Creating a New Sense of Space for Students
Moon Library Shared Spaces
It has been decades since a college library was solely for quiet reading, conducting research, and checking out books. Gone are the days of shushing librarians. Libraries – including ESF’s Moon Library – are vibrant hubs of campus life evolving to meet student needs.
“Today’s library is this collaborative space where we need different spaces for different users and uses,” said Matthew Smith, director of College Libraries.
To meet those needs, several new services have been added to Moon. The Academic Success Center (ASC) on the lower level and three Zen Booths and the Moon Café on the main floor are the start of that initiative.
The café offers grab-and-go food and beverages to get students through their study sessions, while the Zen Booths provide individual space for students. The booths provide a private and quiet workstation for students as each has its own light system and adjustable desk, allowing for a comfortable and optimal place to focus on classwork.
“I’ve had students tell me, ‘I have ADHD, and this is exactly the space I needed to focus on my work,’” Smith said the booths are popular with students, and he hopes to add more in the future to meet the need for ‘long-stay spaces.’
“Moon has short-stay spaces for students,” Smith noted. “Now we need to develop long-stay spaces. Our number one ask from students has been quiet spaces, a room apart.” With donor support, Smith said there’s the opportunity to help transform the library to meet student needs to provide those spaces with the addition of more Zen Booths and reconfiguration of existing spaces.
Now we need to develop long-stay spaces. Our number one ask from students has been quiet spaces, a room apart.”
The College is also working on renovating the lower level of Moon Library into a student-focused space with 24-7 access. The ASC anchors the level by providing peer tutoring and connecting students to academic and social support resources.
With the relocation of a significant portion of the College Archives to a climate-controlled facility off campus, space is now available to increase unprogrammed student space. The additional space could also be used to provide resources and services that directly benefit students including possible meeting space for clubs, offices for the Mighty Oaks Student Assembly, and a place for commuter students.
“The new space would give commuter students a place to ‘just be,’” said Smith. “The library’s great for coming in between classes or working on a project, but if you have a long time, it’s not as conducive to that.”
“This is an opportunity to enhance the quality of student life,” said Anne Lombard, vice provost and dean for Student Affairs. “These improvements will create an enhanced sense of place for our students.”
