Visiting the new and old Rizal Library of ADMU

Fountain at the Rizal Library of Ateneo de Manila University

     Another Saturday found me on a library tour at the Rizal Library of the Ateneo de Manila University. It boggles the mind how I could have failed to visit this wonderful library which is but a stone's throw away from my place. Anyhow, I thank the LIS 260 class of our wonderful professor Prof Sharon Esposo-Betan for opening opportunities to visit these libraries of the digital age.
   
     I knew I was able to visit the Ateneo Library back then but it has been recreated since. The new library has a pond of clear water running inside which goes on to the back of the building, of which the picture above portrays. Its space is well-designed and it does not have the claustrophobic feel. At the entrance, one is greeted by the library staff manning the reference desk. That is a welcome sight--one need feel lost and be lost when one enters the library.

     At various areas and floors of the library is distributed the different collection and services of the library. The print collection, the digital collection and their AV materials (which include board games!) are housed in different areas in the library.

      A plus for me was the visit to the renovated old library where the other services of the library can be availed. A major attraction for me there was their AV library and their photo-duplication facilities. The ingenuity and dedication of the men behind the hidden staircase of the building is inspiring.

     However, aside from the technologies, the space, and the collection, I am amazed by the dedication and loyalty as well as the quality of service of the library's manpower. Every interview with the different people of the library was a showcase of their pride for their work as well as of the loyalty to the institution they are serving in. That is one huge asset that that Rizal Library has. Thank you Rizal Library for the wonderful experience!

Visiting the FEU and the DLSU "libraries"

   

    After a cup of brewed coffee and a new book, I love the smell of a library--be it an old, musty and dark library or a new, crispy and clean learning space. The morning of August 31 found me with a cup of black coffee and two new libraries to explore. The former I was unable to drink (pregnancy prohibition...arrgghh) but the latter I was able to indulge in (thanks, God, I had the hindsight to put on flat shoes).

 

     First stop, the Far Eastern University Library. Our class' visit being the first library tour that the new FEU Library entertained, we were given warmly welcomed and given an informational walk-about. Questions were asked to our guide and he was able to graciously and knowledgeably answer our queries (he did prepare for this tour!).

     The FEU library being a newly-opened one, the tour highlighted the efforts to integrate the technological advancements of today. No one could miss the bank of computers filling an entire section of the 2nd floor of the building. Desktop computers on a circular-type of table setting as well as desktop computers one after another on top of tables lined like men in a platoon. There was also an effort to make available to the library users OPAC terminals on stilts. However, at the time of our visit, these were still unoperational.

The FEU Library

     The library is housed in several floors. Different collections are sectioned off in different parts of the library. However, all through out, one would feel a certain kind of claustrophobia. Maybe it is just me. But the print collection, the furniture, the circulation and reference areas seemed to be cramped in a space smaller than what it requires.

     Anyhow, the security system is in place though still to be fully operational. A commercial integrated library system is in place. The reference section is using a commercial software to ensure better service to its library client. The periodicals section has its own electronic database as well as subscription to print journals.

     The FEU library tour ended with a largely welcomed merienda (since we were all a bit tired from all the walking and being amazed). Thank you, FEU Library! I hope that as you have started to recreate a learning space, you will move forward with success as you envision to be the "Library aspires to be a leading academic information resource center and to be a dynamic partner in the University’s vision to develop responsible and well informed professionals who can contribute to the advancement of the global society."

DLSU Learning Commons

     For the second stop, we went to the new DLSU Learning Commons. The library building is so amazing! I fell in love with it just gazing up at it from the front view and even when I was underneath it. Yeah! Pretty cool for a building design--to have an open space at the ground floor and have the library housed on the top floors. So, we went up in an impressive bank of elevators with equally impressive number of security  people, security desks and security cameras. The view of the Manila Bay was pretty impressive at that height--which made me wonder what an impressive sunset view the library users would have.

     Anyway, the library seems to be a mixture of museum, library, your own living room, and a bookstore. There were designated quiet areas, discussion rooms, a chill out lounge, a cafe, and everywhere at strategic areas are scattered sofas, tables, chairs with maximum wi-fi connectivity. The library has integrated different technologies to cater to its clientele--an integrated library system, augmented reality technology, chat capabilities and others. Their collection is impressive--both print and digital.

     One gets the impression that the library, since it has a good number of students as well as a tuition fee per student that could finance one small college for a month (my opinion), is very much well-funded and is able to purchase anything that it needs in order to facilitate access and retrieval to information as their clients need.

     My feet were already tired by then and I was getting thirsty. But the sofas and the water fountain were very helpful. And the librarians and the staff were generous in providing information. Thank you, Laurence! 

Redesigning Services for the Net-Gen and Beyond: a Holistic Review of Pedagogy, Resource, and Learning Space

 

     In a 2008 article J. Beard and P. Dale, wrote about the journey of the Sir Michael Cobham Library of Bournemouth University. The library was constructed to reflect "the pedagogies of learning in a hybrid environment." Beyond reading lists and reading strategies, librarians worked together with the rest of the academic community in order to come up with a good library design that  optimizes the students' learning experience through "individual reflective learning" as well as collaborative learning. Physical space was designed to maximize social learning spaces in different informal clusters within the library. The physical and virtual environments designed for students to to acquire and develop academic literacy skills using the library's physical and electronic resources.

Three Points

     1. Physical design matters.
     2. Virtual design matters.
     3. Students matters.

     Physical design matters. Changing pedagogies of learning needs to be addressed by the design of the library's physical space. Learning in groups can be enhanced by incorporating discussion rooms, optimizing informal spaces, and creating areas where noise is an accepted part of learning. There has to be designated spaces within or in the proximity of the library which has to adapt to this learning style.

     Virtual design matters. The resources in the library straddles two kinds--the physical and the virtual. It stands to reason that library is in a position to provide access to both kinds of resources. Designing virtual spaces and allowing ease of access to electronic resources are of equal importance with designing physical spaces and access to printed resources. Thus, the acquisition of electronic databases and other electronic resources, and the creation of well-designed blogs, wikis, podcasts, and websites contributes to how students are most able to develop skills in academic literacy.

     Students matters. The Net-Gen students is characterized by their familiarity with the electronic/virtual world. In order to cater to this set of library clientele, there is a need of "aligning pedagogy with technology, resource and space." The library, then, needs to recognize the needs of these learners and to adopt certain technologies that will foster learning in the library.

Implication

     Nowadays, to get the word out does not only mean to  post stuff on physical bulletin boards but to to also post the same on virtual bulletin boards and other virtual spaces. The library can optimize the use of Web 2.0 technologies and advocate/push for a well-designed physical space that recognizes the need for collaborative learning. The library can be a center for social learning by creating learning spaces for collaborative learning and individual reflective learning.
     While to some extent this is happening in our libraries, it has been more the exemption rather than the norm. Librarians, though, have to work with the academic community for this to become a reality in our setting today...even if it means trying to learn new skills or re-arranging the furniture or lobbying for a budget for electronic resources and e-infrastructure.

Reference

Beard, J., & Dale, P. (2008). Redesigning services for the Net-Gen and beyond: a holistic review of
     pedagogy, resource, and learning space. New Review of Academic Librarianship, 14, 99-114.
     doi: 10.1080/13614530802518941

p.s.

The Sir Michael Cobham Library of Bournemouth University, an awardee of the prestigious Library Design Award in December 2007, has been continually developing its learning spaces. Their website gives an update on how the library has developed since then.

We've learned how libraries can be social learning centers. To know more on the subject, read up Learning Spaces (2006). This is "e-book represent[ing] an ongoing exploration as we bring together space, technology, and pedagogy to ensure learner success," Edited by Diana G. Oblinger,  the book is available in individual chapters here or can be viewed as an entire book in PDF here. 

The Library Learning Terrace  of Drexel's Hagerty Library sounds like a good idea, does it not?