By Jackie Huang ’24
Study Pods, a classroom, and moving shelves? The community life council begins its long-term plans to reconfigure and more effectively utilize the library space, to provide the community with a flexible and diverse learning environment.
According to Jonathan Golden, the director of Library Services at St. Marks, they aim to shape the library into a versatile space that tailors toward both students and teachers. “There is the use of it as [a] gathering, a place to do homework, and in terms of the resources, not necessarily the physical space but the online holdings. There are really two parallel uses.” These goals are reflected as the 196 respondents ( 34% Students, 17% staff members, and 62% faculty members) to the Library Survey taken in the fall of 2021 responds that the library is seen as a study area, full of multimedia resources, with day students reporting the highest usage of the common areas.
However, Mr. Golden believes that the current state of the library provides more as a “social space and [is] underutilized as an academic space”. The survey also reflected the general lack of knowledge about the current library programming and services. Compared to the “newer” areas on campus, the structure and facilities in the library appear more “outdated”. To combat these challenges, there are major changes in the works to be implemented.
Are pods the future?
Most of the furniture is planned to be replaced. In discussion with the library design firm team, they are experimenting with modern seating options, including semi-private “pods” that can enclose 1-2 people (similar to the photo below). Although the possibility of architectural expansion of the library for more rooms remains unknown, many students expressed interest in expanding private study spaces and pods and current rooms will meet this need.
Classroom in the Library!
The idea of placing a classroom, similar to the Fab Lab, on the second floor is being explored. It would allow teachers to bring their classes in without competing against the noise. This collaborative space would also allow students to project their work to a screen around a table - better integrating new technology. The first-floor desks are also open to changes, preventing it from acting as an intimidating barrier between students and staff, making them more open. Mr. Golden states to in general “modernize the library”.
A “Moving” Second Floor
Currently, the library team is going through a project to reduce physical holdings of books that are not useful anymore. The goal is to reduce the shelving of books on the second floor by around half the quantity, opening up the area for new endeavors. This includes possibly movable walls and collapsible bookshelves. These shelves will be compressed until their wheels are cranked open when someone needs to enter.
Other Changes
Other potential changes include the magazine room. The slanted shelves will be replaced with traditional shelving with the connection collection, next to the circulation desk, moving inside. The large desk containing Atlas’s will also be moved to provide more space in general.
These changes are foreseen to happen not in the near future, but in the next few years. Due to general supply chain issues and the new dorm construction being prioritized, tentative goals exist for new carpet and furniture to be done by October in the upcoming year. The following year would include major changes, such as shelving and classrooms. Even so, Mr. Golden remains hopeful that “there will be some kind of updates for next year.”