Library as Salon: Emerging Models of Interdisciplinary Connection in an Experimental Space

Poster shared at IFLA Conference, 2014, Lyon, France. Designs of collaborative academic library spaces often focus on furniture, layout and technology. But what about the role of librarians within these spaces? How can we utilize space renovations to better engage with our users and build community? How can we move beyond “help at the desk” forms of user interaction in our library spaces? The following programs at the University of Washington Libraries Research Commons offer examples that serve a much needed role: linking scholars and providing a platform for community engagement through knowledge sharing.