The academic library is traditionally a place for students to do research, to study, and, ultimately, to learn. However, the digital surge had a big impact on the library’s purpose and use, which demands a new approach for future design. The young generation designers (you) will be speaking for their generations and expressing innovative ideas of the future academic library. Moving the concept from university library to university center.

The Design problems

On one hand, recent research shows that most library spaces are still built to encourage exploiting existing ideas over exploring new ideas. Quiet Study and the Computer Lab rank the highest in spaces where students are likely to exploit existing ideas, while experimenting spaces that foster innovation are still very limited. In 2004, Steven Tepper noted that no one has “ever tried to measure the creative environment in American colleges” and that “creativity remains an undervalued policy goal for colleges and universities”! On the other hand, statistics increasingly show how unlikely university students visit their library or spend anytime there. Also, the modern lifestyle fosters people’s isolation instead of connection and collaboration.

Starting from these issues, designers need to recycle the traditional library design and the whole old concept around it.