CNI-ANNOUNCE@cni.org Mailing List Archive

I am so pleased to announce, along with our publisher ACRL, the publication of Designing Libraries for the 21st Century. Along with my co-editors Tom Hickerson and Leonora Crema, we recruited a stellar group of authors, who had given presentations at the Designing Libraries conferences, to write a total of 28 chapters, covering a wide variety of topics.

My chapter (no. 4) "21st Century Libraries for Students: Learning and Belonging” distills my thinking about libraries as learning spaces over the years and adds an important focus on the library as a place for students of many backgrounds to find an environment where they feel they belong to the university community. The announcement from ACRL is below.

—Joan Lippincott, Associate Executive Director Emerita, CNI

ACRL announces the publication of Designing Libraries for the 21st Century, edited by H. Thomas Hickerson, Joan K. Lippincott, and Leonora Crema. Featuring an impressive array of authors drawn largely from the conference of the same name and packed with full color images and illustrations, this book provides guidance, principles, and a wealth of creative ideas for academic library spaces, technology, programs, and partnerships.

The 21st century has seen a transformational shift in the design of college and research libraries, one focused more on user experience and engagement than on collections. Dramatic changes in library design have been driven by changes in the core functions of universities and colleges: the reliance on digital tools and content, integration of technologies into pedagogy and research, and emphasis on the active and social aspects of learning, inclusion, and community engagement. Planning for these vibrant spaces needs to incorporate new program and staffing strategies, robust technical infrastructure, human-centered design, and flexibility to enable ongoing change.

Designing Libraries for the 21st Century explores these trends and identifies promising strategies for new or renovated library space. Twenty-nine chapters explore these themes:

• 21st-Century Academic Libraries in an Evolving Environment

• Aligning with the Institutional Vision

• Working with Architects, Designers, and Planners

• Key Issues in Planning

• Collaborations and Convergence

• Leadership, Organizational Change, and New Staff Roles

• Programming for Research, Learning, and Community

• Looking Ahead

Often major building projects focus primarily on the physical facility, but this volume makes the case for designing libraries in a much more holistic fashion. Today all types of libraries are engaged in reimagining their roles and the spatial design through which this new vision will be realized.

Both inspirational and practical, Designing Libraries for the 21st Century is a must-read for librarians, architects, planners, academic leaders, and anyone interested in the future of libraries.

Designing Libraries for the 21st Century is available for purchase in print through the ALA Online Store and Amazon.com; by telephone order at (866) 746-7252 in the U.S. or (770) 442-8633 for international customers; and as an open access edition.