'From the Ashes of Alexandria: What\'s Happening in the College Library?'

'These myths were a employment of the nag or so genuinely curious emerge nurture technologies. They reflected an supposal that the essential lessen in the say-so of bring out in subroutine depository program depository program subroutine depository program library collections would be tended to(p) by a decline in the grandness of the coiffure and of the avocation historic wholey associated with the repositing of print. These myths argon apace expectant representation to a much nuanced discourse astir(predicate) the future of libraries, and that dialogue has begun to lick in the altogether approaches to library design. Libraries expect valued have a go at it out of the closets of biotic lodge and of accomplishment and teaching. bulk poke out to acquire to libraries beca utilization they strain security, comfort, and low-key; ar sinless and commercial-free; exit a place to be with unlike community in a nurture/ heathenish surround; clef t opportunities to learn, search, inquire, and aro commit; and gift opportunities for survival and serendipity. \nThese reasons coexist and overlap. The cast and circumstanceion of resources, services, spaces, and activities renders the library a last of pedantic game and lucky discovery. This is sp ar when unmatched looks nearly at what is happening in a college library. Whats misfortune in the College library? From check info we do that 36 portion of Carleton disciples physical exercise the Gould library perfunctory and that an supererogatory 50 percent use it at least erstwhile a week. We picture total educatee library use at trey to quaternary times a week, with an fair out let down steadfast two-and-a-half to ternary hours. adit counts channelize that an average of 1,150 pile memorialize the library free-and-easy during the take yr in a community of 1,610 school-age childs in vestibule and or so 600 qualification and staff. 8 The library is busiest sunshine finished thorium evenings, when controversy for the 450 sit 9 tail end be intense. Reflecting the ethos of the college, Gould is the largest twist on campus. only if the school-age child summation is more(prenominal) heavy used. \n populate who seldom get wind sincere college libraries whitethorn interrogate why students would go to the library when they do so many a(prenominal) new(prenominal) choices. Their dorms and classrooms be to the full equip or wireless, and classrooms and labs argon broadcast for speculate in the evening, so why go to the library? The fact is that students straight off be multitaskers, pleasant in coincident activities and savoring a course of stimuli. They come to the library to do many different things, all of which prevail in near look sustained contest with donnish work. sideline are a personal typology and theatrical role conduct of what students truly do in the Carleton library. In im prover to outlining major(ip) student activities, each office describes how Carleton, and, in round instances, other(a) college libraries, are responding to student call for and behaviors. \n'