An Information Commons update
June 2007
Much has been accomplished on the construction of the Information Commons since my last message in January. Several stretches of extremely cold and wet weather this winter caused a modest slowdown in the work schedule, but we still expect the building to be ready for opening in January of 2008. The superstructure for the first three floors is in place and work is beginning on the concrete pillars for the top (fourth) floor.
Soon we will see the glass "curtain wall" on the Lake Michigan side of the building, followed later this summer by the glass wall on the campus side of the building. Work has already begun on the so-called "bookends" of the building where the classrooms will be located. As this website you can check out daily progress via photographs, video clips, and our on-site web cam.
The final decisions have been made on furniture, color scheme, carpet and tile, and other interior details. While the center of the building is designed to be seen through because of the glass exterior, inside the feel will be warm, comfortable, and inviting with plenty of wood furnishings, carpeting, comfortable chairs, etc. The café, located between the IC and Cudahy Memorial Library, will be a modern and attractive, a good place to hang out with friends, colleagues, and students.
We are in the process of recruiting for a Director of the Information Commons, a key position on our staff. This person will provide the leadership and vision to make this facility the showplace and centerpiece of our campus, and will help transform the IC into a Learning Commons where library, curriculum, and research converge to provide an atmosphere of both scholarship and social interaction.
