September 18
Student needs are changing, and North Shore Community College’s Danvers Campus Library is changing along with them. The library has assessed how students actually use the library, made the collection align with the College’s needs, and will soon finish reconfiguring the space.
The results? Six new group study spaces, bringing the library’s total to eleven.
The library was already prioritizing digital access, but the pandemic accelerated the process. Over the past three and a half years, staff have worked on a “right-sizing” project to make sure the library’s physical collections reflect student needs. This has led to about 20,000 titles removed from the library, freeing up space for one of the library’s big draws: group study.
"Last year, even before we did the renovation, our group study tables and rooms were reserved almost 1,300 times. That just shows how popular the library is as a study space," said Christine Goodchild, coordinator of public services at the Danvers Campus Library.
The new study spaces have large whiteboards to help students collaborate and learn, and group study tables can be reserved online. The library also has several individual study stations, computers, multi-purpose rooms, and lounge seating.
Looking to the future, Goodchild says that the library hopes to use the walls as gallery space to spotlight student artwork and eventually purchase study pods for individuals and small groups to use.