Pre-conferences

Academic Commons Symposium: Reinventing Library Spaces to Support Student Learning

Cheryl Bryan

Our Monday morning preconference will be led by Cheryl Bryan, Assistant Administrator for Continuing Education and Consulting Services, Southeastern Massachusetts Library System. Cheryl is the author of Managing Facilities for Results: Optimizing Space for Services Now (ALA 2007).

The Academic Commons has been a growing part of higher education for the past several years. Libraries new and old, in response to changing student research and learning patterns, are reinventing spaces to provide an enriched environment. Academic Commons typically provide traditional library services like circulation and reserves, research support and collections. In addition these areas are rich in computing and educational technology and often include comfortable seating and collaborative study areas. They focus on one-stop services for the students by including technology support and learning services like writing centers and academic advising.

From this preconference, you will learn how you can plan a new Commons or reinvent your current space. Our panel of distinguished New England library directors is able to speak from both experience and expertise.

Jay Schafer, Director of Libraries, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Michael Somers, Director of Libraries, Bridgewater State College

Dr. Sharon Weiner, Dean of Library Services, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

Building Academic Library 2.0

Meredith Farkas

There has been a lot of buzz about Library 2.0 over the past few years, but what does 2.0 mean for academic libraries and what should we be doing about it? Join librarian and author Meredith Farkas for a look at the brave new world of Academic Library 2.0. Farkas will describe the characteristics of Academic Library 2.0 illustrated with examples of libraries that are already on the road to 2.0 through their innovative practices and services. Practical tips will be offered, both for successfully implementing new technologies and services, and for keeping up with the rapidly changing technological landscape.

Farkas is the Distance Learning Librarian at Norwich University in Northfield, VT and an adjunct faculty member at San Jose State University’s School of Library and Information Science. She is the author of the book Social Software in Libraries:Building Collaboration, Communication and Community Online (Information Today 2007) and writes a monthly column “Technology in Practice” for American Libraries.

She is also the author of the blog, “Information Wants to be Free” and is creator of “Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki” as well as a number of national conferences’ wikis. Farkas is a passionate advocate for affordable online continuing education for librarians and developed the free online course, Five Weeks to a Social Library, to teach librarians about social software.

In an interview with Michael Stevens for ALATechSource, Farkas stated that she believes that Library 2.0 represents “a significant paradigm shift in the way we view library services. It’s about a seamless user experience, where usability, interoperability, and flexibility of library systems is key.” The challenge of creating or enhancing a human presence in online services is very important to her. She cautions that the focus should be on the patrons’ needs, not our own “technolust.” (In an interview with Michael Stephens for ALA TechSource.) http://www.techsource.ala.org/blog/2006/03/a-techsource-conversation-with-meredith-farkas.html

The Revolution Continues

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