Less whispering, more collaboration in refurbished campus library
Published on 24 January, 2012
CQUniversity's revamped Rockhampton Campus library is now chock full of technology which encourages collaborative learning. There's even a ground-floor coffee shop for socialising, with the whispering zone consigned to the top floor.
With $6 million worth of renovations and enhancements now in place, the iconic Bruce Hiskens Building is no longer just a place for quiet bookworms, according to CQUniversity library director Graham Black.
LINK HERE for more on the Library refurbishment
"When the library was first designed and built back in the ‘70s, individuals tended to come alone, get some books off the shelf, look at microfilm and work alone. We need spaces today that are open, networked and lend themselves more to more collaboration, discussion and ease. That's what the renovations have done," Mr Black says.
Forget chalk on a blackboard - CQUniversity's Rockhampton library now features whiteboard-style 'smart boards' which enable touch-sensitive displays for computer applications, with note taking and saving using 'digital ink' instead of smudgy pens
New 'surface computers' arriving during the first half of 2012 have a coffee-table like design so users can not only touch the screen but also drag objects across to interact with the computer's graphical mode.
There's an access grid with split screens enhancing group-to-group panel discussions anywhere in the world. Participants can access multiple video streams, multiple camera angles, multiple voice inputs, and multiple data inputs (eg. electron microscope images). They can hear and see each other while sharing documents and images in real time without delays.
Wireless internet access is now standard, of course, and chairs and tables have wheels so rooms can be configured in a variety of ways.
And helpdesks can answer either IT or library search questions, although searches are a lot easier now thanks to Discover It!, the Library's Google-style interface for access to scholarly information including databases, electronic journals, and the catalogue.
While technology is to the fore, there's plenty of natural light and views of green parts of the campus, as well as funky furniture and open-plan design.
CQUniversity has been able to achieve a significant improvement to the building with help from Wilson Architects, which has gained renown as a specialist in university library design. It has also helped that Woollam Constructions was on board as this firm built the original library building in 1978 and then came back in 2001 for a major refurbishment.
The latest $6 million facelift has been achieved thanks to the Federal Government Teaching and Learning Capital Fund - Higher Education.
Mr Black says the latest work represents the first complete refurbishment since the library was officially opened by Princess Alexandra - but the new look is not without one small regret.
"As exciting as it is to have the refurbishment, it was sad to see the orange carpet go," he says.