The 334 reality is almost upon us. On many fronts, HKUST has geared up to meet this monumental challenge. An important aspect of this preparation is an expanded role of the library and its corresponding expansion in size and sophistication.

The library has come a long way in its functional evolution. It is no longer just a place for borrowing books or for reading them. Our new Learning Commons is a radical departure from the traditional concept of what constitutes a library. Remember the days, not that long ago, when two kinds of human activity are strictly forbidden in the solemn silence of the library: eating and talking. Now, at HKUST, you can eat and drink at the heart of the library, and kick up your heels, albeit in a designated Refreshment Zone. And you can talk your hearts out in tutorials, group study or consultations, all within its confines. What’s more, digital media workshops and demos can take place in its Media Production Studio with facilities for AV production and studio photography. A growing number of professors are making use of the tutorial spaces for their meetings with students.

The HKUST Learning Commons is a state-of-the-art facility covering 1,800 square meters and offering an additional seating capacity for 600. It accommodates a plethora of services and activities, from Idea Corner, to holding public talks in multi-purpose rooms to AV editing, audio dubbing to video encoding. And of course, there is always the Open Study Zone.

Our Library has more than kept pace with the digital revolution. It has stepped up to the plate to meet the challenge of Hong Kong’s biggest reform in higher education.