NSU Horizons Fall 2007

14 horizons Less than 10 years ago, a group of university and community leaders within Broward County dared to think outside the box when it came to designing some- thing as traditional as a library. After all, when the Greeks, with a heightened inter- est in literacy, propelled the idea of a library as early as 530 BCE, little did they know the concept of a library would result in a legacy for future civilizations to build on. For NSU and Broward County government leaders, the need called for designing a library of tomorrow, one without boundaries. The duty called for an uncon- ventional, groundbreaking approach to library service. The idea was to build a facility large enough, diverse enough, and technologically advanced enough to pro- vide the right information for the right person at the right time. Library supporters planned for a hub where residents, business people, students, and scholars of all ages and interests would have access to information in the library or from their home computers. They imag- ined multimedia rooms for high-tech presentations; free, open access to volumes of databases; and zones where parents and caretakers could bring their children to freely explore new activities and knowledge. They planned for a site with offerings of world-class art, cul- turally enriching programs, and personal development seminars open to the community. They needed a library that would provide service to a wide range of patrons for extended hours, seven days a week. They sought an academic research library to which citizens of Broward County could have equal access, regardless of their edu- cational affiliation. The vision and blueprints for a library of tomorrow began to take shape. On December 14, 1999, Broward County Commissioners and NSU signed an innovative agree- ment for a joint-use library to continue in force for the next 40 years. The library’s research and technology capabilities would serve a public purpose and benefit Libraries are central to learning, building communities, and promoting research and intellectual exploration. The Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center of Nova Southeastern University has gained the reputation as a model of libraries of tomorrow. By Lourdes Rodriguez-Barrera today the library of tomorrow—