The article aims to provide a historical context for the information commons model in college and university libraries, reviewing trends in reference services, user expectations, technology and facilities planning. It suggests future directions for expansion of the information commons model and provides URLs for academic libraries with information commons of note.
The article serves as a frame for three other articles in this issue on information commons.
In the 1990s, the move to “rethink reference” services intersected with the “library as place” movement. This collision, combined with changes in technology and users' expectations, resulted in the information commons model.
The literature review is not exhaustive.
The article provides a succinct review of recent historical trends in academic libraries as well as an overview of recent technological changes that have affected our users.
The article is not a case study and does not focus on any one academic library. The value of the piece is its historical perspective and identification of future challenges and trends.
