For a student at the University of Chicago, learning involves the use of classrooms, research laboratories, the Library, perhaps a field site, and increasingly, some degree of collaborative computer related teaching and interaction. Unlike previous generations, students expect computing to be a part of everyday life -- from computers in residence halls for personal use to tightly integrated learning technologies that enhance the understanding of complex phenomena. Tied to this expectation is the increased desire among students, faculty, and researchers to quickly access online information such as journals and books, as well as multimedia materials such as digital video and audio, while still relying on traditional scholarly resources such as the collections within any one of our campus libraries.

Unfortunately, the growth of on-campus public computing clusters has not kept pace with student computing needs especially when one considers the demands placed on such facilities by incoming students. A recent ad-hoc study by Instructional Technology/NSIT for Associate Provost Gregory Jackson discovered that in the best of circumstances where all public (those accessible to any student, staff, or faculty member) and semi-public (those located in specialized laboratories, research facilities, etc. for a specific portion of the University community) computers are considered on campus, the University has a 20:1 student-to-computer ratio. What is disturbing is that when only fully public computers are considered, the ratio jumps to an alarming 100:1. In contrast, Yale's student-to-computer ratio is approximately 31:1, William and Mary's 28:1, Stanford's 41:1, Northwestern's 48:1, UW-Madison's 40:1 and even "computer-ownership required" Dartmouth has a ratio of 33:1. The answer is not simply to take a single large room and cram as many computers into it as possible. Such an act would create a far better ratio than we have today, but the result would not match the style of learning that is a major part of this institution.

The University of Chicago prides itself on learning through research, collaboration, and intellectual discussion. As a result, its computing facilities should reflect these values to provide an extension of the classroom beyond the physical walls that separate spaces on campus. An opportunity to greatly enhance the learning experience for students and reduce the shortage of computing seats on campus is at the heart of this proposal. A cooperative effort between the Library, Biological Sciences Division, and Networking Services and Information Technologies has resulted in the identification of space, assessment of combined needs, and more importantly, a combined desire to vastly improve the availability and use of information technology in teaching and research.

This partnership aims to create a 5,500 square-foot computing environment within the John Crerar Library that would be a singular facility on campus and one duplicated at few other American universities. Out efforts would underscore our belief in the benefit and balance between small group study environments for formal and informal computer-based education, and general computing space for the independent learner and solitary user. It is our vision that technical support staff would be available during the cluster's operating hours, laptop computers should be easily accommodated within the space, and in keeping with Crerar's focus on the sciences, specialized advanced computing needs for scientific teaching could be made available within tailored work environments.

There are too few places on campus where students can collaborate in an environment they feel comfortable. Not to be overlooked is our desire to create a space that is inviting to the user for various needs including casual conversation and exploration, organized study, and traditional course-related computing. We want to design the space to be a place where students gather and work together and not one seen as a necessary but tedious part of life at the University. Adjacent to the main cluster, we envision a small cyber-cafe, serving good coffee and Internet access, furnished with comfortable seating and appropriate network connections. All activities will take place within an attractive work environment designed with adequate lighting, noise and environmental controls, and personal security.

In short, we have visualized a place that can serve for a quick check of email, a lengthy stay to research and work on a course paper, a group project session, and even a computer-related seminar with a teacher and interested students. The wide consultative process that produced this vision will guarantee its acuity and well as longevity as all partners work to sustain this innovated space for successive classes of students.