VIU Librarian Ben Hyman said their outreach to faculty and students is clear - a reduction in their physical collection in favour of common space is the way to go. He said a strategic plan for the VIU Library was adopted last year.  (Submitted/VIU)

By Ian Holmes

balancing act

Less books, more space: VIU Library evolves with the times

May 30, 2019 | 9:43 AM

NANAIMO — While VIU’s head librarian is adamant they’ll always have a place for rows of books, he said enhancing the library’s common space best serves the needs of their many users.

VIU is scaling back its physical collection, including books, to offer what university librarian Ben Hyman described as more sought-after study and student collaboration space.

He said input from library staff, faculty and 1,000 VIU students in a survey reinforced the need to more aggressively reduce their physical collection.

Some books increasingly lack relevance as time passes and haven’t been borrowed in years, according to Hyman.

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“We’re probably looking at upwards of 12 to 15 per cent (physical collection reduction) as the target to accommodate the really important space that students have identified as a priority.”

Data showed 500,000 visits to the VIU Library were made in 2018, which serves as the heart of the Nanaimo VIU campus where nearly 8,000 students attend classes annually.

Hyman understood some students aren’t excited about the library’s transformation, which he said slowly moved toward an increased digitized, open space model for several years.

“I think the changing nature of library usage in an academic environment even catches scholars off guard,” Hyman said. “They’ll remark, ‘Oh when I was in school it was like this,’ and how quickly the experience has changed.”

Hyman said roughly 90 per cent of their collection is digital, which encompasses 1.5 million different items.

Adding to highly popular collaboration rooms is a near-term priority. The eight tech-equipped rooms were booked 8,000 times last year by students free of charge.

A dedicated space for students with young children is also on the radar for the VIU Library.

VIU students Megan Colcol and Tianna Nichols both like the direction the VIU Library is going.

“Books are helpful, but I feel it’s easier to find more resources online,” Colcol said. “The VIU Library website is broad and makes it easy to research school projects.”

Nichols is also on board with leveraging online resources and creating more common areas for school work.

She described the VIU Library is a comfortable and productive environment.

“I think being in a more open space is easier for process information and really think about what you’re doing. Less clutter I think is good for your mind.”

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com
On Twitter: @reporterholmes