February 27, 2018

Refurbished library space creates dynamic learning environment for students

New technology, seating on UOW Library Ground Floor encourage collaborations among students

The University of Wollongong (UOW) Library has unveiled a refurbished Ground Floor to coincide with the launch of the academic year.

The Ground Floor of the Library received an extensive makeover, complete with a new colour scheme, new seating, and informal study spaces to create a positive, creative environment that serves as the heart of the campus.

UOW Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Wellings CBE, officially launched the renovated Ground Floor during a ceremony at the Library on Friday (23 February).

Margie Jantti, Director, Library Services, said the aim was to provide an environment for students and staff that fostered collaboration while at the same time offering tranquil spaces for those who preferred solitude.

“As a recognised and vital hub for learning, it is essential that the physical Library space is rethought and refreshed to meet changing models for learning; to foster learning experiences that lead to the development of real-world skills and to enable the tangible application of technologies as part of the student experience,” Ms Jantti said.

The new colour scheme reflects UOW’s branding with a striking palette of vibrant reds, muted greys and calming blues, captured through the use of soft furnishings.

There is a greater connection with the outdoors; the large windows provide plenty of light and allow students to look at the campus’s lush greenery while studying. This is further enhanced by the use of indoor plants, which promote improved air quality and contribute to the relaxed environment.

The Ground Floor has been designed to accommodate the different needs of students, with a MakerSpace – which includes 3D printers, media production tools, and Virtual Reality user interfaces – as well as informal learning spaces, study rooms and individual study zones.

There is a greater opportunity for spontaneous collaboration among students with the addition of whiteboards and Solstice technology, which students can use to cast their phones or computers to the screens.

Ms Jantti said the refurbishment would invigorate UOW’s learning spaces and create a dynamic campus environment that would benefits students for years to come.

“As a critical component of the academic culture of the University, the UOW Library draws significant numbers of students and staff accessing its scholarly resources as well as the opportunities for student use,” Ms Jantti said.

“The redesign has presented contemporary learning as an active, collaborative and unpredictable process that requires a suitable dynamic and robust campus environment. It will reinvigorate the student learning settings both within the Library and across the campus.”