Upgrades to the third and fourth floors of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre are complete and opened to library users during the spring session.

The upgrades, which began in February 2017, include new flooring, additional study spaces, improved lighting, upgraded furniture and additional electrical outlets (with USB chargers).

The upgrades have been popular with students. “I like this new seating by the windows,” says Heather, undergraduate student in the Faculty of Education who studies regularly at IKBLC, “It’s nice to have more natural light.”

Fourth-year Psychology student Nithia enjoys the new, more user-friendly study spaces, “The higher tables and chairs are much more comfortable — I slouch less. And the new usb ports are very convenient.”

The renovation is one of several projects planned for 2017 to improve UBC Library spaces and services for UBC students.  

“Every effort was made during the renovation project to minimize disruptions and maintain available study space for students,” says Julie Mitchell, Assistant Director, Student Engagement, IKBLC, “We’re so pleased with how the renovations turned out and to see students already enjoying the upgraded spaces.”

Be sure to try out the upgraded study spaces for yourself! 

Photo credit: Guilhem Vellut @ Flickr

In 2002*, UBC`s Chapman Learning Commons (CLC) first opened its doors and, then in 2008, it reopened anew in the finished Irving K. Barber Learning Centre.

Back in the day, students mainly studied at study tables with notebooks and pens or pencils. Nowadays, students are studying with the “latest computer technology, a wireless network, peer programs and community events”.

“We chose to fund the Learning Commons because

we’ve always believed that people learn best when they are engaged in discussion,

sharing ideas and insights with one another.”

— Kay and Lloyd Chapman, Benefactors

Thanks to the benefactors of the CLC, Mrs. Kay Scott Chapman (1917-2012) and Dr. Lloyd Chapman (1918-2004) and Suzanne Cates Dodson (1933 – 2014) and her husband Earl D. Dodson (1928 – 2009) and thanks to the benefactor of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, Dr. I. K. (Irving) Barber (1923 – 2012), they enabled the UBC community of students, faculty/staff and countless others to enjoy a wide variety of UBC events.

Great examples include local and international conferences, lectures and workshops, one-of-a-kind exhibits, special visits from national and international dignitaries to various royal visits over the years.

Explore more History of the Chapman Learning Commons

Read this article about “how UBC’s work is grounded in student development theory and cuts across traditional unit-based structures to be truly collaborative”

Delve into the Digital Tattoo Project and its “focus on supporting learners to make informed choices and extend their digital capabilities around online practices, safety and identity”

Peer into how student involvement makes for student success at UBC and beyond

Watch a recent video send-off by the CLC student team reflecting on their recent Learning Commons’ experiences!

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Correction on May 20, 2017:

In 2002* (not 2012), UBC`s Chapman Learning Commons (CLC) first opened its doors and, then in 2008, it reopened anew in the finished Irving K. Barber Learning Centre.

Take part in the UBC Welcome Centre Campus Culture Challenge from September 1st to October 14th. Adventure around campus, complete challenges, and win great prizes!

At the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, come in to the 2nd floor foyer and take a photo of any of the display cases from the current exhibit Mexiquense Popular Art and tweet it with the hashtag #IKBLC.  Take it to the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre for your stamp!

View the information sheet below or download the passport here.

Participants must complete the following challenge to receive a stamp for the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre (no exceptions):

• Post a photo on Twitter of you in front of the Mexico Fest art exhibit display on the second floor of the IKBLC. Tag #IKBLC

Participants must then go to the UBC Welcome Centre (Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre) to have their challenge verified to receive their stamp.

• Staff will confirm that the challenge has been completed.
• Staff will then stamp overtop of the logo or info paragraph of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre
• Only ONE stamp is awarded per individual

Frequently Asked Questions:

Who can complete the challenge?
This contest is open to current UBC students, staff, and faculty (valid UBC ID is required when submitting your stamped passport). Other individuals are welcome to complete the passport, but will not be entered into the draws. Only one submitted passport per individual.

How do you collect stamps?
Stamps can be collected by completing the associated challenge at participating venues between September 1st and October 14th. Collect your stamps at the locations and times noted in the venue descriptions. You must prove that you completed the challenge to get the stamp (usually this means showing your social media post on your phone). Note: stamps for the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre and for the Under 19 Koerner’s Pub can be collected at the UBC Welcome Centre.

How do the prizes work?
The Grand prize draw will include all eligible booklets that contain 17 or more stamps, the second draw will include all eligible booklets that contain 12 or more stamps (including those who did not win in the first draw), the third draw will include all eligible booklets that contain 7 or more stamps (including those who did not win in the first and second draws). The draws will only contain eligible booklets that are received before 6pm, Oct. 21^st at the UBC Welcome Centre, 1^st Floor Welcome Desk, 6163 University Boulevard, Vancouver BC, V6T 1Z1. Any additional costs or expenses incurred redeeming the prize(s) that are not specifically covered by the prize are the responsibility of the winners.

Can you tell me about the standard liability piece?B
None of the participating venues, UBC, alumni UBC, prize contributors or their respective agents or representatives shall be responsible in any way for the use of or bear any liability whatsoever in any way attributable to a prize awarded in the contest.

I still have a question. Can you help me?
For any questions or clarifications, please contact the UBC Welcome Centre front desk at 604-822-3313, alumni.ubc@ubc.ca or in person at the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre.

The Pacific Canada Heritage Centre (PCHC) is offering an exclusive event–a guided tour of UBC’s Chung Collection with the collector himself Dr. Wallace Chung–for active Volunteers and Members!

If you are an active volunteer or member and haven’t received an email invite, please update your contact with Eleanor at pchcmom.intern@gmail.com. Pre-register soon, as spots are limited!

Date and Time: Friday, August 26, 2016 (10:30am-12:00pm)

From September 1-30, the Mexiquense Popular Art exhibit will be on display at the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre on level 2.

The Mexiquenses Artisans are renowned as popular artists of profound sensibility and creativity that, despite the passing of time and external influences, have kept in their products the distinctive characteristics and cosmology of the five ethnic groups of the state: Matlazincas, Mazahuas, Otomíes, Nahuas y Tlahuicas.

It is a cultural heritage that includes a significant number of pieces which strive to preserve and spread mexiquenses culture.  The artisans are distributed over 80 percent of the state territory, using materials offered by the nature of the region to produce unique pieces that cover the essential craft derivations.

This exhibit at IKBLC is in partnership with, Mexico Fest a celebration of the anniversary of Mexico’s Independence and has become the most important festival dedicated to Mexico in British Columbia.

This year’s programming includes events by the Mexican Tourism Board in Vancouver, the Mexican Community in Vancouver Services Society, the Network of Mexican Talent in BC, the Vancouver Latin American Film Festival, and numerous sponsors, making it a truly community-based and government effort to showcase Mexican music, traditions, spectacular tourism destinations to BC.

Together with UBC Bookstore, Caitlin Press, and the UBC Creative Writing Alumni Association, the UBC Creative Writing Program is hosting a reading and book signing of the anthology Boobs: Women Explore What It Means to Have Breasts edited by Ruth Daniell.

“The stories represent the diverse experiences that surround breasts: the coming of age stories, the struggles with gender, the trauma, the self-love, the experience of motherhood, the early sexualisation, the struggles of not feeling like enough or feeling like too much–too much of a woman, not enough of a woman, too much cleavage, too little. […] But no matter what your personal experiences with them, Boobs will engage you and make you feel things–in the breast possible way.” –Ljudmila Petrovic, Sad Mag

At turns heartbreaking and hilarious, Boobs is a diverse collection of stories about the burdens, expectations and pleasures of having breasts. From the agony of puberty and angst of adolescence to the anxiety of aging, these stories and poems go beyond the usual images of breasts found in fashion magazines and movie posters, instead offering dynamic and honest portraits of desire, acceptance and the desire for acceptance.

Event details:

When: Wednesday, July 13th, 2pm
Where: Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, Room 182

This event is free and open to the public.

Readings by:

• Francine Cunningham
• Dina Del Bucchia
• Miranda Pearson
• Laura Ritland
• Esther Griffin
• Ruth Daniell
• Sara Graefe
• Nancy Lee