The Gaps
The library is a depository of knowledge. However, the rapid development of the Internet and information technology has changed the way information is stored, curated, understood, and applied. Accessing a portal to knowledge is now less likely to be with a library card than a subscription to an Internet service provider. Nonetheless, the need for a library space remains. Such spaces are undergoing transformation. In many higher-learning institutions, the library space is geared toward the need for digesting rather than ingesting information. This ‘digesting’ has also become more of a collaborative process than an individual one.?
The SBC library located in Block 7 was built in 2004 and has been serving us well. But safe-management measures during the pandemic have rendered the library empty most of the time, and also necessitated holding classes either online, onsite, or a hybrid of both ways for several semesters. This made us realize that our existing library facilities cannot support teachers who need to conduct online or hybrid-style lessons, and students who want to attend online lessons and hold group discussions. There are clear gaps that we must close by integrating technology, the learning environment, and the teaching and learning process.
The Groundwork?
A rethink began: How should the SBC library continue to inspire and deepen theological education? Guided by the SBC leadership and the Academic Affairs department, and considering the SBC campus as a whole in line with the holistic nature of theological teaching and learning processes whether online or onsite, the Information Technology Services and EduTech departments initiated two communal learning-space projects—smart classrooms and a reconfigured library.
To prepare the groundwork for these projects, we asked ourselves how learning spaces across SBC can be reorganized to better respond to the evolving needs of learners in the four Schools and the Advanced Studies department. Can we provide theological education in ways that will remain relevant for the next two decades? How do we enhance learning outcomes with a redesign of our learning spaces?
We asked students for their feedback too. We found that they are concerned about the lack of enough facilities for collaborative learning. Whenever safe-management measures were in full force, classrooms, and the library would not be readily available, and there were fewer venues to study, rest, and interact. Students wanted both communal and individual learning spaces. They hoped that such spaces would have separate zones for study and rest, easy access to refreshments, and longer opening hours.
The Goal
Our aim is to create dynamic, flexible, and vibrant mySBC spaces that inspire learning in service to SBC’s mission. Reconfiguring the SBC library as a communal learning space will require substantial planning and financial investment. If this project resonates with you, please pray and consider how you can partner with us.
