young University: Past, Present and Future.” Referral Services Review 34, no. From Information Center to Learning Center.” Presented at Leavey Library, University of Southern California, Sept. The Information Center and the future of the Academic Library.” Presented at EDUCAUSE Annual Conferences, 2004.
