The DePaul University Library has been collaborating since 2013 with partners across Academic Affairs and Student Affairs to provide greater access to the programs and services designed to help DePaul students succeed in the classroom and beyond. Through the John T. Richardson Library Learning Commons, students have access to a range of services provided not only by the library, but also by colleagues in the Writing Center, Science and Math Learning Center, Supplemental Instruction, Career Center, Office of Multicultural Student Success, and more.
Launched as a component of DePaul’s Foundations for Success initiative, the Learning Commons was designed to provide “a centralized place where students could go for tutoring and other academic services.” Integrated with university-wide programs such as Student Success @ DePaul and the BlueStar Success Network, the Learning Commons helps us to ensure the integration of library services such as research consultations and information literacy instruction into the student experience and to promote awareness of the library as a component of the student success network among our faculty, academic advisors and colleagues in Student Affairs. While Learning Commons partnerships were established first with other university-wide initiatives, our partnerships have expanded to included student success programs housed in individual colleges and departments, including the College of Education’s Academic Success Center and the Department of Modern Languages’ Tutoring and Language Learning Center.
Evidence of the success of the Learning Commons program can be seen in the increasing diversity of Learning Commons partners as the program has matured, as well as the increased use of Learning Commons services. Research consultations provided through the library have increased by more than 200% since 2013, and use of Learning Commons services have increased by almost 20% during the same time. The Learning Commons has proven to be useful as a means of promoting greater awareness and use of student support programs without their own central location, e.g., the Office of Multicultural Student Success’ “Study Jams,” which saw participation increase by 31 % during their first year as a Learning Commons program partner. The Learning Commons has also helped to extend the reach of programs with another campus center. As Hilarie Longnecker, Assistant Director of the Career Center, has said: “Offering resume critiques at the Learning Commons has allowed our Peer Career Advisor Program to enjoy increased visibility and usage, while also providing an opportunity for us to collaborate with other student-to-student service providers on campus.”
Krystal Lewis, Information Commons Librarian, serves as the library’s representative on the steering committee that has designed and implemented these early phases of the Learning Commons’ development. As she notes, “Our partnerships allow for the sharing of ideas and knowledge that strengthen all programs involved. Organic collaborations have resulted in new workshops and events, such as the Long Night Against Procrastination and Professional Development Night.” We are looking forward to continued development of Learning Commons partnerships focused on supporting student success in the classroom, and are in the early stages of exploring how the lessons learned in the Learning Commons may allow us to work with campus partners who, like the library, provide critical support for student learning outside of the classroom.