As the student population increases year after year at the University of Connecticut, the Homer Babbidge Library isn’t getting any bigger.
To overcome the challenge of accommodating a growing student body, officials are discussing plans to reorganize and renovate the library to create a more effective study environment.
“The Provost’s Library Advisory Committee will work together to assure that all UConn students have access to a safe and relevant library facility,” said Martha Bedard, vice provost for university libraries.
Talks have begun involving renovations to the 35-year-old library and students are playing an integral role in choosing which aspects of the building need improvement.
The students in the psychology class on human factors design were assigned to redesign one feature of the university to better fulfill student needs.
“My research group and I basically voted on something that could realistically be changed for students to better fulfill human needs. Last year they updated HuskyCT,” said psychology student Michelle Stella, referring to the web site used by students and faculty to post and access course resources. “We chose the library because they are looking to make renovations to it.”
Stella’s team is working with UConn faculty to determine how to create the most effective learning environment for students.
“We are targeting Level 3 of the Homer Babbidge Library as a modern learning space,” said Scott Kennedy, senior director of undergraduate education and access services at the library.
Many students are frustrated with the lack of outlets available for their laptop chargers when they come to the library to study.
“It’s really inconvenient when you to to the library to study and there’s nowhere to sit or charge your computer. I think it hurts our ability to study to our best potential,” said UConn sophomore Maria Enrique.
Some have given up all together and will need a push if they are going to rethink their opinion on the facility.
“I’m not concerned with the fact that our library can’t fit the growing student body because I don’t spend much time in the library anyway. I like studying in a more comfortable environment, like Hillel or the IT building. Maybe if there were more break-out rooms I’ll use it more,” said UConn junior Ori Statlender.
UConn junior Cristina Eberhart also said she does not go to the library often because there are not enough group study rooms, tables and outlets available.
“Obviously everybody brings their laptops with them, so I think it’s important that there are enough spots for people to charge them,” she said.
Students have been calling for upgrades to and reorganization of the building for years.
There is even a Twitter account called “@HomerProblems,” where students vent their frustrations about the library.
One tweet from the twitter account “@HomerProblems” 29 April 12 read, “Welcome to finals week! No tables, no outlets, no quiet, no focus, no problem… #HomerProblems.”
It was one of countless student Tweets lamenting the lack of outlets and tables.
Student Melissa Durkin tweeted the next day, “Words of wisdom… The early student, catches the table with an outlet.. #HomerProblems.”
Administrators said they are considering student feedback when taking steps to improve the study environment.
“At this time, we are at the information gathering stage, learning what students need to get their work done: how they study, what resources they use, what types of spaces work best, what types of furniture are preferred and what future needs are likely to be,” said Kennedy.
Stella’s team posted a survey online to gain student feedback and will report back to Kennedy.
The results showed most students primarily use tables and sit near windows, usually need an electrical outlet, would use laptop locks built into tables, as well as group study rooms if they were available.
Stella said she hopes the precise measures used in the survey will help the university staff customize the third floor of the library to fit students’ needs.
Other groups are focusing on different areas of the library.
“One group is working to redesign the entrance area to make it more appealing to students and add things to that area to improve the use of that space. Another group is redesigning the basement, and another is doing working with technology to design a computer system for reserving space in the library,” said Stella.
The sheer number of books and journals contained in the seven-story 395,000-square-foot library is another feature needing development.
The “UConnCLAS” Instagram account posted a picture of the library foyer with the caption, “During the ten-year Babbidge presidency, UConn’s library nearly quadrupled in volume #UConn #FunFact #HomieB #library #campus #Storrs.”
Since these books take up valuable square footage, the advisory committee hopes to free up space on the third floor by converting journals from print to electronic copy by late this spring.
“The HBL have been converting print journals to electronic for at least a decade, and have had many smaller projects which freed up spaces which could be used for student study, collaborations, tutoring, Homer Commons, etc,” said Bedard.
It has the largest public research collection in Connecticut, containing 2.5 million volumes with 5,000 currently received journals, 2.8 million units of microtext, 35,000 reference sources, and 180,000 maps, according to the UConn library fact sheet.
“We are converting journal holdings on this floor from print to digital so that we have a significant area on this floor for development. In the next months, we plan to discuss this area and our ideas with the University Space Planner to help us prepare a coherent concept,” said Kennedy.
Bedard said she envisions a variety of types of spaces that reflect the way students work together and study.
“Quiet spaces, common spaces, collaboration spaces, creation spaces…..” she said. “Once specific projects are identified sources of funding will have to be found.”
The ever-evolving nature of the university will soon be reflected in official plans for a new and improved library for students to use in the years to come.
To view the full library survey, log on to https://docs.google.com/a/uconn.edu/forms/d/12jbvGxOmcDMYklL6Iv2Mx0n8f8Fi2wnhuzZmnD2xYtQ/viewform
https://twitter.com/HomerProblems
lib.uconn.edu