My assigned reading from the latest LIBR559 module (Hicks & Sinkinson, 2015) has me thinking about modern information landscapes and establishing learning spaces with affordances that encourage working, creativity, reflection, and collaboration.

On another note, I just got accepted at the University of Texas at Austin for a practicum in April, where I’ll be in the Fine Arts Library. Very excited about this.

So, for this post, I decided to apply some of the module’s information environment ideas to my first impressions of the library’s physical space and social media.

(Image taken from http://www.lib.utexas.edu/fal/about)

Of course, it is hard to gauge just from looking at a picture, but in terms of space, there are a few features that stand out to me.

Clearly, the first thing everyone sees is that awesome hanging piano. It sends an immediate message to the patron that this is a place of art, where one is encouraged to be creative and think outside the box.

There is also a great deal of openness, at least within the area pictured in the above photo. The ceilings are high and there are large windows along the walls that bathe the room in natural light. The shelves are very low in height, allowing one to take in the entire room and the people within it. This is quite different from the usual layout of stacks, with high shelves that compartmentalize spaces. Further, there is a sense of openness on the shelves themselves, where items are spaced out evenly along rows that face towards the user.

Another major part of modern information spaces is the learning tools that are offered, which I’m sure I will learn more about this when I get there and further explore the libraries services. Upon a quick inspection, I find the UT Libraries website layout quite appealing, and it is actually very similar to that of the UBC Library. They both use summon and appear to have a similar structure, although UT’s page fits nicely into one screen frame.

The Fine Arts Library also has a fantastic Twitter account. Use of images, embedded music streaming, and minimal use of text makes the page very engaging. Tweets focus on the local arts scene (this is Austin we are talking about, so no shortage there), including a bunch on SXSW lately.

So – just a first impression – but this library looks to me like it has built an engaging and effective learning environment both physically and digitally.

Reference

Hicks, A., & Sinkinson, C. (2015). Critical connections: personal learning environments and information literacy. Research In Learning Technology, 23.