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Lauinger Library is an excellent example of what
Ray Oldenburg, in his book The Great
Good Place (1999), calls the “third place.” According
to Oldenburg, the first place is home; the second
is the workplace. The third place can be either physical
or virtual, and is defined by its clientele. Communities
develop in a third place because they share affinities,
usually surrounding some service or commodity. The
third place is neutral; everyone is welcome and no
one represents a hierarchical authority. People congregate
there because they value the comfort provided and
the reliability of the regulars’ attendance.
They also know they can find excellent conversation
in a place always or almost always open. |
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People today
expect libraries to provide ubiquitous and seamless access
to cyber- and print resources,
accompanying
services, and virtual and physical space. Given the popularity
of online social networking sites in our community, few
expected Lauinger Library to be packed to the rafters
daily as a social-academic center on campus, but it is.
None of us who work here expected to be branded “Club
Lau” by the thousands of students who spend hours
here every day, but it is. And none of our students expected
the Library to host Georgetown's most talked-about event
during “Welcome Week” this fall—but
we did.
On Saturday night, Labor Day weekend, Lauinger’s
Pierce Reading Room was transformed from a quiet study
space into an exuberant party zone, celebrating students’ return
to campus and providing a safe and welcoming spot for
students to enjoy being at Georgetown. And oh, what a
party it was! Lauinger staff thought of every detail:
elegant food; colorful mood lights; a DJ who played rollicking,
danceable, singable music; and special guests, including
some of our favorite Jesuits, senior campus administrators,
and even Jack the Bulldog. Anticipation of the party provided
plenty of student “buzz” and the party-goers
themselves showed off just a little bit of “bling.”
Why would we have this party in the Library? Our returning
students already “own” the library, for their
research needs, expert assistance, and genial location
for social interaction and scholarly communication. But
for our new students, often daunted by their first-time
collegiate experience, the library can be intimidating.
We wanted to engage them early on, welcoming them in their
first week with a festive, alcohol-free social activity
on campus. As a “third place” we exhibited
a characteristic not often thought of for libraries: playfulness.
Who expected a stylish party in an otherwise plain, unpretentious
building? We invited anyone and everyone to participate
to the extent they wished, with equality of access and
encouragement to stop by.
Our students already know that we are a reliable source
of quality information. Staff provide the same care and
attention to academic needs as they delivered at The Party
at Club Lau. Now students also know that they can expect
the unexpected, too. We received numerous compliments
from students and campus leaders alike, but perhaps this
one comment summarizes everything the best:
"Thanks for the party; I had a great time! A lot
of my friends went too and everyone was saying how much
fun they had and how much safer they felt than in any
of the clubs they’ve been to in the city. See
you around Lauinger!"
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