Engineering Library Renovation
Why was the old Engineering Library combined with the Computer Lab to create the Engineering Library & Technology Commons? And what's next for the EL&TC?
The renovated Engineering Library and Technology Commons (EL&TC), which opened in January 2006, developed out of the practical need for a fire exit.
In January 2005, the MU College of Engineering renovated the third floor above the library to house the Center for Geospatial Intelligence. In order for this space to be used, however, it first had to be brought up to meet current ADA and fire code standards. This included the building of a new floor to connect the two sections of the mezzanine and the creation of a new fire exit from the northwest corner of the third floor. Due to the constraints of the existing building, the only way to construct such an exit was to go through part of the library. This meant that the library, which was already full to capacity, would lose much needed space and have to re-imagine its floor plan.
Out of this need for reorganization emerged the concept of the Information and Technology Commons: a collaborative venture between the MU Libraries and the Division of Information Technology, which aimed to create a comfortable, central space where students could easily gather to work on assignments, while surrounded by all of the technological and informational resources they need for their studies. In order to make room for the new computers and study spaces included in the design, the library transferred approximately 26,000 little-used volumes to off-site storage.
Library traffic in the new EL&TC has soared, as has the usage of print materials and the number of reference questions asked. The buzz of activity now fills the library on a daily basis as students gather to study and work together. In a recent survey, our patrons reported the following increases in their usage of library resources since the opening of the new EL&TC:
- The number of patrons using print reserve materials increased by 106.9% (from 6.7% to 13.8%).
- The number of patrons researching topics for their classes in the library increased by 37% (from 26.7% to 36.6%).
- 40% of respondents reported using the new library to study in groups, compared to 28% in 2005 (an increase of 42.1%); 48.3% of respondents use the new library to study alone, compared to 34.8% prior to the renovation (an increase of 38.7%).
The transformation of the EL&TC is not yet complete, however. In response to student requests for additional group and quiet study spaces, as well as greater separation between the two, the library staff is currently working on a project that will transfer redundant print copies of online journals to off-site storage in order to make more room in the EL&TC. In addition, the Engineering Development Office continues to seek donors to fund the construction of several private study rooms in the EL&TC.
Last Updated: Sep 26, 2007