Articulating a Vision for a Media Commons at the University of Maryland

Abstract

In September, 2013 the University of Maryland Libraries charged a Media Commons Task Force with developing a framework for a “Media Commons” environment that integrated the Nonprint Media Services Library into the services offered by the learning commons already in existence and the research commons under development at the Libraries. Over the next six months the committee employed a variety of means to assess the needs of the University of Maryland community and generate ideas, including quantitative surveys of faculty and students, interviews with on-campus groups identified as potential partners, interviews with representatives from successful media commons at other universities, a literature review, and innovative focus group meetings utilizing “design thinking” to elicit ideas and feedback from participants. This presentation will discuss the committee’s findings and recommendations.