Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Barker Engineering Library and the Hayden Science Library

Critiquing MIT'S Barker Engineering Library & the Hayden Science Library

Evelyn Smith

M.S. in Library Science, University of North Texas  (2012)

The Barker Engineering Library at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is justifiably proud of its newly remodeled reading room under the Great Dome of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that features quiet study spaces (Gabridge, n.d., para. 3 and 4). However, the Barker Library also includes a media room with video conferencing and group study space (Gabridge, 2011, para. 3).

But the Barker library is only one of the Massachusetts of Technology’s STEM Libraries

since the Hayden Science Library houses the rest of the science and technical collections there. Of particular interest is the 24-hour study room that allows group study as well as furnishing comfortable seating study tables, photocopying, wireless access and two onsite computers (Hayden, para. 2, 2011, January 2). This study space follows a trend that is also found in public school libraries where micro environments are included in a larger space (Lau, 2002, March 3, para. 12). Additionally, all MIT libraries also follow a mantra established at the public school level wherein not only does form follow function, but it also follows flexibility (Lau, 2002, March 3, para. 7).

The most important user-spaces, at MIT, however, might be the electronic ones since the libraries furnish an impressive collection or live videos, recorded workshops, and research guides for MIT classes. Among the video tutorials lists are tutorials explaining database search tips, citation management tools, bio-information tutorials, GIS, patents, scholarly publications and copyright (MIT Engineering and Science Libraries, n.d.). Undoubtedly many MIT students keep the page entitled “Keeping Current with Research” bookmarked (Keeping Current, n.d.)

References

Gabridge, T. and Silver, H. (n.d.). About the Barker Engineering Library. MIT Engineering and Science Libraries. Retrieved May 7, 2011, from http://libraries.mit.edu/esl/barker/about-barker.html

Lau, D. (2002, March 3). The shape of tomorrow. School Library Journal. Retrieved May 7, 2011, from http://www.schoolibraryjournal.com/articleCA198862.html

MIT Engineering and Science Libraries. (n.d.). Retrieved May 7, 2011, from
http://libraries.mit.edu/hayden/24study.html

24/7 study space in Hayden Library. 2011, January 2). Hayden Circulation. MIT Libraries.Retrieved May 7, 2011, from http://libraries.mit.edu/hayden/24study.html

Keep current with research. (n.d.). MIT Engineering and Science Libraries.Retrieved May 7, 2011, Retrieved from http://libraries.mit.edu/esl/current.html