Buies Creek, N.C. –When Campbell University’s Wiggins Memorial Library opened for business this fall, it not only featured a vast increase in square-footage and seating, but an impressive inventory of state-of-the-art technologies designed to help students work smarter, not harder.
From high definition monitors that can be accessed from a student’s laptop to iMac computers with design and audio/visual software, the library is equipped to meet almost any imaginable technical demand.
“We are trying to help students in every possible way to make their work the best that it can be,” said Library Director Borree Kwok. “The iMac computers are equipped with audio and visual manipulation software which can lead to much creativity on the part of students.”
Each of the library’s three floors feature study areas with digital bulletin boards that broadcast information from Campbell University’s own Channel 18 throughout the day and are comfortable retreats for students to work collaboratively.
The library’s first floor contains 24 research computers and research assistance librarians, a go-to resource for students with needs or questions. The first floor also features an extensive audio book collection made possible by the Friends of the Library organization and a DVD Oasis Collection sponsored by the Student Government Association. The Oasis Collection inventory includes several hundred audio books, television and movie titles.
The Idea Lab on the third floor, which houses the iMac computers is also equipped with other design tools such as the Wacom Intuos professional pen tablet. A total of 31 workstations comprise a computer lab on that same floor.
In addition to computers, teaching and design tools and study areas, the third floor is the location of the Curriculum Materials/ Media Center CMMC). The CMMC has a collection of teaching resources for education students, including hand held GPS receivers which are being used most often by students in the School of Education as they design creative social studies lessons in their Social Studies Methods course.
On the library’s second floor is a conference room which houses a touch screen, interactive whiteboard or “Smart Board.” It combines a flexible pen and finger manipulative system in classic whiteboard styling. It not only contains multi-media resources, but is capable of accessing the Internet, saving, printing and e-mailing documents. This board is an excellent interactive tool for faculty, staff, and student groups who use the room.
“Students are certainly receptive to the technology provided in the new library,” said Curriculum Materials Librarian Sarah Steele. “Using the technology is second nature to this generation of learners.”
Photo Copy: Freshman Kaylon Dubon, right, and senior Jordan Bacon check out the new “Smart Board” at Campbell University’s Wiggins Memorial Library.