By Abigail Jones
In 2023, West Virginia University Libraries received $250,000 in Congressionally directed spending to improve classroom technology at the Downtown and Evansdale libraries, making our spaces more hybrid friendly. With this funding, made possible in part through the advocacy of former Sen. Joe Manchin and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, the Libraries has been evolving to meet the needs of campus and the community.
COVID is long in the rearview mirror, but it left behind new expectations for service. WVU Libraries now faces a growing demand for cultural events and, increasingly, classes that offer onsite and online options concurrently. Meeting this need for a hybrid environment allows people easier access to campus events and expands access to Libraries materials and exhibits to a wider audience.
Congressional-directed spending has enabled significant upgrades to 2 library classrooms, each with distinct configurations, capacities, and flexibility to meet a range of instructional and event needs. Both are now fully equipped for hybrid use.
WVU President Michael T. Benson addresses WVU librarians at a staff meeting.
Downtown Library Classroom 104 and Evansdale Library Classroom 130 are reservable for the campus community for everything from academic instruction to employee training to PhD colloquiums. This funding also supports high-quality, accessible audio/visual technology that is essential to modern teaching and hybrid engagement that would otherwise have been cost-prohibitive.
In addition to providing access to programming hosted by WVU Libraries, the Libraries also supports event needs across campus, including those of the Office of the Provost, academic departments, student organizations, and more. Making Libraries’ classroom and event spaces hybrid expands their use.
With these new enhancements, WVU Libraries can fully support hybrid instruction and programming, specifically active learning of both face-to-face and virtual participants attending concurrently for a course, program, or event. Now maximizing space flexibility to support campus and community programming, the Libraries is increasing foot traffic within library locations and creating user-centered learning environments that prioritize universal design principles.