Designing Library Space to Support Evolving Campus Needs

Abstract

Academic libraries have long been central to the campus ecosystem. From one-room collections housed in multi-functional buildings of the colonial college campus to the modern-day cathedrals where collections, patrons, and technologies collide, academic libraries have been a steadfast, yet flexible pillar of the higher education system. Employing a case study approach, this chapter reveals how one institution, the Ohio University Libraries (OUL), has reimagined the use of library space in response to twenty-first-century demands.

A visioning process undertaken by OUL culminated in a master plan intended to serve as a guide to space utilization and renovation strategies for nearly every floor of the seven-story facility. Beyond the master planning process, external demand for space within the library emerged organically. Given these two realities, OUL’s actions over the last decade have been guided by two main approaches to the use and redesign of space: (1) repurposing space for library-oriented initiatives and (2) co-locating complementary student support services within the library. Collectively, the examples highlighted in this chapter reveal how OUL has redesigned library space and continues to be an innovative environment in response to changing demands.

Citation

Harper, D.J. and Mathuews, K.B. (2020), "Designing Library Space to Support Evolving Campus Needs", Sengupta, E., Blessinger, P. and Cox, M.D. (Ed.) Designing Effective Library Learning Spaces in Higher Education (Innovations in Higher Education Teaching and Learning, Vol. 29), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 147-166. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2055-364120200000029010