To: Christopher McKee and the Library Planning Committee 
From: Instructional Support Committee 
Date: December 6, 2000 
Re: Plans for a new library


1. Faculty should have a strong voice in the planning of the library. The ISC would like to 
know what procedures are in place or might be proposed to disseminate information 
about the ongoing planning to faculty, to encourage discussion among faculty, and to 
provide opportunity for responses to the planning committee from faculty.


2. The ISC recommends that the IMTSs continue to have their offices in the same 
buildings as the faculty with whom they are most likely to work. We believe that it is 
important to give faculty outside the committee a chance to comment on this proposed 
change. It might be appropriate to have a central meeting room and a shared space for 
centralized equipment.  


3. The character of the new library building should proclaim the importance of the pursuit 
of knowledge and encourage independent study and research. Along with this, it would 
be important to include group study spaces, a quiet reading room, faculty study carrels, 
offices, classrooms for library faculty, and seminar space for archives and Iowa Room. 
The library planning committee might also want to explore the possibility of providing 
some assigned carrel space for students working on advanced independent projects.


4. More faculty offices and classroom space may be needed on campus, but not 
necessarily in the library. The committee also sees a need for a video conferencing room 
on campus but not necessarily in the library.


5. The ISC is concerned about the concept of planning the library together with a 
campus center. While these two buildings may be complementary in nature, their 
functions and characters are distinct. We ask that the planning committee take this into 
account as their work progresses.


6. The appearance of the library should mirror its purpose. Upon entering the library, the 
user should immediately perceive that there are people available to give expert 
assistance and that materials are available in various formats including electronic and 
print.