Future of the Library 2020

In May 2018, President Rose formally charged the Future of Libraries at Bowdoin Working Group (FOLAB) with “thinking broadly and creatively” about how the Library can evolve over the coming decades to support the campus community and with producing “a report that includes a set of recommendations for planning for the future of the libraries at Bowdoin College.”

Throughout the 2018-2019 academic year, FOLAB, comprised of faculty, staff, students, and trustees, gained a deeper understanding of the current Library and considered future trends by:

• Engaging in discussions with Library staff
• Consulting with academic libraries currently undergoing or planning renovations
• Collecting data on student use of study spaces through:
• • Student and faculty focus groups
  • An online survey administered to all faculty and students
  • "Intercept surveys" employed in libraries and other popular buildings on campus

The following insights were gained:

• The Library is viewed as central to the campus by students and faculty.
• The Library's collections are integral to the work of faculty and students.
• The spaces of the Bowdoin College Library are crucial.
• The Library's staff, and the support the librarians provide for teaching, learning, and research, are highly regarded.