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Over the last year, I have been trying to visit private, collegiate and small university libraries to assess trends and get design ideas. I documented my visit to our doppelgänger library at Bucknell last January and in September I visited the Belk Library at Elon University. Last Friday I visited E.H. Little Library at Davidson College. This building opened in 1974 and has a wonderful open floor plan.

This library offers several interesting features and programs. First, the building has not had security gates since it opened. This concept is celebrated on campus and even touted by Admissions tours to prospective students. This trust of the student body extends to after hours access. The library is open 24/7 with student ID cards even when no staff are present. Campus security does make routine stops. The library also has a gender neutral, multi-stall bathroom. Elon is also considering removing their security gate and it is something we have discussed in our renovation planning. From aesthetics to creating a more welcoming presence, removal of security gates is a growing trend in academic libraries.

The Davidson Library also hosts their Teaching & Learning Center, Writing Center, and tutoring services. Campus IT also maintains a consulting area but does not have regular staffing in the library. Elon also offers tutoring and writing support in the Library.

I hope to continue my field trips over the next few months with visits to Furman and Richmond. If you have visited libraries that you think are good models for Wake, feel free to let me know about them!