{"id":54,"date":"2026-07-29T21:16:24","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T21:16:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/linkinlibrary\/?p=54"},"modified":"2026-07-29T21:16:24","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T21:16:24","slug":"reflection-blog-post-infinite-learning-library-as-classroom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/linkinlibrary\/2026\/07\/29\/reflection-blog-post-infinite-learning-library-as-classroom\/","title":{"rendered":"Reflection Blog Post: Infinite Learning: Library as Classroom"},"content":{"rendered":"

The idea of the library as a classroom is one that resonates with me, particularly because I work in an academic library, which means that the primary community I work with is students. While students occasionally engage with the library or librarians in a formal classroom setting\u2014for example, participating in required integrated library instruction sessions for their freshman or advanced writing classes\u2014it is not the primary way they do so. However, this doesn\u2019t and shouldn\u2019t mean that the library cannot be an extension of the learning that they do in their classrooms!<\/p>\n

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Image of students collaboratively working around a table in a library<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For the academic library to be another learning environment, librarians should consider the \u201cconnected learning\u201d approach. This educational framework relies on supported, interest-powered, production-centered activities outside of the traditional classroom to enhance learning (Nygren, 2014). Lippincott (2015) discusses that the greatest opportunity for academic librarians is to connect more deeply to course curriculum by working with students and faculty to develop innovative teaching and learning activities utilizing the library.<\/p>\n

While the library I work in offers educational opportunities like software training classes and family history webinars, they also offer more experiential learning opportunities that match the connected learning approach. One example is the annual Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition that the science librarians have hosted since 2015 in collaboration with the College of Life Sciences. Students can create posters on the research they are involved in and interested in and then present them in the library to judges (library employees who volunteer) and the interested campus community. This competition gives students the opportunity to produce a professional product and practice their communication skills, while also establishing the library as a place of scholarship and experiential learning (Frost et. al., 2023).<\/p>\n

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Image of poster competition gallery hallway<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Though librarians are often described as \u201cinformation professionals,\u201d I\u2019d argue that a natural extension of this is \u201cteacher.\u201d As teachers, we have the responsibility to ensure the library is a space where learning occurs not only through reading books, but also through creative and active learning experiences. When we do so, the library will be more connected with the community it serves.<\/p>\n

References
\n<\/u>Frost, M. E., Goates, M. C., & Nelson, G. M. (2023). The benefits of hosting a poster competition in an academic library. College & Research Libraries<\/em>, 84<\/em>(4), 495\u2013512. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5860\/crl.84.4.495<\/a><\/p>\n

Lippincott, J. K. (2015, February 26). The future for teaching and learning: Librarians’ deepening involvement in pedagogy and curriculum. American Libraries Magazine<\/em>. https:\/\/americanlibrariesmagazine.org\/2015\/02\/26\/the-future-for-teaching-and-learning\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Nygren, \u00c5. (2014). The public library as a community hub for connected learning<\/em> [Paper presentation]. World Library and Information Congress, International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. https:\/\/repository.ifla.org\/items\/f0b3348e-74d1-4170-8415-772d89401a8d<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The idea of the library as a classroom is one that resonates with me, particularly because I work in an academic library, which means that the primary community I work with is students. While students occasionally engage with the library or librarians in a formal classroom setting\u2014for example, participating in required integrated library instruction sessions … Continue reading Reflection Blog Post: Infinite Learning: Library as Classroom<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":848,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/linkinlibrary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/linkinlibrary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/linkinlibrary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/linkinlibrary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/848"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/linkinlibrary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/linkinlibrary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":58,"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/linkinlibrary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54\/revisions\/58"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/linkinlibrary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/linkinlibrary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/linkinlibrary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}