Video: Official Grand Opening of Learning Commons at University of Iowa

UPDATE: Coverage and Images of the Event from Iowa Now
From the Press Citizen:

It’s not often that college students say the coolest place on campus is the library. But that’s what you’ll hear at the University of Iowa.
Just walk into the new Learning Commons on the ground floor of UI’s Main Library and you’ll find a 37,000-square-foot state-of-the-art study center teeming with students. This technologically-infused space has most everything a 21st century student would want, including comfortable chairs, couches and food.
“Every time I’ve been in this building now, it’s full,” UI President Sally Mason said Friday. “It really is phenomenal. Clearly, we built it, and they came.”
Mason and other UI officials were on hand for the official grand opening of the new $14 million Learning Commons, which opened in August. Since then, the facility has seen more student traffic than ever before. During finals week in December, library officials said they logged more than 200 reservations for group study rooms in a single day.
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UI Provost Barry Butler emphasized that the project was a collaboration between his office, UI libraries and Informational Technology Services.
“We went about this with a couple of ideas in mind,” Butler said, “One was tying the project closely to the university’s academic mission and strategic mission for student academic success. And second, providing the kind of study areas that students need and want.”

Read the Complete Article, View Video
Visit the Learning Commons Web Site
See Also: Main Library Learning Commons wins award from Master Builders of Iowa (via Iowa Now)
See Also: “A Look Inside the Learning Commons” (via Iowa Now)
Includes 12 images.
See Also: U. of Iowa Learning Commons on Facebook and Twitter
See Also: Academic Libraries: “University of Iowa Main Library May Get Facelift, $14.6 Million Project in the Works (October 25, 2011)

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