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 During the past six months, UWF Libraries have been hard at work planning and putting together the new fifth floor Skylab: The  University of West Florida Libraries 21st Century Learning Space to be housed on the top floor of John C. Pace Libraries.  The Libraries are hoping for a Fall semester launch  of the new learning technology facility and we’re currently more than half way there! 

 Recently, a group from the libraries’ Skylab committee presented a panel on Envisioning the Skylab at a conference on Academic Learning Spaces: Invention,( Re)Invention and Innovation held at Florida State University in Tallahassee on June 7&8.  The conference brought together a spectrum of groups including architects, academics, librarians,  interior designers and technologists to discuss academic learning spaces and explore the latest cutting edge ideas on the development of learning commons in academic settings. 

The UWF Skylab panel was comprised of Dr.  Ray Uzwyshyn, Head of Library Digital and Learning Technologies  and chair of the Skylab planning committee who presented on the Skylab’s technology and spatial design, a project three years in gestation.  You can read about some of the earlier visions here.  During the panel, Director of UWF’s Curriculum Materials Library, Jeannie Kamerman spoke on meeting student needs and expectations and Interim Dean of Libraries, Lisandra Carmicheal presented on administrative necessities of putting the larger project together. UWF Libraries are very interested in meeting our student needs and expectations with this new 21st century learning space. With this in mind we encourage you to review and comment on the Skylab’s design and presentations and add your thoughts on the upcoming Skylab.  We welcome your comments, feedback and ideas. The new Skylab will very much be a dynamic and creative student centered learning space and we are very interested in your input in creating a great new space for the wider UWF community.