Creating a Comprehensive Technology Model for a Converged Library, Archive, Art and Publishing Facility at the University of Calgary

Shawna Sadler
Technology Officer, Taylor Family Digital Library
University of Calgary

After three years of construction, the Taylor Family Digital Library (TFDL) is nearing completion. The 265,000 sq. ft building at the heart of the University of Calgary central campus is the centerpiece in a $203 million project and will serve as the hub of Libraries and Cultural Resources (LCR), a principal division including the university libraries, art museum and University of Calgary Press. The move into the TFDL represents both a physical and programmatic convergence for these units. This briefing will describe the development process for a $13 million technology plan, an effort to conceptualize and implement a comprehensive model for the 21st century, focused on knowledge creation, touch-enabled visual display, collaborative work, new media support and immediate and long-term flexibility. Particular technologies being employed include a visualization lab, with a high-resolution touch-wall, high-resolution microtiles, LCD walls with touch lecterns, viewing theatres, media editing suites, small and large touch tables, real-time data visualization displays, gaming areas with retrospective and contemporary consoles, video conference capabilities in student spaces, Tidebreak software, and touch-interactive instruction rooms. Consulting and technology selection processes will be detailed providing background for others facing similar challenges.