Internet café or learning environment? The University of Newcastle’s Information Common after the first 18 months
VALA 2006 CONCURRENT SESSION 3: Teaching and Learning Environments
Wednesday 8 February 2006, 11:55 – 12:30
Persistent URL: http://www.vala.org.au/vala2006-proceedings/vala2006-session-3-anderson
Greg Anderson
University Librarian, University of Newcastle
http://www.newcastle.edu.au/service/library
Alison Rigby
Senior Librarian, Client Services, University of Newcastle
http://www.newcastle.edu.au/service/library
Please tag your comments, tweets, and blob posts about this session: #VALA2006
Abstract
The Information Common is becoming a standard feature within the Australasian academic library landscape. In 2004, the University of Newcastle implemented an Information Common to provide a learning environment which provides access to software, infrastructure and scholarly information resources on a 24-hour basis. This paper will examine the operation of the Information Common in the first eighteen months of service, focusing on activities (recreational and study), and its impact on the study and learning experience of clients and staff.