The Learning Commons

This simple guide provides valuable insights for transforming an out-of-date public school or academic library into a thriving user-centric learning commons.The goal of the learning-commons strategy is to provide a centralized go-to location for all users seeking help on the complex issues of teaching researching and being a global citizen in our changing world. A library organized around the learning-commons construct fosters collaborative work and social interaction between users during research and learning. This paradigm also encourages use of innovative technologies and information resources. Transforming a traditional library into a thriving learning commons does take some planning and effort however.Each of the seven chapters in this book explains a simple step that a librarian can take to improve their facility. Photographs and concrete examples of the suggested strategies are included; checklists at the end of each chapter serve as indicators for measuring progress. This text is useful for library administrators in school settings (both public and private K-12) as well as academic public and special libraries.