bibliography

Held, Tim “The information and learning commons: a selective guide to sources,” Reference Services Review 37:2 (2009); p.190-206.

A review of the IC/LC development and bibliography.

survey

Anne Cooper Moore, Kimberly A. Wells, “Connecting 24/5 to Millennials: Providing Academic Support Services from a Learning Commons,” The Journal of Academic Librarianship, Volume 35, Issue 1, January 2009, Pages 75-85.
This study investigates user preferences for reference and technical support, services, and facilities featured in an academic library and Learning Commons through a 23-item questionnaire distributed to building entrants during one 24-hour period on March 14, 2006. Results revealed a strong preference for face-to-face assistance (including roving), suggested enhancements, and documented user demographics.

Reference service at IC/LC

Elizabeth B. Fitzpatrick, Anne C. Moore, Beth W. Lang, “Reference librarians at the reference desk in a learning commons: a mixed methods evaluation,” The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 34, 3 (May 08): p.231-8.

The LC at U. of Massachusetts Amherst changed the service model from a tiered one to separated “Reference” + “LC and Tech support”. Surveys (users and librarians) and focus group study found that most users preferred “face-to-face” reference interaction, most questions at Ref. are research types, users generally know that’s where to get research help. Librarians worked at both models stated the pros and cons. Findings is not particularly indicative.

UMassAmherst LC

Meaning of a LC

Scott Bennett, “The information or the learning commons: which will we have?” The Journal of Academic Librarianship 34, 3 (May 2008): p.183-185.

在文獻中的定義，IC支援大學落實使命，而LC則更進一步就是落實大學使命的服務和設施，要做到這點，關鍵在於圖書館須深化與其他教學單位的合作，由設施的規劃開始就要引進教學人員的參與，務使學生能真正利用LC達到學習的目的。

By extending Beagle’s definition, an IC supports institutional mission while a LC enacts it. To move from supporting to enacting, the key is deep involvement of academic units in the design and operation of the facility.

Cases overview

Laurie A. MacWhinnie, “The information commons: the academic library of the future,” portal: Libraries and the Academy 3,2 (2003): 241-257.

作者搜羅了十九個美加圖書館IC的資料，比較她們的服務、員工編制、財政支援等幾方面，為IC的發展提供了一個綜觀。

19 ICs from North America are reviewed using information from the Web and key documents, including mission statements, reports and statistics.  Comparison covers staffing and funding.

U. of Tennessee

Dewey, Barbara I. “Linking the information commons to learning: how to measure success,” EBSCO vantage point series.

田納西大學圖書館的Commons的意念由一專注服務和空間運用的研究小組提出，在沒有額外資金下開始第一期的建設，雖然沒有特別的評估方案，但讀者數字、服務用量和讀者反映，在在證明服務是成功的。

A case study of the development of the Commons at the University of Tennessee.  It started as a proof of concept in 2005 and is expanding.  Indicator of success: dramatic gate counts increase, usage and feedback.

The Commons @ John C. Hodges Library

Assessment

Lippincott, Joan K. “Assessing Information Commons,” EBSCO Vantage Point Series.

服務評估大概不離量度用量和利用問卷調查，這些方法都忽略了兩點：評估內容與機構目的和學習優次脫節、評估服務對讀者的貢獻；作者列出兩個假想例子：

１．圖書館跟某課程合作，緊密支援學生完成課程要求的作業，完結後向老師和同學收集意見；

２．假設大學要在學生當中建立學習社群，圖書館可在空間和服務上給予支援；

在評估工作方面，作者提出圖書館可以找這方面的專家合作。

Author raised 2 concerns with current assessment measures: there is often no clear link between the nature of the assessment and the institutional goals or learning priorities; there is often a lack of consideration of the potential audience(s) for the output of the assessment activities and what will have most impact on them. 2 hypothetical scenarios illustrated the assessment of 2 IC supporting UG research and learning communities. Emphasized planning process and importance of partnership with campus assessment experts.

U. of Nevada, Las Vegas

Church, Jennifer, “The evolving information commons,” Library Hi Tech 23, 1 (2005): 75-81.

UNLV的圖書館在零一年開幕時已經設了IC，基於讀者的需要和實際情況，在首三年，服務和設施都有所調節，原來分開的部門整合了，分散的服務台也集中了，電腦的佈置和用途亦隨之改動。

Lied Library at the UNLV opened in 2001.  The IC is on the 1/F, but workstations diffuse throughout.  The paper describes how facility and services were adjusted and refined in the first few years of the operation.  Departments and service points were merged, setting at workstations were changed according to users needs.

U of Georgia

Van Scoyoc, Anna M., Cason, Caroline, “The electronic academic library: undergraduate research behavior in a library without books,” Portal: libraries and the academy 6, 1 (Jan 2006): 47-58.

喬治亞州大學的IC服務設於圖書館外的綜合大樓，館員用文卷調查學生在設施內運用電子資源的習慣，發現大部分同學都依靠網上資源和網上教室，而非使用圖書館目錄和數據庫，不同年級的同學並沒有明顯的分別；作者懷疑這與IC設於圖書館外有關。

The Student Learning Center in U. of Georgia is an IC in a separate building.  The study surveyed students’ use habits of electronic resources, and found that UGs rely on web sites and WebCT for research rather than OPAC and subscribed resources.  Academic class status has no significant impact on database and OPAC use.  One factor may be that the facility is not physically in a library.

U of Georgia SLC

Linking to learning

Lippincott, Joan K. “Linking the Information Commons to Learning,” Learning Spaces, Diana G. Oblinger (Ed.), (EDUCAUSE, August 2006).

總括 IC的特色為:電腦設施、小組空間、讀者服務(不單是資訊服務)；IC須聯繫到學生的學習，包括提供學習設備和環境、推廣現有服務、配合學科作業、提供先進學習科技、教室；IC的發展的討論點是：製訂宗旨、評估服務和讀者需要、服務和員工的新方向、設備的設計和配置、為圖書館以外的單位帶來的改變。

The chapter explores the concept of the IC.  Clearly articulating the information commons’ link to learning and then developing the requisite services and environment can help justify that investment and create a popular and mission-critical space on campus.

Sections

• Characterizing the IC – pervasive technology, group spaces, users services rather than information services;
• Linking to learning – making the linkage operational can be a challenge. Enabling student work, advertising available services, linking to courses, leveraging technology (to facilitate learning), classrooms;
•  IC development – issues and trends. Mission (should have a clear purpose), assessment, services and staff (remodel), furniture (flexible), technology (choice of hardware and software), model for more than the library, aesthetics.