From the Commons to the Spartan Floor: Enhancing Digital Literacy Through Technology-Integrated Spaces

While Learning and Research Commons have become, well, common, in university libraries, San Jose State University’s Library has sought to move beyond the Commons or even makerspaces to create a technology-integrated learning environment within the library that addresses the digital literacy needs of our students while providing the comfortable, collaborative areas they seek. An entire floor of the library has been dedicated to this effort and christened the “Spartan Floor” (in honor of our school mascot). The Spartan Floor is made up of four components: Integrated technologies, including mediascapes, a touchscreen table, an interactive whiteboard, and digital signage. Student Computing Services that lends over 400 devices, including PC laptops, MacBooks Pros, and iPads. A Student Technology Training Center that provides bi-weekly workshops on Microsoft Office, Adobe, iMovie, and SPSS; open lab hours for student drop-ins staffed by a dedicated technology trainer and a peer tutor; and email help with software and hardware questions. The Creative Media Lab, a collaborative space equipped with audio and video editing suites, a game development/animation workstation, and a large viewing screen for presentation practice, gaming, and group work. The Spartan Floor project began with a laptop checkout desk that was established on the library’s 4th floor. Frequent questions at this and other public service desks regarding software assistance led to the creation of a Student Technology Training Center (STTC). The STTC was strategically located adjacent to Student Computing Services so students could be easily referred. A dedicated Student Technology Trainer was hired along with a peer mentor to staff the STTC. During subsequent technology training workshops and one-on-one consultations, we became aware of a lack of access to the more expensive, advanced tools and applications students needed to realize their roles as content creators. It seemed a natural extension of the STTC to add a Creative Media Lab that would be overseen by the Student Technology Trainer. High-end media tools such as Pro-Tools, Cinema 4D, GameMaker and a full-size keyboard were made available there. The success of the STTC, and indeed the entire Spartan Floor, relies on outreach through the technology trainer’s participation in campus life and events, including diversity task forces and student organizations. Social media has also been tapped, with Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram being used to market workshops, Creative Media Lab events, and the staff themselves. The transformation of library space to technology-integrated centers of learning, where students can gain and apply digital literacy skills, is necessary to prepare students for their future careers. Preliminary assessment of the Spartan Floor services are very encouraging and support expansion of this concept into other library spaces