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Library & Learning Center Becomes Campus Hub
With an eye to the future and the goal to become the region’s technology hub, the new Library & Learning Center at SCF Bradenton opened in late January 2018. Dozens of donors, dignitaries, students, faculty and staff joined SCF President Dr. Carol F. Probstfeld and members of the District Board of Trustees in officially recognizing the new campus hot spot at a ribbon-cutting ceremony in February. Since its opening, the library has seen incredible traffic from students. During spring and fall terms, librarians counted an average of about 150 students per hour using the library for research, group projects and study. But it’s not just students. The Library & Learning Center has also been home to alumni and community events. The Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation reserved space in the new building to host its small business roundtable meeting focusing on technology. Participants were able to tour the library and see the technology it offers, including a film studio and editing booths, 3-D printers, smart boards, conference areas with projectors and screens, and a Visualization Theatre classroom.
The theatre, which can seat 40 students or visitors at a time and is designed to provide users with a contemporary digital learning environment, was a must-see for the group. It offers 270-degree immersive projection on three walls for 80-linear feet of display surface, zoned audio systems, cameras for real-time video capture and collaboration spaces. Users can project images on all screens simultaneously or on separate screens for small groups or individual projects. The technology allows for high impact presentations and immersive interactive learning. Other civic and community members, such as the Junior Leadership Manatee Program, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Members Council on Library Services and the Feeding Tampa Bay Transition Meeting, have also reserved space. In April 2019, the library will be host to the Association of Florida Colleges (AFC) Region IV Annual Conference. The Foundation raised more than $1 million for the Library & Learning Center’s technology and equipment. The support from community and private foundations as well as individual donors has resulted in a technology-rich learning environment that will benefit students and the community for years to come.
