New QCC Campus Centerpiece
The
Learning Center (TLC)
A
Self-Guided Tour
The Learning Center (TLC) is a 56,000 square foot building filled with state-of-the-art technology to support the teaching/learning mission of Quinsigamond Community College. Five current QCC units are relocating to TLC: the Library, three tutoring areas (Communication Skills Center, Individualized Learning Center, Math Center), Media Services, and the Cafe.
In general…
Doors
and Floors
TLC has three floors with doors to the outside on the Ground floor (1st)
and the 2nd floor. Both entrances are handicapped accessible.
Signs and Directories
A wall-mounted directory
of the building will be located on each floor near the stairs and elevators.
This building was designed with an open floor plan and most things are quite
obvious. We are generally taking the approach that we will wait to see what
seems confusing and will install signs to clarify directions as needed.
Building Systems
The HVAC and lighting systems are computer controlled.
Security
The security camera system stores up to 30 days of digital
images, taken every 30 seconds, and is accessible from computers in the
Public Safety Office and a TV monitor at the Information Desk. A 3M
Detection System is located at the entrance to the second floor and will
ring loudly when print and non-print materials are removed from the 2nd
floor without being checked out. Clearly marked emergency exit doors will
set off an alarm when opened and should only be used for emergencies.
Network
Infrastructure
The building is supported by a Gigabit fiber optic backbone and
provides both 100 Megabit wired and 54 Megabit wireless access to every room
throughout the building.
Student
Computing
There are 139 student access computers with both wired and
wireless capability. Printers are available in convenient locations.
Workrooms,
Offices and Storage Spaces
In addition to the public areas of the building, there are two workrooms
for technical processing of library and tutoring materials, a storage area
for Media Services, offices for library staff and tutor center managers, a
TLC staff room with a photocopier/fax and mailboxes, and a number of
mechanical rooms housing equipment necessary for the operation of the
building.
Ground Floor
Library Café
The Library Café will serve light refreshments. There are tables and
chairs in the café itself and “soft seating” just to the left of the
cafe. Outdoor patio seating will also be available during good weather.
Vending machines for soft drinks and snacks will be available for times when
the café is closed. Food and drink will not be allowed on the second and
third floors of the building. An exception will be made for water in
spill-proof bottles.
Conference Rooms 109 A&B
A modern dual conference room, 109L is outfitted with a smart
lectern that can control all presentation equipment within the room.
Equipment includes two multi-input data projectors, two DVD/VCR units,
computers, and sound system. This large conference space can be used to hold
112 people in audience style seating or fewer in several different
configurations of tables and chairs. The room can be divided into two
spaces, each holding about 50 people in audience style seating, or 20-24
round tables and chairs.
Classroom 101L
This classroom accommodates 28 students with tablet armchair
seating.
Student Activities Desk
A large counter where QCC student groups can conduct and
coordinate various student activities is at the base of the stairs to the
second floor.
Media Services
This brand new media services command center will coordinate all
distribution and support of classroom instructional technology, audiovisual
equipment, and multimedia production.
Book Drop
The outdoor book drop is located on the outside wall of the
building to the right of the entry door on this floor.
Other Ground Floor Amenities
There is a public telephone, a campus phone and a TTY phone on
this floor. A water fountain and bathrooms are across from the Café and are
located in the same place on all three floors. An elevator to the 2nd
floor is opposite the stairway.
2nd Floor
Circulation Desk
This is the hub of the Alden Library function of TLC. Circulating books,
including books requested from other libraries, can be checked out here.
Course reserves can be checked out to read in the building or to photocopy
for home use. Course related videos are also available for use in the AV
Viewing area around the corner. Circulation staff will also check out to QCC
students sixteen wireless laptop computers for use in TLC only.
Printed handouts of policies regarding community use of library
resources are available here. An indoor book drop is located at the east end
of the counter.
Campus Information Desk
Staff at this desk will provide information and directions for
activities all over the building and the QCC campus. The staff here also
assign group study rooms and monitor the building’s closed circuit
security system.
E-mail Express
Two computers at a stand up counter opposite the Circulation Desk
will be designated as E-mail Express stations for students to do a quick
check of e-mail limited to 15 minutes. Three other computers are available
along the same wall. These should be used to look up course reserves and
videos. More in-depth research will be done in the library on the third
floor.
Individualized Learning Center
This area is devoted to tutoring in a variety of subjects. There are
eight tutor stations and four large tables and chairs for this purpose.
Course-specific software is available on 16 computers. Videos and DVDs can
be viewed in the AV Viewing Area. The Assistive Technology Center has
equipment to help disabled students access library and course-related print
and electronic resources.
Communication Skills Center
Tutors for English, reading and writing will work with students
in this area. It has a combination of 38 computer workstations and
additional table seating for 20. A pull-down screen and data projector are
available for full class presentations.
Math Center
Tutors for all math courses will work with students in this area
on a drop-in basis. There are 16 computer workstations in this area and
table seating for 28.
Academic Testing Center
This Center will be available to adjunct faculty for administering
make-up tests in all programs. It will also serve as overflow area for all
the tutoring centers during busy times. Small meetings and collaborative
learning teams can also be scheduled in this space on a first come first
served basis. It is furnished with study carrel seating for four and ten
computer workstations for online exams.
Group Study Rooms
There are a total of 12 group study rooms of all sizes on the 2nd
and 3rd floors. Some can accommodate larger groups for
collaborative learning and some are intended for use by two people. AV
viewing equipment can be placed in these spaces for group viewing of
course-related videos and DVDs. Every group study room has a white board.
Guidelines for use of group study rooms are available at the Information
Desk
Reading Rooms
Large reading rooms with comfortable seating are located on both
the second and third floors above the café. There is also plenty of study
space at tables, study carrels and computer workstations.
Conference Room
Room 239 is a small seminar room with a table that seats 12.
Other 2nd Floor Amenities
There is a photocopier on this floor around the corner to the
right of the Campus Information Desk. There are bathrooms and a water
fountain to the left of the circulation desk. The elevator to the 3rd
floor is opposite the bathrooms on this floor.
3rd Floor
Alumni Reading Room
The beautiful furniture and light fixtures in this space were
donated through the generosity of the QCC Alumni Association.
Periodicals
The most recent issues of the library’s 289 print periodicals
(professional journals and popular magazines) are located just outside the
Alumni Reading Room. The most recent issues are displayed on the slanted
shelves which lift up to reveal back issues for the last few months stored
below.
Reference Desk
This desk is staffed by librarians at all times when TLC is open.
These librarians help locate resources and demonstrate the most effective
ways to search both print and electronic resources. Appointments for
instruction sessions can be made and interlibrary loan forms are available
here. Handouts on a variety of topics related to online and print research
are also available.
SABES Resource Center
SABES is the Massachusetts Department of Education System
for Adult Basic Education Support. The SABES
Resource Center offers books, curricula and materials to support the Adult
Basic Education field. This
collection holds commercially published titles including workbooks, teacher
resource guides, general background and professional development titles. The
collection also includes teacher generated resources including curricula,
training outlines and student writings.
This collection is available to teachers of Adult Basic Education in
Central Massachusetts and is administered by our on campus SABES team.
Online Information Research Center
This state-of-the-art electronic smart classroom is furnished
with a Smart Board, a touch screen presentation technology that is extremely
useful in teaching students how to use electronic library resources. Used in
conjunction with SynchronEyes computer control software, it creates a
completely managed computerized classroom environment.
For the first time in QCC’s history there is a space devoted to a
formal information literacy program. Reference librarians plan to have this
space in nearly continuous use with prescheduled course-specific instruction
sessions for classes and for less formal small group sessions and drop-in
instruction workshops on specific topics.
Library Stacks
Reference and circulating books, newspaper storage files and file
boxes of back issues of periodicals are all arranged on new bookshelves on
this floor of the library. In the northwest corner of the stack area, a new
microfilm reader/printer is available for making copies of periodical
articles available in microform.
Study Carrels, Tables, and Soft Seating
Every possible configuration of seating is available on this, the
quiet floor of TLC. Here in the Alden Library a student can pick a
comfortable way to study either at a study carrel, at a table with a lamp,
or in an armchair. Two or more students may want to use one of the group
study rooms on this floor.
Other 3rd Floor Amenities
There
is a photocopier on this floor around the corner to the right of the
Reference Desk. There are bathrooms and a water fountain down the corridor
beside the Reference Desk. The elevator to the 2nd floor is
opposite the bathrooms on this floor.
Want to see some
pictures?
(New pictures coming soon...)