We need our community college libraries to work within, across and beyond their boundaries. We need academic libraries to widen access to scholarly work whenever possible. Despite the lack of funding for libraries in the past, users are becoming more and more likely to use the library to retrain and retool themselves. The State of the Union offered an example of how the country can upgrade its knowledge by investing in community colleges. The President stated, “We need to promote new skills and better education so that all Americans are prepared to compete in a global economy. That’s why, tonight, I call for a new partnership between community colleges and businesses to help train and place 2 million skilled workers.”
We are working on a couple academic library projects including the Coulter Library at Onondaga Community College. It can be retooled and upgraded with a simple plan to improve building use, function and flow. The investments will enable content to flow to the students within, across and beyond the library’s boundaries.
In America Built to Last, the government can improve the lives of younger people by creating community college partnerships. The president cites a goal to retain 2 million people through the community college system. This concept tracks with our own research, indicating that learning environments will help students succeed in building skills for the 21st century.
In other words,academic library’s matter. The physical space will to support the overall goals of the institution to bring student success by offering enhanced research environments. This can be measured by investments in library buildings and the research that results from collaboration.
