Penn State University Libraries - About

The knowledge commons will be a federation of services and repurposed physical spaces that will facilitate information discovery, collaborative learning, and knowledge building with a focus on undergraduates.

Research libraries all around the country are creating new learning spaces for their students-- technology-rich, student-centered hubs called knowledge commons. These new spaces are designed to meet the needs of today's students, who are often called on to create work in digital and multimedia formats. Knowledge commons are not computer labs, nor are they study halls-- they offer far more value to students.

Photos of the new Reading Room

"I got pretty excited a year and a half ago when Dean Eaton and her staff began to discuss changes to create a knowledge commons in our Libraries. I immediately could see what they meant. And even non-technological Joe embraces the concept and wants the Libraries to keep abreast of what students need." -Sue Paterno