Growing and Sustaining the Graduate Research Commons

Trish Rosseel, Interim Head, Humanities and Social Sciences Division, UBC Library
Jacqui Brinkman, Manager, Graduate Pathways to Success Program, Faculty of Graduate Studies
Erin Fields, Librarian, Humanities and Social Sciences Division, UBC Library
Gillian Gerhard, Manager, Graduate Student Programs, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology
Julie Mitchell, Interim Coordinator, Chapman Learning Commons, UBC Library
Sarah Moore, Graduate Student Program Coordinator, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology
Jon Strang, Librarian, Humanities and Social Sciences Division, UBC Library
Joseph Topornycky, Teaching Assistant Training Program Coordinator, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology
Cindy Underhill, Strategist, Learning Resource Design, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology

One of UBC Library’s key strategic goals is to develop user-centered spaces and services to enhance student learning, including the establishment of a Research Commons. In an effort to move forward as the physical space evolves, the Library plans to collaborate with campus partners to launch a suite of new services to assess their viability, scalability, and sustainabiity. They will be coordinated by Library staff and delivered through a Research Commons Graduate Student Team. Establishment of the Research Commons will further UBC’s Place and Promise plan, which outlines the need to both expand educational enrichment opportunities and build research spaces for collaboration and interdisciplinary work. It will also strengthen graduate student programs provided by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology. Furthermore, it will build on the success of other student-centred spaces on campus that aim to enhance the educational experience.

Trish Rosseel, Interim Head, Humanities and Social Sciences Division, UBC Library
Susan Atkey, Librarian, Humanities and Social Sciences Division, UBC Library
Jacqui Brinkman, Manager, Graduate Pathways to Success Program, Faculty of Graduate Studies
Tom Brittnacher, Geographic Information Systems Librarian, Humanities and Social Sciences Division, UBC Library
Erin Fields, Librarian, Humanities and Social Sciences Division, UBC Library
Gillian Gerhard, Manager, Graduate Student Programs, Centre for Teaching Learning and Technology
Julie Mitchell, Managing Librarian, Chapman Learning Commons, UBC Libary
Max Read, Associate Director, Student Academic Services, Faculty of Graduate Studies
Joseph Topornycky, Teaching Assistant Training Program Coordinator, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology
Cindy Underhill, Strategist, Learning Resource Design, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology

One of UBC Library’s key strategic goals is to develop user-centered spaces and services to enhance student learning, including the establishment of a Research Commons. In an effort to continue moving forward with service development as physical space evolves, the Library hopes to continue collaborating with FoGS and CTLT to renew and improve its current suite of services — thesis formatting support, citation management, and the Interdisciplinary Research Exchange. In addition, we hope to expand services to include peer-led data, GIS, and statistical software support. Continued support of the Research Commons will further UBC’s Place and Promise plan, which outlines the need to both expand educational enrichment opportunities and build research spaces for collaboration and interdisciplinary work. It will also strengthen graduate student programs provided by FoGS and CTLT. Furthermore, it will build on the success of other student-centred and peer-led spaces on campus that aim to enhance the educational experience.

Susan Atkey, Project Manager / Reference Librarian, UBC Library
Trish Rosseel, Interim Head, Humanities and Social Sciences Division, UBC Library
Sheryl Adam, Librarian, Humanities and Social Sciences Division, UBC Library
Darrell Bailie, Librarian, Humanities and Social Sciences Division, UBC Library
Jacqui Brinkman, Manager, Graduate Pathways to Success Program, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Tom Brittnacher, Geographical Information Systems Librarian, Humanities and Social Sciences Division, UBC Library
Ellen George, Librarian, Humanities and Social Sciences Division, UBC Library
Ernest Mathijs, Professor, Theatre and Film, Faculty of Arts
Julie Mitchell, Managing Librarian, Chapman Learning Commons, UBC Library
Brenda Peterson, Librarian, Humanities and Social Sciences Division, UBC Library
Max Read, Associate Director, Student Academic Services, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Joseph Topornycky, Teaching Assistant Training Program Coordinator, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology
Cindy Underhill, Strategist, Learning Resource Design, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology

To further advance service development of the Research Commons, the Library seeks to continue collaborating with partners to renew and improve its current suite of services - thesis formatting support, citation management, statistical software support and our interdisciplinary research discussion series. In addition, we are keen to build on recent explorations of data management planning support, expand statistical software support to include a tool for qualitative data analysis, and initiate support for the research ethics application process and for an interdisciplinary cinema salon series. The RC continues to contribute to UBC's Place and Promise, in particular actions related to the development and implementation of initiatives that support student engagement and achievement, the expansion of informal learning spaces and on-campus work opportunities, and the support of student-led initiatives to create a campus culture of involvement.