I chose to visit the learning commons at Perry Library at Old Dominion University. Digital access to its website is comprehensive and easy to navigate. Students signed into their ODU accounts are able to search for all kinds of materials, books, journals, or course reserves. “The transformation of information access from physical materials to digital objects, from bookshelves and periodical stacks to digital databases, from print texts to e-books has radically altered the nature of reference service and the responsibilities of reference librarians” (Rubin & Rubin, 2020). The library website provides everything the students need right at their fingertips. Additionally, the website also has links to different resources and services available to students, such as a math and science resource center, a writing center, and ITS support. There are also features like “Ask a Librarian” and research consultation appointments.
Perry Library is a large four story building located on the ODU campus. Parking is only available to staff and students with passes. Public transportation was close by and there was outdoor seating available. Overall, the building was visually appealing and I felt welcomed entering the facility. Being that it is summer, there were very few patrons. The space is definitely meant for college students. There were several meeting spaces, quiet study rooms, leisure reading/comfortable seating, and computer/printer stations. “Today, the academic library is less a repository of information and more a learning space—a space for collaboration, group work, and the provision of complementary services designed to impact learning and promote student success” (Rubin & Rubin, 2020). This felt very true to the space. Had it not been summer, I would imagine the space bustling with students meeting, working, and collaborating in all the different areas provided.
Every floor of the building houses different materials, resources, and services for the students. There was very little signage posted but the maps provided at the entrance of each floor were detailed. Floorplans linked in the library website are also very comprehensive. There were very few staff members present on the day of my visit. However, an extensive list of staff members is listed on the website. “Academic libraries have for many decades included “liaison librarians” as part of their professional staff. These individuals were usually assigned to provide personalized services to a particular client base, such as an academic department, school, college, or research center. As academic library services evolved from being collection-centered to being learner- or user-centered, libraries sought even greater engagement with other academic units” (Rubin & Rubin, 2020). Liaison librarians are still a part of ODU’s professional staff. I was surprised to see how many positions were listed.
As I wrapped up my visit to this library, I did wonder what it looks like in the middle of an academic year. Are students filling the space and making use of everything they have available to them? Or are they mainly using the resources from the comfort of their homes? I would be very interested in knowing the answers to these questions.
Reference:
Rubin, R. E. and Rubin, R. G. (2020). Foundations of library and information science (5th ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman
Old Dominion University. (February 15, 2022). Learning Commons at Perry Library. https://www.odu.edu/learningcommons
Maria,
I have to agree with you that the ODU library has an excellent website that allows access to a vast array of resources. I was surprised that you saw very few students in the library, even though it is summer. I thought my visit to a college library was going to be an anomaly. When I attended classes during the summer at larger universities, the library was usually busy with graduate students at least. I wonder if the transition to more online learning during COVID has steered students toward using more digital resources and staying away from places that would normally host many people. One of the other tidbits of information that our academic libraries had in common were the maps that helped identify different spaces in the library. I did not see these maps in any of the other libraries I visited.
Excellent job! I have never been to the Old Dominion campus, so this felt like a peek into the physical campus. I loved my university library and it was indeed bustling during the school year. They actually closed some of the libraries during the summer and kept a few of the main libraries open. I wonder if ODU does that as well? Interesting that there wasn’t that many students there, you’d think with summer school, but maybe more students are taking classes online these days.