Libraries and Technology and Learning Space Design

The summer 2008 EDUCAUSE Quarterly spotlights the complete findings of the 2008 EDUCAUSE Current IT Issues Survey as well as feature articles on open source software in education, a first assessment of a learning studio, and student use of clickers in library presentations. 

In this 12-minute podcast, we feature a phone interview with Heather Gordon, Director, Information Services and University Librarian, James Cook University . She discusses the University's recent Review of Information Services Report and the role of the library and its staff in providing resources to enhance learning, research, and information literacy. Gordon also discusses her role as Copyright Officer for James Cook University.

Just read on cnet about the European Commision - a gov't organization - is taking on a task similar to Google's library project; essentially digitizing the entire collections of some of the major libraries of the continent. Overall I find these projects exciting for the opportunities that open up for just-in-time learning and just-about-everywhere learning.

A critical step for space designers will be to create spaces wehre learners will want to congreagate to discuss the artifacts that they access on their mobile devices. How can designers encourage learners to sit in the same physical spaces while they each do their own work (or work on some collaborative project?). Just becasuse everything is available online through the window of a personal device, doesn't mean that leaners should strive to be solitary while learning.

cnet Article: Europe's Digital Library Taking Shape

Google Library Project: Google Book Search Library Project