Dr. D. Russell Bailey gave a public presentation entitled “The Evolving Commons Concept: Information, Teaching, Learning, Research” and met with several task groups who are working on developing a Learning Commons in the Claire T. Carney Library at UMass Dartmouth.

The presentation focused on the history and variety of philosophies and components of Information and Learning Commons and how they are evolving. He emphasized that the Commons model is an organizing principle focused on meeting patrons needs which also serves as a framework for working with campus partners in developing a “seamlessly integrated (from the patron’s perspective) continuum of services, tools, systems and resources, in-facility and on the Web”.

Dr. D. Russell Bailey is a leader in the area of Information Commons. He is the Director of the Phillips Memorial Library at Providence College. He is co-author of the new book: Transforming Library Service through Information Commons: Case Studies for the Digital Age (American Library Association, 2008) and a contributing author to the Information Commons Handbook (Neal-Schuman Publishers 2006). He is co-author of the article, “Information Commons Redux: Concept, Evolution and Transcending the Tragedy of the Commons,” in the Journal of Academic Librarianship (2002). He has given numerous presentations on Learning Commons, most recently, in Hong Kong.

For further information on Dr. Bailey and his work, please see his faculty profile at Providence College.