The Coe Library is now home to a brand-new student learning commons, a centralized academic support network for students of the university to receive tutoring and easier access to other library services.
“We wanted to build a space to support students academically, with technology and flexible seating for all kinds of groups or solitary use,” Cass Kvenild, the Associate Dean of the UW Libraries department, said.
Due in part to the lack of in-person events over the past year, UW Libraries was able to transform the first floor of the Coe Library with the support and funds of the university administration.
“The Provost’s Office was incredibly helpful in getting this project started and contributed funds and support to transform the space,” Kvenild said.
The newly reinvisioned floor, now equipped with mobile seating and comfortable booths, aims to concentrate the library’s many student resources into one space.
Between the Writing Center and STEP tutoring services, these university programs aid over 4,000 students each semester.
“STEP partners with engineering and math centers, as well as Washakie, to offer multiple points for students to get assistance,” April Heaney, the Director of LeaRN, said.
Staff of both UW Libraries and the student learning commons hope the integration will increase rates of student success and timely graduation.
“STEP tutoring in the student learning commons is a centralized and easy-to-access center that includes tutoring in 50+ high-challenge courses,” Heaney said. “The center offers support in math, engineering, science, and social science courses.”
Emma Meese, a senior who serves as STEP’s tutoring coordinator, is thrilled by the recent changes and the implications.
“This new space has been such a great thing because it’s geared towards collective work- which, really, is what tutoring is. It’s really created an environment that operates on collaboration,” Meese said. “We also have access to whiteboards, super cool new screens, and all sorts of new media.”
The new student learning commons now serves as the home to all of UW’s LeaRN programs, including First-Year Interest Groups, Summer & Fall Bridge, First Gen Scholars, and Communication Across the Curriculum.
“In the past, the Writing Center, LeaRN, STEP tutors and IT labs were located on multiple floors in the library,” Kvenild said. “Now students can find tutoring, writing help, study spaces, presentation spaces, computers, and printing all in one location.”
Meese, having worked within STEP for over two years, believes the consolidation has greatly improved the program’s efficiency.
“I have really enjoyed having all of the learning programs and the Writing Center all in one spot,” Meese said. “When students come to us, we have all these resources in one place- all that’s left is to direct them where to go.”
Following continued interest in virtual reality at Studio Coe and the Coe Student Innovation Center, staff at UW Libraries hope to continue on this momentum by supporting more multimedia projects.
The UW community is invited to celebrate the student learning commons at an open house on Tuesday, Dec. 7. Provost Kevin Carman and former interim provost Anne Alexander will deliver remarks.
