New student group promotes mixedrace heritage » PAGE 3
sports Men’s Soccer NU prepares to launch into conference play » PAGE 8
opinion Muller Ted Cruz’s theatrics completely self-serving » PAGE 4
High 78 Low 55
The Daily Northwestern DAILYNORTHWESTERN.COM
Friday, September 27, 2013
Find us online @thedailynu
Library’s Reference Room repurposed New ‘1 South’ space aims to encourage collaboration By Danny Kelleher
the daily northwestern @dannykelleher3
After a summer renovation, University Library has replaced what was once the Reference Room with a modernized study lounge known as “1 South.” Located in the library’s first floor, the area was designed with input from students in the Segal Design Institute’s Spring 2013 Design Thinking and Communication class as well as general feedback through on-sight polling, said Geoffrey Swindells, user experience librarian. “One of the things that’s happening in libraries across the country is the move away from traditional space for printed materials — not completely, we still have lots of them — to take advantage of some of the more lightfilled accessible spaces to support a different way of learning that most students are undertaking nowadays,” Swindells said. Northwestern budgeted $525,000 for the project, Swindells said. The revamped room is now equipped with widely available power outlets, individual work booths and a multitude of differently shaped and sized tables that Swindells believes support “a wide range of activities and work styles.” “It’s a lot more collaborative in nature than in days past when there was sort of that single person with one book at a time,” Swindells said. “The idea was to form that first-floor South space to support that kind of collaborative activity.”
At the moment, the university’s reference books are no longer consolidated in one location. Swindells said the heaviest portion of the reference collection was moved into the library’s periodicals room, while some of the lesser-used material will soon be integrated into the stacks of books eligible for students to check out.
“
This is designed to be a very flexible space. Geoffrey Swindells, user experience librarian
Weinberg senior Danny Schuleman said he didn’t find the lack of a centralized reference collection to be very concerning for his studies. “I never used the reference books, and most of my friends who came in here would just come to study — not to use reference books,” Schuleman said. Some students expressed concern with the new changes. Medill junior Chris Johnson said he was disappointed to see the Reference Room go. “The Reference Room was pretty much my go-to place for studying,” Johnson said. “It had big tables, comfortable chairs and was always quiet.” Several students in the lounge also expressed confusion over the expected conversational volume of the space, which they said currently feels almost silent, and the uses of the vast areas of open space. Swindells said more furniture will be added to the area by the
Sarah Nelson/Daily Senior Staffer
redesigned A sign outside the new study room, “1 South,” on the first floor of University Library welcomes visitors to the reformatted space. Some of the reference materials were removed to create a more collaborative and open area for students.
end of October. But as students continue to use 1 South, University Library staff hopes to receive feedback on how to improve the new lounge. Swindells said a more formal assessment of the space will
“
This space will support those kinds of changes.” Joseph Diebold contributed reporting. dannykelleher2017@u.northwestern.edu
Eckersall remembered as ‘relentless, resilient’
University Career Services brings new director on board
Mark Presnell will take over as executive director of University Career Services next week, Northwestern announced Wednesday. Presnell comes to NU from a similar role at Johns Hopkins University, where he served as the director of the Baltimore school’s career center. Before working at JHU, he served as the He brings senior assooutstanding ciate direcexperience to tor for the University the position, of Rochester’s career including center. successful At JHU, strategic he increased planning and the center’s focus on execution... one-onone advisBob Rowley, ing while University developspokesman ing specific “individual marketing plans” for students in liberal arts, sciences and engineering career paths, according to a University news release. “He brings outstanding experience
begin next week. “This is designed to be a very flexible space,” Swindells said. “As time goes on, we will be asking the student body to tell us what’s working, what’s not and what they’d like us to change.
By Patrick Svitek
daily senior staffer @PatrickSvitek
Source: University Career Services
Fresh face University Career Services will be headed by Mark Presnell, former director of the career center at Johns Hopkins University. Presnell will assume his new position next week.
to the position, including successful strategic planning and execution for robust employer engagement programs, large group motivation and management and creative use of social media to connect students with alumni and employers,” University spokesman Bob Rowley wrote in the news release. UCS celebrated its 75th anniversary on campus earlier this year. The center provides advising, job
Serving the University and Evanston since 1881
fairs and recruiting sessions among other services. Presnell, who will report to Dean of Students Todd Adams and join the leadership team of the Division of Student Affairs, has degrees in psychology from Purdue University and counseling psychology from the University of Kansas. He begins his stint with UCS on Tuesday. — Joseph Diebold
Family members and friends gathered Thursday morning to remember Sharon Eckersall as a strong-willed public servant who had a soft spot for all types of animals. “She loved Evanston. She loved it with a passion,” said Sandra Strobeck Ethyre, Eckersall’s sister. “If she believed in something, she really supported it and didn’t back down.” Eckersall, the incoming assessor of Evanston Township, was found dead in her home on the morning of Sept. 11. Police said they believe she died in her sleep. Eckersall, 69, was a longtime real estate agent and lifelong resident of the North Shore. She was expected to take office at the beginning of next year, her second tenure in the position. More than 60 people attended a funeral service for Eckersall at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 1509 Ridge Ave.
Keri Eckersall-Mendez, Eckersall’s daughter, recalled her mother teaching her to never give up and “go the extra mile” to help other people. “She was relentless, resilient, and those are the qualities I adore,” » See funeral, page 7
Source: funeral program
Sharon Eckersall
INSIDE Around Town 2 | On Campus 3 | Opinion 4 | Classifieds & Puzzles 6 | Sports 8