Improvements, One Step at Time

By Craig Milberg, Mark O. Hatfield Library Director

It is hard to believe that the MOHL is over 30 years old, which is middle-aged for an academic library.  As the building and its furnishings age, we continually strategize about how to improve the student experience when using the library. Improvements to the building and furnishings should be evident, but are they? How many of the following have you noticed?

 

– New rolling white boards (summer 2017)

– New rolling tables, chairs, & alcove paint color, first floor of library (summer 2017)

– New seating styles (2017)

– Additional seating due to the popularity of new seats (2018)

– Additional mini laptop tables (2018)

– New white boards on table tops and group study room walls (2018)

– Replaced 40 old wood chairs with cushioned chairs, first floor of library (2018)

 

Several of the improvements came from feedback from ASWU and individual students, but there is always more that can be done. The library and WITS staff spent a considerable amount of energy last year developing a first-floor renovation plan that would move the WITS help desk into the library, greatly expand student seating options, and improve the 24-hour space.

While this renovation has been placed on hold while the University deals with more pressing projects, we want to continue to make progress until a major renovation can be done.  We really want student feedback on our next project.

Should we improve access to electrical outlets on the first floor (summer 2019)?  What other ideas do you have?  Stop by the library and tell Craig your ideas, or drop him an email (cmilberg@willamette.edu).