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Collaborative Learning Commons

Proposal

D. Hiden Ramsey Library, UNC Asheville | Last revised 12/12/07

"A collaboratory for undergraduate research
and learning"
 


[click to enlarge]
 

Conceptual drawings, layouts, and images

Description

The Collaborative Learning Commons (CLC) at UNC Asheville's Ramsey Library brings together a wide assortment of elements to foster student exploration and inquiry in new and creative ways. It is not a static computer lab. Rather, it incorporates the freedom of wireless communication, flexible workspace clusters that promote interaction and collaboration, and comfortable furnishings, art, and design to make users feel relaxed, encourage creativity, and support peer-learning. To this add self-help graphics services, GIS, color imaging, audio and video editing, and other production/presentation software catered to student learning and needs and it becomes a one-stop collaboratory for out-of-class assignments, writing, research, and group projects.


Specifications/Features

  • Approximately 3,000-4,000 square feet on the main floor of Ramsey Library
     
  • Glass walls separate the CLC from the rest of the library allowing for increased hours (until 3-4 a.m.?)
     
  • OneCard required for entry after midnight; UNCA students, faculty, and staff only after midnight
     
  • Wireless access throughout, including wireless printing
     
  • Tables with organic shapes -- kidney-shaped, oval, half-circle, etc. -- designed to encourage inclusiveness and participation
     
  • Docking stations for wireless laptops that allow for screen display to one or multiple widescreen monitors (for example, see SideCar)
     
  • Raised floor (1-1.5") in entire area for electrical connections, or work areas arranged on raised-platform lily pads, allowing for electrical connections from the columns
     
  • All workstations passworded; for UNCA students, faculty, and staff only; available on a first-come, first-served basis
     
  • Fixed workstations for specialized applications, e.g., media editing, design applications, GIS, etc.
     
  • Most software needed regularly by students to reside on campus servers and accessed by way of a centrally-managed thin client
     
  • Access to library databases for research: SciFinder Scholar, Web of Science, New York Times Historical Newspapers
     
  • Available software:

word-processing, presentation, and spreadsheet software; specialized software for specific programs and majors (atmospheric sciences, multimedia, foreign languages, chemistry, etc.); geographic information systems (GIS); multimedia  production and editing capabilities; media players

  • Self-help graphics stations with widescreen monitors
     
  • Large flatbed scanners
     
  • Color printer
     
  • Plotter for poster-size color printing
     
  • Comfortable seating (loveseats, sofas) w/ tables, chairs, and lamps
     
  • Mission style/arts and crafts furnishings - natural - warm - three-position chairs
     
  • 2 small-group multimedia presentation rooms. Capacity: 6-10 persons/ea.
     
  • Provides additional display/gallery space for student shows, multimedia projects, exhibits, etc.
     
  • Close proximity to media browsing collection (DVDs, CDs, videos).  All materials circulate through the circulation desk on the main floor


Site Visits

Georgia Tech


Images

The following images show possible configurations and uses. They are provided here for discussion purposes. It is proposed that our Commons be a warm, comfortable environment and look less like a "computer lab."

Images - NC State  (additional flickr images at http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/learningcommons/)

Images - UMass Amherst

Images - Duke Univ. Bostock Library/von der Heyden Pavilion

Images - Georgia Tech

Images - Univ. of Arizona


Floor plans

Floor plan - NC State

Floor plan - Indiana Univ. Bloomington

Floor plan - UMass Amherst

Floor plan - UNC Charlotte

Floor plan - Univ. of Chicago

Floor plan - Univ. of Arizona


Furnishings

Agati

Brodart

Herman Miller

Library Furniture International

Sauder Education

Thos. Moser


Libraries

Information Commons sites by Carnegie Classification -
http://www.brookdale.cc.nj.us/library/infocommons/icsites/sitestype.htm

The MEWS at Mount Holyoke College -
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/lits/16244.shtml

NC State - http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/learningcommons/

UMass Amherst - W.E.B. Du Bois Library Learning Commons - http://www.umass.edu/learningcommons/

Georgia Tech - http://librarycommons.gatech.edu/

University of Guelph - http://www.learningcommons.uoguelph.ca/

Binghamton Univ. (SUNY) - http://library.lib.binghamton.edu/IC/project.html
http://library.lib.binghamton.edu/IC/ICPolicies.html - See Current Usage at http://library.lib.binghamton.edu/ic/index.html

UNC Charlotte - Atkins Library - http://library.uncc.edu/infocommons/

Indiana Univ. Bloomington - IC1 and IC2 -
http://ic.indiana.edu/

University of Arizona Library - http://www.library.arizona.edu/ic/

Univ. of Southern California Libraries - Leavey Library (Undergraduate Library) - http://www.usc.edu/libraries/locations/leavey/spaces/
http://www.usc.edu/libraries/locations/leavey/


Bibliography & Links

 

Comments to sinclair@unca.edu