Learning Commons @ Perry Library Celebrates Five Years

October 13, 2016

ODU's Perry Library has tripled in size since moving to its current location in 1976. The 2011 Learning Commons opening changed the face of the facility.

The sounds, smells and sights of the Learning Commons @ Perry Library are familiar to today's students at Old Dominion University. Whether it's the hum of computers, the nourishment provided by Einstein's Bagels or the small groups working in modern collaboration rooms, the Learning Commons, which is now celebrating its fifth anniversary, has become an indispensable part of the Old Dominion experience.

"Before the Learning Commons, walking into Perry Library felt like you were walking into a hushed and sacred space. Now it feels open, lively and productive," said Megan Smith '10, who returned to campus during Homecoming week in September.

After moving to its current location in 1976, the Patricia W. and J. Douglas Perry Library has gone through a number of renovations.

The building expanded from 50,000 to 126,000 square feet in 1998 to accommodate technological advances as well as a collection that had tripled to 1.8 million items since 1975.

But seismic innovations in the way modern students interact with their libraries necessitated even larger changes. So in 2011, the University Libraries, the Office of Computing and Communication Services (now Information Technology Services) and Academic Enhancement (now the Center for High Impact Practices) embarked on a new shift.

That fall, the Learning Commons @ Perry Library was introduced as an area designed to provide library resources and expertise, high-end technologies, academic support services and flexible spaces for student collaboration in a single location.

"We wanted to bring together library resources, expertise and technology in an inviting environment to improve the learning experience of our students and encourage experimentation and creativity," said administrative services librarian Morel Fry, who was instrumental in the Learning Commons planning process.

The Learning Commons has become an integral part of campus life at Old Dominion.

Students take full advantage of the many collaboration rooms to work together. Since the opening of the Learning Commons, the collaboration spaces have been used more than 86,000 times, based on signups; more than 885,000 computer logins have been recorded; more than 250,000 equipment loans have been made, and more than 20,000 students have been involved in Learning Commons courses, orientations and workshops.

It's both a place students can go to study quietly and home to such events as the annual Poetry Slam and Undergraduate Research Symposium. It also has regular workshops on library resources and academic tools like EndNote and Zotero.

University librarian George Fowler loves how students have embraced the Learning Commons. "Our students are amazing, and our job is to challenge them to be great. We plan to do that by expanding our partnerships on campus and building on the things we know students need and want to increase the impact the Learning Commons has on campus," Fowler said.

The Learning Commons @ Perry Library will be celebrating its fifth anniversary throughout the year. Stay tuned for more ways to celebrate and get involved in helping shape the next five years of the Learning Commons.

For information about the Learning Commons @ Perry Library and how to access its services, see the Learning Commons website.