Information Commons Toolkit by Allie

Information Commons Understanding the Model and Determining Whether to Adopt

EMPORIA STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT LI850XO Spring 2007 Authored by: Allinee Flanary

TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................... 2 AUDIENCE .................................................................................................................... 2 SCOPE ......................................................................................................................... 2 FOCUS ......................................................................................................................... 2 ISSUES .......................................................................................................................... 2

WHAT IS AN INFORMATION COMMONS?........................................... 1 GETTING STARTED .......................................................................................................... 1

UNDERSTANDING THE INFORMATION COMMONS .............................. 2 ABOUT THE LANGUAGE .................................................................................................... 3 LOOKING BACK .............................................................................................................. 4 ACCESS VS. ACQUISITION ............................................................................................... 4 BIGGER, BETTER, FASTER, MORE ..................................................................................... 4 COLLABORATION AND INTEGRATION.................................................................................... 6

PLANNING ...................................................................................... 7 LONG-RANGE PLANNING................................................................................................... 7 HIRING A CONSULTANT/HIRING THE ARCHITECT .................................................................... 9

EXAMPLES IN ACTION ....................................................................11 OTHER RESOURCES ........................................................................12 APPENDIX A: CHECKLISTS AND WORKFORMS ..................................13

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WORKFORM A: SELECTING PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS .................................................13 WORKFORM D: SWOT ANALYSIS OF THE COMMUNITY . .......................................................14

Executive Summary When confronted with the changing identity of the academic library there is only thing about which you may be certain—your library must adapt to meet these changes. This purpose of the Information Commons Toolkit is to assist library management or planning committees in undertaking the initial steps necessary to transition an academic library (and related services) to an information commons or integrated learning environment. The toolkit provides information on the background of the information commons including trends leading to its adoption; theoretical underpinnings of the information commons model; and models and tools to assist with long-range planning.

Audience The toolkit is appropriate for use by academic library managers, planning committees, facilities development committees, or any other interested parties.

Scope The Information Commons Toolkit is intentionally general in scope. Introductory coverage of key theoretical issues is presented in an accessible, jargon-free manner. Extensive lists of suggested readings are available and every attempt is made to provide both text and visual explanations of relevant concepts. • •

•

Defining the Information Commons model Understanding the Information Commons model • Collaborative/integrative theories • When is IC the wrong model for the job? Planning • Long-range planning • Undertaking the needs assessment • Decisions related to hiring the architect • Developing fundraising and community support Examples of Information Commons facilities and websites

Issues • Resources • Information overload • Conflicting information • Scope • How general is too general? • When is enough enough?

C OLLABORATIVE STRUCTURE M ODEL

•

Format • Interactivity • Readability • Time • Compatibility

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Focus

Information Commons Understanding the Model and Determining Whether to Adopt

What is an Information Commons? There is no denying that the landscape of the academic learning environment has changed significantly over the past fifty years. The philosophies supporting education, the function of technology in the academic environment, and equitable access to that technology have become more predominant and this has impacted the way services are presented in the library as well as the physical structure of the library itself. An Information Commons (IC) is the newest type of facility on college and university campuses. The Information Commons integrates library, computer and technology services, and multimedia technologies in one location. That is, information technology and learning in one floor plan. An Information Commons is generally designed to support students and the librarians/instructors who aid individual students and groups of students with class assignments, research skills, use of electronic resources and other related skills. As with any major shift, many changes have been required and many more may be yet to come. The only thing about which you may be certain is that your library will have to adapt to meet these changes. Every library will have to conduct its own assessment and determine how best to meet the surging tide of resources and demands. Each type of library environment will devise its own way to adapt and not all will take the same approach. The model of the Information Commons has been one such attempt at adaptation to meet the growing demand for integrated services. If you are responsible for an academic library, particularly a community college library, this toolkit is for you.

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Getting Started A toolkit is essentially, what it sounds likeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a collection of tools to help you get something built (or in some instances, repaired). In this case, the toolkit is here to help you through the initial stages of taking your institution from a library to an information commons. By no means should you consider this toolkit your final resource during the planning stages of this understandably daunting undertaking. If it accomplishes nothing else, this toolkit should help you develop a list of questions to ask and point you in the

Virtual Tours Some ICs offer virtual tours of their facilities. Here are a few to get you started: University of Iowa IC Penn State IC Oregon State IC

direction you need to head to begin seeking answers. If the concept of an Information Commons is entirely new to you, it may be useful to begin with the history of the events leading to the development and initial implementation of the model. Also useful will be the underlying educational and information science theories presented. At the end of each section, you will find a list of suggested readings and those readings referenced during that section. If you have been researching the Information Commons for quite some time now, you may wish to skip ahead to the physical/technological and planning sections. Use the toolkit in whatever fashion makes the most sense and provides the most assistance to you and your planning team.

The 1990s were marked, in general, by far-reaching change. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll rely heavily on a few Wikipedia articles to catch you up to speed. The decade brought a wealth of technological advances, many of which were shaped by technologies introduced in the 1980s and also by the increasing popularity of the personal computer, all of which would come to impact libraries in some fashion. Early in the decade Microsoft launches the Windows operating system; the World Wide Web and hypertext markup language (HTML) are developed by Tim Berners-Lee. Intel develops the Pentium processor, magazines are published (with limited success) on the Internet, and live music is performed online. These are but a few of the many changes that both shaped and created tremendous opportunities for public learning â&#x20AC;&#x153;The unfurling of the first virtual and knowledge creation. Vendors developed reference services cemented the Web-based interfaces for catalogs. Standalone relationship between libraries and CD-ROM resources (such as Science Citation technology with a fastness for which Index) developed in the mid-1980s only really catch hold with library users early in the 1990s many libraries were unprepared.â&#x20AC;? and by late in the decade are already being phased out in favor of networkable databases, many of which increasingly offered full-text resources. The unfurling of the first virtual reference services cemented the relationship between libraries and technology with a fastness for which many libraries were unprepared. In addition to technological evolution, the academic library has also undergone significant shift in its theoretical underpinnings. This era of change ushered in the use of terms such as learner-centered services and user-centered learning. Library staffs were now called upon to conceive of their services in terms of learning styles and group study principles, the latter now requiring specific spatial planning. These theoretical shifts are essential to developing a successful Information Commons model. Bailey (2006) notes that there has been a past precedent for implementing what

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Understanding the Information Commons

he calls the pre-Information Commons model, typically resulting in a type of facility that simply integrated “library and related services.” Institutions using the pre-Commons model have a marked lack of attention to conceptual and intellectual frameworks regarding learner-centeredness. Bailey and Tierney (2002) provide an excellent overview of the various conceptualizations of the Commons and note that there are generally three basic types of Commons: 1. The World of information, especially digital information on or via the Web, as the macroCommons 2. Areas, modules or components of an institution with a high concentration of computer/digital technologies, peripherals, software options, and network infrastructure, as a more localized or micro-Commons; and 3. Integrated centers for research, teaching and learning, with a strong digital focus and often housed in or at least inclusive of a library, a more integrated Commons (“continuum of service”). (Bailey & Tierney, 2002, p. 277) In terms of the discussion here, the last type is of primary relevance. The emphasis is placed on the concept of providing user services as opposed to information services, group study space is at the forefront of spatial planning rather than the periphery, and often supports the needs of the student learner over those of the faculty researcher.

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About the Language A defining characteristic of the Information Commons is its ability to bring together resources and professional, knowledgeable assistance to benefit the learner. The language used to describe the kind of learning environment RELATED we are talking about can become TERMINOLOGY unnecessarily complicated. Capitalized or Learning Resource Center lower-case? Learning Resource Centers, Information Commons Learning Annexes, Information Commons, or Learning Commons? Learning commons Regardless of the lack of consensus on Library Learning Center naming conventions, all of the above are just some of the labels used to describe an Integrated Learning Center environment that can provide the learner with access to technology; print and electronic information resources; writing

and other tutorial assistance; and research assistance from skilled librarians. In this toolkit, the terms may be used interchangeably with the understanding that every institution must make decisions based upon user needs and a realistic ability to provide resources. While a Learning Resource Center (LRC) at one school may include a variety of tutorial services but no integrated computer services and information helpdesk, another LRC may have limited ability to provide subject tutoring, and still another might have a completely different take on collaborative and integrated service provision.

Access vs. Acquisition One of the key issues to mark to rise of the new academic library paradigm has sometimes been expressed as the access vs. acquisition issue. As the numbers of electronic resources being “published” grew exponentially, libraries were forced to make choices between acquiring new titles and acquiring access to electronic versions of titles already (or previously) in print holdings. Presciently, Moholt (1985) predicted that, “The closer we come to accepting the principle of access over acquisition, the easier it will be to incorporate additional types of information as they become economically viable.” Although the technologies have continued to evolve, Moholt’s supposition that access must take precedence over acquisition supports the incorporation of academic computing and technology services into a collaborative facility that provides both access and assistance. Bigger, Better, Faster, More Just as the physical space inhabited by and services offered at the library have been changed by technological evolution, also changed are the expectations of faculty and students. In the mid-tolate 1990s, Web-based search engines like Yahoo! began offering customizable portals and commercial Web-based retailers such as Amazon.com boasted immediate access to books and media; other would-be competitors joined the fracas. Unsurprisingly, as librarians and managers began to accept the need for change, students and faculty began to clamor for a new style of service provision that more closely mirrored this new commercial response to technological innovation.

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Looking Back Transforming the library from a quiet repository for books and related services into a fluid center for information services and support has not been (nor will it ever be) an overnight process. Moholt (1985) examined the tendency to define the burgeoning “information revolution” in terms of quantitative measures reflecting the production and usage of print resources. Moholt cautioned that we must not lose sight of the library as transitioning information and technology space—as well as a space in which librarians must also transition. Now more than ever is this true of the evolving academic library space. Print resources compromise the very tip of the iceberg in terms of both needs and usage; students need a multitude of resources in as many formats.

This shift in expectation was in timely conjunction with the theoretical shift embodied by considering the function of (and beginning to design) learner/user-centered library environments. Somewhere around this time, folks also began to get the idea that paper cups of coffee were welcome in the library. Debating the presence of coffee in the library is up to you and your staff. â&#x2DC;ş

Suggested Readings 1990s. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved April 06, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1990s Bailey, D.R. (2006). Information commons services for learners and researchers: Evolution in patron needs, digital resources and scholarly publishing. Retrieved February 23, 2007, from http://digitalcommons.providence.edu/lib_publications/1

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Bailey, D.R. and Tierney, B. (2002). Information commons redux: Concept, evolution, and transcending the tragedy of the Commons. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 28, 277-286. Beagle, D. (1999). Conceptualizing an information commons. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 25, 82-89. Moholt, P. (1985). On converging paths: the computing center and the library. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 11, 284-288. Timeline of computing 1990-present. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved April 06, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_computing_1990forward

Collaboration and Integration The success of the information commons model has rested largely on the successful collaboration and integration of several academic departments. Each institution must determine which campus services and departments come together to create the information commons, but there is a general trend toward inclusion of information technology help services (help desk), learning or tutoring services, writing services, assistance for students with low English proficiency, and a potential variety of other services.

In the above graphic the solid-colored areas represent the Information Commons as a whole. Divisions within the Information Commons are denoted by circles. These divisions may previously have existed in facilities outside of the library proper. The Information Desk functions as the hub of

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The following is a graphic representation of one possible configuration of services in an Information Commons that I call the Collaborative Services model. It is based largely on my own experiences in the community college library environment both as a student and as an employee. Keeping in mind the learner-centered nature of the Information Commons, there are a number of ways to realize the final configuration.

the Information Commons, but that does not mean that the staff at that desk is responsible for providing service to all divisions of the library. The staff at the Information Desk is very often only a first resource—a group of friendly, knowledgeable people able to guide the student in the direction they need to go.

Planning It is critical to understand the theories and models underlying the Information or Learning Commons as a learning environment, but at some point, it is time to begin dealing with physical spaces. In this section, we will address longrange planning, assessment of existing facilities, and the decision to hire an architect. Gather your resources

• Mission and vision statements The planning process will require use of various pre-existing documents (even if you do not yet • Community analyses have an existing facility). Some forethought and • Surveys, focus groups, other preparation in gathering these documents prior assessments to the organization of any planning committees or forums will greatly aid in the process. The types of documents you need will vary but may include mission and vision statements, community analyses, and any other materials such as survey results, tapes or dialog from focus groups, or other related resources.

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Long-range Planning During the long-range planning phase you will be revisiting your institutional goals for the library as a learning environment. Before beginning this process, you will want to gather as much existing material as possible to help you make the appropriate decisions. If you are new to your institution this may be a good time to enlist those members of your staff who were present during major shifts in ideology or who may offer a broad perspective on the evolution of the library. Depending on the state of the existing facilities and the goals of the planning committee, there are a number of different ways to prioritize the planning process. Lippincott (2006, p. 7.15) states, “Clearly articulating the information commons’ link to learning and then developing the requisite services and environment that can help justify that investment and create a popular and missioncritical space on campus.” To that end, she provides a list to aid in developing an effective longrange plan. You will find that checklists and planning worksheets are fairly common in the planning literature and tools. The following is a combination of lists provided by Lippincott (2006) and Sannwald (2001). This should get you thinking about areas in which to begin planning but should not take the place of

acquiring a facilities planning guide such as Sannwald’s Checklist of Library Building Design Considerations. In addition to resources related to facilities planning, you are quite likely going to require a guide to planning a needs assessment. Nelson (2001) has authored an excellent text, The New Planning for Results, which is part of the Results series published by the Public Library Association. Although the focus is somewhat specific to public libraries, the models and worksheets presented are universally beneficial. Many of these forms are available for free on the Internet, provided by the Public Library Association. Permission is given to reproduce these workforms and worksheets for non-profit, educational purposes and it is worth spending some time at the E-Learn Libraries website where they are presented. A very small sampling of the vast array of workforms and instructional materials available is located in the Appendix of your toolkit.

Long-range Planning • Develop a vision statement related to learning. • Begin by examining existing materials such as mission and vision statements, community analyses, and other resources. • This is a great time to ensure that your library is on track with defined institutional goals and missions. If not, perhaps it is time to reevaluate the school’s goals and mission statements. • Conduct a needs assessment. • Compare your library with similar libraries. How do your perceived needs meet the assessed needs in similar environments? • Make use of documents like the Academic Library Survey, available through the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). • Develop goals. • Evaluate existing services and materials in relation to identified needs and goals. • Design an assessment plan. • Determine criteria for determining whether your proposed facility and services meet the needs of your academic community.

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• Establish a Library Needs Assessment Committee.

• Define and gain resources. • Determine the location. • Define what you want users to be able to do • Define services to offer • Determine staff needs. • Develop the floor plan • Plan the technology • Network • Hardware • Software • Throw a party!

A DAPTED FROM L IPPINCOTT AND S ANNWALD

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Hiring a Consultant/Hiring the Architect Depending on the needs, strengths, and weaknesses of your planning committee, you may decide to seek assistance in planning and executing various aspects of your library facilities project. If this is the case there are several library consulting Many reputable organizations firms available and they are easy to locate on the maintain and publish searchable Internet. Many of these agencies are able to databases of professional library provide services ranging from needs assessments consultants: and community analyses to architecture, Special Library Association blueprint drafting, and signage. Librarian’s Yellow Pages Library Consultants Directory It is strongly recommended that you seek recommendations and referrals from colleagues before contracting with a specific firm. Academic libraries have particular needs that are best met by professionals accustomed to working with library administrators to maximize the benefit of the library environment for the end-user.

If your academic information technology or information services department is not particularly robust you will need to ensure that your library consultant has the technological know-how you will need to properly plan for your Information Commons. If that is not a specialty of the firm you

contract with you may need to hire an additional technology consultant. Nelson and Mayo (1998) have crafted an excellent resource to assist in developing effective library technology plans. As with The New Planning for Results, Wired for the Future is written with public libraries in mind but the resource is valuable nonetheless. Much of the library technology planning literature is located at your state library or public libraries within your state. Even something as simple as a Web search for â&#x20AC;&#x153;library technology planningâ&#x20AC;? yields many worthwhile results. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has published a very useful outline of the technology planning process at their website.

Suggested Readings Barney, A. (1996). The impact of technology on library space requirements. LIBRES: Library and Information Science Research, 6(1/2). Retrieved February 6, 2007, from http://libres.curtin.edu.au/libre6n1/barney.htm Bocher, B. (2000). Library technology planning: An outline of the process. Retrieved April 04, 2007, from http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/planout.html Chism, N. (2005). Informal learning spaces and the institutional mission. Proceedings of the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, ELI Fall 2005 Fall Focus Session, Design of Informal Learning Spaces. Retrieved February 10, 2007, from http://www.educause.edu/Proceedings/8993.

Lippincott, J.K. (2006). Linking the information commons to learning. In D.G. Oblinger (Ed.), Learning Spaces (pp. 7.1-7.18) Retrieved February 28, 2007, from http://www.educause.edu/learningspaces Nelson, S., & Mayo, D. (1998). Wired for the Future: Developing your library technology plan. Chicago: ALA. Nelson, S. (2001). The new planning for results: A streamlined approach. Chicago: ALA. Sannwald, W.W. (2001). Checklist of library building design considerations (4th ed.). Chicago: ALA.

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Cohen, A., & Cohen, E. (2003). How to hire the right consultant for your library. Computers in Libraries, 23. Retrieved March 4, 2007, from Information Today, Inc. Web Site: http://www.infotoday.com/cilmag/jul03/cohen.shtml

Examples in Action Brigham Young University http://www.lib.byu.edu/departs/gen/ic/

The Information Commons at BYU has an especially extensive multimedia collection that includes digital video cameras, multimedia workstations with dual monitors, and other collaborative technology stations. Of particular note are the many configurations of collaborative workspaces, accommodating between 4 and 24 students. Brookdale Community College http://www.brookdale.cc.nj.us/library/infocommons.php The BCC Information Commons site gives an excellent short background on the origins of the information commons. Check out their floorplans for some excellent spatial ideas. The BCC Information Commons has excellent instructional facilities, which include 3 networked classrooms with 75 instructional computers. Also, make sure to check out the Program Statement for a New Brookdale Library, which gives an excellent overview of the process undertaken to change the library’s mission, vision, and values. Don’t miss the nine different design objectives developed during the process—really useful if you’re not sure where to begin your own objective development. University of Guelph

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http://www.learningcommons.uoguelph.ca/index.html

The University of Guelph Learning Commons brings together services of the IT Help Desk, Learning Services, Library Centre for Students with Disabilities, Library Research Help, Information Literacy, Supported Learning Groups Program, Writing Services and ESL Support. Visit this website and notice the way they have really used the learner to structure the format of their services and the flow of the website itself. Resources are browsable by audience, format, topic, and type of project. Indiana University at Bloomington http://www.libraries.iub.edu/index.php?pageId=4931 IUB is an example of a relatively large university Information Commons. The facility houses 350 workstations but does not feature the same collaborative spaces as some of the smaller commons examples presented. IUB, however, has computer consultants available in the Information Commons 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Check out the Undergraduate Library Blog to see one way a library-learning environment works to connect to students.

Other Resources Here you will find resources that do not quite fit elsewhere in the toolkit. Murray, D. Information Commons: A Directory of Innovative Services and Resources in Academic Libraries. http://www.brookdale.cc.nj.us/library/infocommons/ic_home.html Although this weblist has not been updated since December, 2004, it still extremely useful. Information Commons sites are indexed by location, name, and Carnegie classification. Also, make sure to check out the extremely thorough bibliography assembled by Murray. Information Commons: Learning Space beyond the Classroom. University of Southern California Leavey Library 2004 Conference. http://www.usc.edu/libraries/locations/leavey/news/conference/presentations/

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USCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leavey Library is one of the oldest information commons. The website presents materials from the 2004 conference including Powerpoint presentations from representatives of information commons nationwide. Topics include: Co-location, Cooperation & Collaboration within the Information Commons; Implementing a "Culture of Assessment" Within the Information Commons; Enhancing the Learning Experience; Envisioning the Future of the Information Commons; The Impact of Information Literacy on Learning and Teaching; and Customizing Information Commons Environments to Address Learning and Research Differences between the Disciplines.

Appendix A: Checklists and Workforms WORKFORM A: Selecting Planning Committee Members Instructions: Identify possible members for the planning committee in each of these three broad categories: Library stakeholders consisting of individuals or groups who can affect or will be affected by an action (library staff members, local funders, etc.) People with certain skills or areas of expertise (technology, education, etc.) Community representatives reflecting the diversity of the community (age, race, education, etc.)

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Stakeholders

People with Skills/ Areas of Expertise

Completed by

Date Completed

Source of data

Library

Community Representatives

WORKFORM D: SWOT Analysis of the Community In str uct ion s : T hink ab ou t yo ur co mmun ity. Rec ord its s tre ng ths an d weaknesses below. Then consider the future of your community. Record its opportu ni ties and thr ea ts o n th e ne xt p age .

Community Strengths 1.

Community Weaknesses

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Opportunities for the Community in the Coming Years 1.

Threats Facing the Community in the Coming Years 1.

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Completed by

Date Completed

Source of data

Library