New technology experienc area equipped with 8 apple computers
Last week, Learning Commons at Minghang Campus Library and the cafe bar in the skirt building hall was opened, which aroused both teachers and students’ attention. The design of the library space, which is integrated with autonomous learning, leisure reading, open discussion and new technology experience, not only can satisfy personalized reading and learning needs but also is trying to offer more opportunities for social interaction and activities.
Leisure reading area
Electronic-reading area
Discussion area
The idea of ‘Learning Commons’ or ‘third place’ comes from Ray Oldenburg, an American sociolist. He names the family living space as the first space, the workplace as the second space, and the coffee house, the bar, the museum as well as the park as the third space, or ‘Learing Commons’.
Cafe bar in the afternoon
Overlook of the cafe bar from the third floor
In the two rounds of naming and voting activities held by the University library in March, the name, ‘Learning Commons’, suggested by Song Xingxing from Population Research Institute of School o f Social Development, was finally adopted to name the new space. Song Xingxing described the ‘Learning Commons’ as ‘the third kind of learning space different form the classrooms and the traditional library’, where diverse learning styles can be experienced, innovative thinking can be stimulated and mind can be cultivated.
Written by : Yao Run
Edited by : Liu Jinyu