On Friday, November 21, from 1-2pm U.S. Eastern Time, Steve Worona will be hosting Crit Stuart, Director for Research, Teaching, and Learning, Association of Research Libraries (ARL). Crit's talk is called, "A Space of One's Own: Learning Environments Derived from User-Centered Discovery Techniques". No charge, but registration required at <http://net.educause.edu/live0823>. All EDUCAUSE Live! events are archived.

Summary:
Academic libraries are committed to delivering new or improved learning spaces for students. Information/learning commons are de rigueur for libraries seeking to refresh and deepen their engagements with undergraduate learners. The most noteworthy learning environments provide enhanced productivity capacities; exposure to collections and digital information; skills training for knowledge creation; and development of information, verbal, written, and multimedia fluencies.

While it is tempting to mimic learning space solutions delivered by other libraries, such appropriation circumvents staff-owned discovery processes that create a deep understanding of, and commitment to, what is being built.

Smart preprogramming assessment techniques that tap into user wisdom, learning habits, and research needs provide a helpful framework for identifying needed solutions. This presentation will review a number of user-centered programming assessment techniques that are field-tested, easy to modify and extemporize on, and reliable in producing excellent data for constructing informed building programs.