To continue to improve the learning experience, higher education institutions regularly renovate and construct facilities to modernize and offer students an unparalleled education. As a result, libraries are moving away from simply being a research resource and are transforming into an innovative digital hub. Driven by the heightened focus on collaboration, libraries are becoming tailored to students’ ongoing needs. These spaces now offer podcasting equipment, communal “loud study” areas, and may offer rooms for AR & VR learning and media production.
These changes have been brought to the forefront of higher education planning due to ongoing shifts in education as a result of increased technological advancements. These changes go beyond physical modifications to the building’s core structure; presenting colleges and universities the opportunity to rethink how libraries can work with modern learning environments.
Recognized among the top ten academic research libraries in North America, the University of Michigan’s Shapiro Library stands out for its commitment to offering outstanding resources and services to students, faculty, and the broader community. The University sought to enhance the space for academic discovery by providing a variety of spaces, services, and tools that support user exploration, creation, and sharing to empower researchers, scholars and learners to be successful in their academic careers.
The 37,500SF addition provides increased space for study as well as a student exhibition space accompanied by an adjoining student gallery. With standing space for 20-25 patrons, the Shapiro Gallery serves as a multipurpose space for short-term exhibits & student engagement initiatives.
Considering the new ways students study, an emphasis was placed on increasing the space for open seating and collaboration. Large tables with integrated plugs and USB ports are complemented by a Living Room area with a round “bar” style desk space for individual study. Students also have access to private study rooms that can be reserved through the library’s internal systems.
A portion of the space is dedicated to the library’s central program – the Digital Scholarship Suite. Here, students can access help with research data, metadata, visualization, research impact, copyright, open access, and publishing. In addition to individual discovery, students can schedule appointments with Library professionals to further discuss research methods and models. The Digital Scholarship Suite supports student innovation and experimentation within the library organization and provides a model for testing ideas from proposal to implementation.
Libraries are no longer utilized for just checking out books and quiet study; they are becoming vibrant on-campus spaces that promote interpersonal collaboration and social interactions. The introduction of designated interaction areas provides students with the ideal environment to explore different topics and collaborate with their peers. Modernized libraries can provide students with a newfound sense of community while having access to state-of-the-art research and interactive spaces.
