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Cultural Change in the Davis Library

Task Group to Plan for Cultural Change in the Davis Centre Library

Context

Students and faculty members frequently express concern about the way space in the Davis Centre Library is used. On-going concerns include:

noise created by students talking and socializing

We have responded to these concerns in various ways, but none of them have been fully effective and the concerns persist.

The renovations scheduled for completion by September provide an opportunity to effect a change in student expectations and behaviour, or as some have called it, a cultural change. We hope that design elements of the renovated space will bring about some change. Our experience with renovated spaces in Dana Porter suggests that elements such as light and colour influence the way people use space.

While some behavioural changes may come about because of the renovations, the Task Group will consider additional ways of creating an environment that attempts to resolve the on-going concerns and that is welcoming and comfortable for all users.

Terms of Reference

  1. Develop a description of the type of environment that we want to achieve.

  2. Develop a plan for achieving the desired environment. The plan should identify potential problems with the desired environment and ways of address them, as well as who will be responsible for what and costs associated with implementing the plan.

  3. Prepare a report with recommendations to be considered by Library Managers towards the end of July.

Membership

Jim Parrott (Chair), Dan Brown , Sam Gibbon, Dan Sich, Mary Stanley, Abbas Rizvi

June 2004

Cultural Change in the Davis Library
, Chair
January 13, 2006