ABSTRACT

This paper will present a case study of the Information Commons Group at The University of Auckland: the large purpose-built Kate Edger Information Commons (2003) on the City Campus, and smaller Grafton Information Commons (2004) on the Medical Campus and the library-based Epsom Information Commons (2006) on the Education Campus. The group comprises three models of co-location, collaboration, integration and innovation successfully operating within the same IT, service and staffing infrastructure. These student-centred learning facilities provide proactive integrated learning support in a collaborative, interdisciplinary physical and virtual learning environment. The initial strategic and operational planning undertaken to establish and manage the Information Commons will be covered. The ongoing strategic focus of the Group is to ensure that the service model continues to evolve to ensure excellent frontline services as well as the further blending of learning support services to accommodate changes in learning, technology and student needs. Experiences and lessons learnt from implementation and operational successes and challenges leading to the reengineering of the initial service model at the end of 2006 will be outlined.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Hester Mountifield is Assistant University Librarian (Information Commons & Learning Services) at The University of Auckland Library in New Zealand. She has been with the University Library in various roles since 1996 and prior to that worked in the university and secondary school sector in South Africa. Her current role includes the management of the University Library’s Information Commons Group and the development and coordination of information literacy and integrated learning support initiatives in collaboration with institutional partners. She is interested in the pedagogical and learning support issues raised by the blending of e-learning technologies with digital libraries, resources and services, the educational design role of librarians and the learning support and eLiteracy needs of the Net Generation. She holds a Masters degree in Library and Information Science and a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education. Her publications include conference papers and articles on the Information Commons and eLiteracy. She has also contributed chapters to books on these topics.