Information Commons at the S. R. Ranganathan Library, South-Eastern Oregon Coast University

We are a medium-sized university-- we have a decent library with three floors. The bottom floor is divided between staff work areas and a Reference area. In between these areas is the circulation desk. The second floor holds most of the collection, and third floor has a smaller sub-collection, some classrooms, and a few offices.

We have been given a grant from a local alumni made good of $250,000 to improve computer access and modernize the library. The campus matched that with $100,000 and the students gave $50,000 from an increased "library fee" with the condition that they want a modern facility with group study areas, computer access, practice presentation rooms, a coffee shop, etc.

In studying the problem, the Dean and department heads have decided that an Information Commons model is ideal for delivering these services. Our first floor looks rather dilapidated, the reference collection is not used much, nor is the reference desk, and reference staff are complaining that 75% of the questions they get are technical support questions. There are only 8 public access computers, and the students line up for a long time to use them for assignments. Other student bring in their laptops, but power outlets are difficult to find. The building was designed for another era of library use.

In addition, the nearest coffee shop is off-campus, and so it's become increasingly overrun by students while the library use is dwindling.