Wellington Institute of Technology
Given that WelTec is a vocational education institution, it was interesting to see how they had embraced a “learning commons” approach to space design and usage compared to the more traditional library spaces we had previously visited. Students at WelTec range in age from 16 years and come from varied social and academic backgrounds, and this was reflected in the services offered from the learning commons, including academic and ICT support, device charge stations, pastoral care, health and financial support. The learning commons provided open and break out spaces for the large amounts of collaborative work undertaken by students, quiet spaces for study, whilst also providing a social meeting place with a café and ping pong table. Despite being the end of the semester, the learning commons was still being utilised by students, which demonstrates its effectiveness as a community hub.
Interestingly, WelTec has developed a strategic partnership with another vocational institution, Whitireia, to enhance its services for students. Rather than merge, or take one over, a partnership is allowing each institution to re-evaluate its current library collections, services, policies and practices. The goal is to achieve improved student outcomes and greater consistency across the nearby campuses, which are accessed by students of both institutions. This partnership has included a consortium purchasing agreement with Whitireia which allowed greater buying power and access to expensive library management systems and resources. The two institutions are also collaborating towards the opening of a shared creative arts campus in Wellington, which will contain a specialised library collection relevant to the courses offered. Whilst this partnership was at times challenging, it was encouraging to see a willingness to collaborate, including the strong elements of each institution.