22 It’s not unusual to see students wearing scrubs or shirts from other schools. The president of a local chamber of commerce comes here, as do so many others. Broward County has a great system, but it didn’t have a true research facility 20 years ago. NSU was/is in the business of conferring doctoral degrees that require high-level research. So, all the materials we buy for our students are—through our unique partnership—used by folks from the county, surrounding colleges, and beyond. NSU President Dr. George Hanbury envisioned a research library and conducted his dissertation research here, just as many do. We’ve also had entrepreneurs, like the founders of Banana Wave, incubate their businesses here. Our downstairs children’s area may function like a public branch, but there are differences. It’s not unusual to see three generations enjoying Storytime together. We are creating a family study room with furniture suitable for adults and young children and accessorized with manipulatives so both the child and parent can have the space needed to study and learn. Anyone who’d like a taste of academia can also sit in on a lecture. NSU’s Farquhar Honors College hosts an Open Classroom series where our professors teach NSU students and welcome others to sit in and see what a higher education class is like. The Alvin Sherman Library also boasts larger study rooms with as many as 14 seats. Dynamic interactions and collaborations are constants. The excitement over an actual book is always there, but this isn’t a place where you get “shushed,” except in designated silent areas. This is everybody’s library, and it is different for everybody. It’s a social experiment that I think has proven how well a center like this can work for the community, and for communities of learners. We are proof that libraries are not irrelevant. Libraries must continually adapt, sure, but people need our services. I can’t tell you how many people— even my own colleagues who are parents—thanked us for conducting Storytime through Facebook Live, saying things like, “I’m trying to do work with my kids in the background, and they’re not bouncing off the walls because they’re watching our Storytime.” A PLACE PEOPLE FEEL AT HOME CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21
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