Dear All,
I just picked up this story from Grand Text Auto at
http://grandtextauto.gatech.edu/2005/08/24/last-books-evicted-from-ut-un
dergrad-library/ & CBS
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/08/23/tech/main791462.shtml and I
thought it might be of interest to the educators amongst us.
CBS note -" When students wander into the former undergraduate library
at the University of Texas this fall, gone will be the "Quiet Please"
signs, the ban on cheeseburgers or sodas, the sight of solemn librarians
restocking books.
The fact is, there will be no more books to restock. The UT library is
undergoing a radical change, becoming more of a social gathering place
more akin to a coffeehouse than a dusty, whisper-filled hall of records.
And to make that happen, the undergraduate collection of books had to
go"
It would be easy, I think, to spin this story as a 'death of books'
tale. Books moved out of the library to make way for computers and bean
bags etc. However, it is important to note that the books are not being
burned or used for loo roll as they are being moved elsewhere.
Similarly, it would easy to argue the counter-argument that this move
does not represent much of a change and it is all business as usual in
higher ed and the library.
My take on this move is it symbolises the diversification of media and
modes of discourses being used in higher education (which is a good
thing by and large). Furthermore, it reflects the realisation that study
has a social and collaborative quality that was not reflected in the
design of the old 'shush' style library spaces (which touches on this
month's discussion topic I think).
Should be embrace this kind of change? Be more cautious about changing
libraries?
I wonder whether other institutions are following are following a
similar strategy ...but are not being quite as blatant about it!
I welcome your thoughts!
G
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