Library Plus: A reimagining of the campus heart
The academic “library of the future” has been manifesting for more than a decade. So, what’s next?
We’ve leaned into the library as the learning and information commons, integrated technology into every library function and adjusted the way the library looks and feels to accommodate its diverse range of users and new forms of service delivery.
But amid change, the library remains the intellectual heart of campus. In many cases, it’s the largest building on campus by square footage and significantly contributes to recruitment, retention and academic success. But with the volatility of campus budgets and evolving student needs, how should we rethink the library model as we know it to catalyze campus-wide transformation while retaining its academic core?
One approach is to break down the silos between campus typologies. What would it look like if the library and student union programs were housed in the same space? Or if the library offered areas for recreation or health and human services? As the ways we manage information evolves and our learning needs become more diverse, how can we redesign the library to more holistically reflect the academic campus community's needs?
The superpower of the academic library is its ability to influence learning behaviors. With that in mind, let’s re-think the ways in which the library can leverage its power of place to be bigger, better and bolder than ever before.
Library +
Libraries and their leaders are great collaborators. Over the years, we’ve seen the library open its doors to strengthen partnerships with other campus groups such as IT departments and academic support groups. These types of partnerships enrich library spaces and expand their reach to campus beyond the walls of the library building. Considering the competing needs of the library to do more with increasingly lean budgets, exploring radical library partnerships could be the path to continued prosperity for these campus icons.
But it’s a transition that must be executed with fidelity to the institution’s mission to serve the whole student. We have a generation of learners who will increasingly need support in “learning how to learn,” so introducing spaces that influence learning behaviors in unexpected campus environments may be the ticket to breaking down barriers to access.
How should we test traditional typology formats to set ourselves up for expanded access and more efficient footprints in the future?
Aligning with the theme of a radical approach to partnerships, we’ve called on AI to help us speculate on what these future hybrid library spaces might look like. Included below are images generated using key prompts in Copilot Designer to explore unconventional hybrid library buildings, while maintaining the library’s core sense of place.
Library + Student Center or Union
Introducing the intellectual and community heart of campus. A building which is busy all day and up all night. A dynamic space that accommodates big shifts of populations over the course of 24 hours, serving as a one-stop shop for all things academic and student life. Just imagine this type of space as your first stop on the campus tour!
Pros:
- Addresses informal learning and student life in one project for institutions that may not have multiple opportunities to build or renovate
- Offers complementary and not duplicative offerings. Duplicative elements such as meeting, group study rooms, and food services spaces can be right-sized and better managed in a central location.
Cons:
- It may be challenging to align funding structures and stakeholders with competing priorities
- There is a large range of scales of space and various noise levels to be managed
"This approach redefines how we design learning environments by integrating both academic and social spaces," says Marisa Nemcik, a leader in designing student life spaces. "It emphasizes that ‘learning how to learn’ is as much about fostering collaboration and discovery as it is about mastering content. It challenges us to create spaces where academic growth and the development of essential soft skills naturally coexist, preparing students for real-world success."
Library + Recreation and Wellness
A Frankenstein building which uniquely explores the correlation between mental and physical health and academic success. If you’ve ever wondered why your laundromat couldn’t also have a gym, this one’s for you. Can you imagine if your quick “study break” could be a yoga class or a round of pickleball?
Pros:
- Addresses increasing request for respite and wellness space in libraries
- Widens the catchment of both student and community populations to ongoing pursuit of breaking down barriers to access
Cons:
- A pool and books are natural frenemies 😊
- Renovation or retrofitting of existing campus buildings would be limiting for either typology, i.e., the floor plates of most existing libraries are not conducive to recreation needs
Library + Academic + Community
One example of a typology mashup that we do see being implemented is a library with a large quantity of academic classroom space: College of the Mainland, Library Classroom Building. We didn't need AI for this one since it's a project currently underway.
This is a collaboration we’re implementing at the College of the Mainland. The new “Library Classroom Building” is designed to serve as a gateway academic building for the institution. With over forty classrooms and a large library component it’s intended to serve the surrounding community in addition to the campus. The building features spaces that support families and community events, whether it be a student who needs to study while caretaking or a local family who needs to access resources with children in tow. All at once it celebrates campus and community diversity, while creating pathways to educational and professional opportunities.
From the inside out, this multipurpose building creates space and opportunity for learning at various levels, while considering the well-being of all its users. The design was informed by a robust engagement process that included students and community members, resulting in all public-facing program components being placed on the ground floor and easy access to the two-story library from both entrances.
“Librarians and community colleges are innovators and highly attuned to the evolving circumstances and priorities of their local communities," says Claire Breyen, a leader on our library design team. "The COM project demonstrates that embracing the needs of student-parents and families in the planning and design process can create a more inclusive building experience and shape new environments for learning.”
Proceeding with caution
There are reasons these spaces don’t already exist to the degree imagined in the renderings. Organizational structure, funding, limitations in degrees of change, to name a few. The idea of Library+ largely necessitates a substantial budget and a new build or significant renovation to achieve. Current library planning and design often results in plans to support small, incremental renovations over time.
Beyond the reality of implementation, we should heavily examine if libraries are truly most successful in their purest form. So, does adding other typologies to the mix change this reality? The jury is still out. But at a time when libraries are facing intense pressure to do more with less, we must boldly explore the paths not yet traveled.
