Group work is a college rite of passage and Milner Library is here to help make it easier. Over the summer, Milner Library updated Collaboration Stations in order to improve user experience.
“Previously, Collaboration Stations had a lot of cables and buttons that looked intimidating and stations were not mobile device or tablet friendly,” Director of IT Services at Milner Library Paul Unsbee said. “Students often defaulted to sharing small screens because it was easier to just pass them around.”
To use Collaboration Stations, groups need to simply find the cable that fits and plug in their device. Their screen will automatically be shared on the large screen of the Collaboration Station, without the need for any special software or wait time. Improvements also allow Collaboration Stations to be compatible with any device that supports video output and fits cables provided, including laptops, tablets, and certain mobile devices. Additionally, users are able to easily switch which device is displayed on the screen by unplugging the current device and plugging in the new one to seamlessly change what is shared on screen.
Rounding out resources available at Collaboration Stations is electrical access in the middle of tables to charge devices and whiteboards surrounding stations on Floor 3 to provide easy access to note-taking as well as privacy. Screens were also updated providing improved visual quality.
Collaboration Stations are modeled after classroom technology discovered and implemented by Learning Spaces and AV Technologies. This allows for similar experiences for users anywhere across campus.
Six collaboration stations are available for use on Floor 3, with additional stations on Floors 5 and 6. Collaboration Stations operate on a first-come, first-serve basis with no need to reserve space to use. For more information, contact Erin Link at ellink@ilstu.edu.
