What is a Learning Commons?

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The Learning Commons has been defined as:   " a place that fosters the development of the twenty-first century scholar and practitioner by integrating the library and other campus student support units. It is a multifunctional, flexible space that deeply integrates the library into the lives of students in collaboration with other campus departments and services. It is a neutral space that brings partners together to support learning initiatives. It is a workplace for students that may include formal and informal areas. It is a location for collaborative work, knowledge generation, and innovation. Local issues and needs drive the creation and development of each learning commons. " 

     from: The Learning Commons as a Locus for Information Literacy Sharon Weiner Purdue University, sweiner@purdue.edu, Tomalee Doan Purdue University, tdoan@purdue.edu, Hal Kirkwood Purdue University, kirkwood@purdue.edu  2010​
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Doug Johnson outlines what a school library of the future could/should look like.  His thoughts combine well with the definition of a Learning Commons:



Libraries Past, Libraries Future​ by Doug Johnson

Yesterday's libraries, tomorrow's libraries - 12 differences
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1. Yesterday's libraries were all about books.​  Tomorrow's libraries will be all about readers.​

2. Yesterday's libraries were all about getting information.​  Tomorrow's libraries will be all about creating and sharing information.
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3. Yesterday's libraries were all about silent individuals.​  Tomorrow's libraries will be all about active groups.​

4. Yesterday's libraries were all about term papers.​  Tomorrow's libraries will be all about multimedia projects.
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5. Yesterday's libraries were all about bricks and mortar, tables and shelves.​  Tomorrow's libraries will be all about online services, digital resources.​

6. Yesterday's libraries were all about teaching how to find information.​  Tomorrow's libraries will be all about teaching how to evaluate and use information.
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7. Yesterday's libraries were all about having program goals.​  Tomorrow's libraries will be all about helping students, teachers and schools meet their goals.​

8. Yesterday's libraries were all about being directed by a professional librarian.​
Tomorrow's libraries will be all about developing whole-school ownership.
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9. Yesterday's libraries were all about organizing information by a set of rules.​  Tomorrow's libraries will be all about helping users organize information in ways that make sense to them.​

10. Yesterday's libraries were all about being copyright enforcers.​  Tomorrow's libraries will be all about being intellectual property counselors.
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11. Yesterday's libraries were all about order, rules and policies.​  Tomorrow's libraries will be all about comfort, service and meeting individual needs.​

12. Yesterday's libraries were all about developing print literacy.​  Tomorrow's libraries will be all about developing multiple literacies - print, auditory, visual.
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This means today's libraries are all about..​

Transition​
Exploration​
Planning​
Survival​
Optimism​
Opportunities
Or they'd better be if there are to be libraries tomorrow.