Interim Vice Provost Robert Shea and Associate Dean for Student Success Allison Chase Padula said these and other changes are meant to make way for more collaborative space for learning and studying — something academic libraries all over the country are pushing for. The changes are also based on permissiveness, which captures the idea that students should own the space. Essentially, the concept ensures that staff leave a less permanent footprint in the building. 

 

A chief concern is whether or not the new open space drives traffic to the building.

 

Shea said the renovation as a whole s a three-phase process. Phase one involved clearing out the bookshelves and building three new offices, as well redoing two others.

 

Phase two led to the installment of new tables and chairs, each of which has wheels so students can move them around as they see fit. Moving tables also allows for the moving of electrical outlets, so different students can charge their devices. The rest of this phase involved a few steps: removing the wall in the Advising and Peer Mentorship offices, moving the bookshelves downstairs and placing a front desk staffed by peer mentors at the top of the stairs.

 

Phase three, which will likely happen next summer, involves removing the walls in the Tutoring Center. These will be replaced with moveable walls, to reinforce the idea of a collaborative learning space. It will also involve the installment of two new light fixtures. More furniture will also be coming into the library this semester.

 

Those looking for new improvements besides furniture might be in luck too. Staff members are currently in talks with Dean of University Library Services Elizabeth Learned about putting in a cafe.