The M.D. Anderson Library is the main and largest of the system's libraries. Last added on to in the mid 1970s, by the 1990s library and campus leaders realized the need for another expansion,with several distinct goals in mind.
One was the creation of an entirely new space for the Honors College, one of the University's premier programs for outstanding students. The Honors College had for years been located in the basement of the library, in rather dark and unappealing quarters reached on the outside by a narrow concrete stair. The 1998 master Planning Study called for the Honors College to comprise 14,043 square feet of classrooms, receptions and common space, student activity rooms, and administrative offices.
The main goal of the project, however, was the expansion of the library itself, which was in need of additional study space for students and additional computer workstations. A booklet compiled during the early stages of the planning process summed up the essence of the project: A New Kind of Library, for the 21st Century, the Proposed South Wing of the M.D. Anderson Library. This booklet described current and projected computer usage at the library and noted that "usage levels in the Electronic Publications center are projected to be 32 million in 2006" (1). The library was thus anticipating future trends in the accession of information and the growth in digital and electronic media. Before the expansion, the library had only 115 computer workstations. Now it has 250 networked stations, seven collaborative workrooms, and 72 laptops available for students to check out and use in the library. (http://info.lib.uh.edu/studyspace.html).
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You said usage level of Electronic Publications were projected to be 32 million in 2006, I wonder if their projections were on point. Going from 115 computer workstations to 250 networked stations is a good amount of additional computers, the workroom space is always nice, but the 72 laptops available for checkout is an excellent modern touch.
It is indeed important for libraries to anticipate changes in the needs of their users. Sometimes generational disagreements come into play when new technological advances are not understood. I'm not the youngest of the librarians for sure, so I tend to defer to them when the discussion involves the latest "cool" innovation.
Our laptop checkout is not utilized by large numbers of students. My opinion on this is that the page of legalities that students sign off on is intimidating to many. Also, we have a large number of computers available at any given time. Maybe the need just isn't there.
Focusing on computers is very important and I'm glad your library is looking towards increased usage in the future. Students love to look online. With the advent of the internet, we're having less of a problem with international editions too! In the past, people would redo research if they couldn't find it, especially if it was published in another language and not translated. Online allows users to easily receive information and publishers to publish in required languages so that that doesn't happen again - at least if the researcher does his research correctly.
Nice library!!! Great renovation. The 72 laptops to checkout is, I think, more flexable than fixed workstations.
I always find it interesting to compare what we are doing where I work (UNLV's Lied Library) to other libraries. The 250 desktop computers you mentioned is about on par with us (we've been adding more lately, we must be getting close to 300 - not including the ones in the classrooms.) But I can't imagine how the Anderson Library can get by with only 7 group study rooms -- we have 18 and they are frequently full. We have about 25 laptops that we check out -- again, they are often all in use. But I can't imagine the staff time needed to check out & in 72 laptops all day long!
The 24-hour student lounge with the vending machines, internet access, and microwaves (and police station nearby) is quite impressive, as are the 72 laptops for checkout. It is interesting too that Special Collections was given a more prominent location in the renovation. Although Special Collections may be used by only a small percentage of researchers at an institution, I think it adds a great deal of value and should not be hidden away in a library space (as is often the case!).
Great post...I'm glad to see that MD Anderson has undergone a much needed facelift. I gradatued from UH and remember when the Honors College was in the basement, I also remember when the slide library (over in the Fine Arts Building)was just a small, dark, closet-size room...
I was in grad school at UH when all the revitalization began; I was thrilled to see it since I never found MD Anderson to be overly user-friendly, I much preferred the Art and Architecture Library...seems like things have changed for the better...
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