Crit Stuart leaves library post for D.C.

Crit Stuart, Associate Director of Public Services, will leave Tech May 1 to aceept the position of Program Director for Research, Learning and Teaching for the Association of Research Libraries(ARL). After hitchhiking to begin his career at Tech 32 years ago, Stuart will head to Washington D.C. to head up the ARL's efforts to improve library utilization at its member institutions.

"Rather late in my career... a job has come looking for me," Stuart said. The ARL, whose members include the libraries at universities such as Harvard and Tech, recruited Stuart to fill their new position because of his involvement with the improvements at Tech's library.

Most recently in Stuart's tenure at the library, he has overseen the development and renovation of both the East and West Commons on the library's first floor.

"Library attendance increased 65 percent with the West Commons renovation, and remained at that level for 4 years...when the East Commons opened... attendance shot up another 25 percent and has remained there," Stuart said.

In 2001, the library began a process to simplify its layout to make finding information easier.

"We brought together all of our previous service points so that the customer, our students, could find out all they needed to know in one place.... For decades [the library] never engaged the student who studied here. If you had, you would have been seen as an interloper," Stuart said.

One of the most visible changes was the renovation to the West Commons. In cooperation with the Office of Information Technology (OIT), the library installed computer terminals, the multimedia lab and posted support staff. According to Stuart, the library had never worked with outside organizations like OIT before.

"With the success of the West Commons, [the library] began to look for other working partners. One of my goals has become [trying] to make as many relationships on campus as possible," Stuart said.

In late 2004, student leaders expressed their admiration of the West Commons and asked how they could help with future improvements.

"We established the Student Advisory Council so that the students would be an integral part in the decision making. They would do more than just pick carpet designs, they would be involved at every step of the process," Stuart said. By March 2005, the decision had been made to renovate the East Commons. Focus group discussions revolved around redesigning the East Commons with an emphasis on student life.

"The idea became that the [East Commons] was to become a place for 'refreshment' for the mind and body. It would provide the stimulation and mental relaxation people need, encompassing some of the real life style of the students," Stuart said.

Large screen computers and moveable furniture were introduced to promote group interaction. The entire space was designed to be modular to adapt to student needs.

"We go around to the groups we see and ask 'How can we make this better? What would work better?' [We] always treat these changes as experiments, and you should never feel you have everything completely correct," Stuart said.

One of the important aspects for Stuart was the ability for the library to act as the center for showcasing the best and brightest ideas from around the campus. The library asked the College of Architecture for student art to hang, and plans on increasing their DVD collection and created various presentation spaces in the East Commons.

"We are more than a house of books....We've become one of the most exciting libraries. We've been giving dozens of tours to library [staffs] from all over the country and around the world. They are intrigued with the questions we are asking and the answers we are getting...the heart of our success is [all] about creating community."

"Our goal was to make the most spectacular establishment in the country and [this process] has been complimented because we have listened to the customer. We've shifted from [thinking] 'me' first to 'you' first. Once we stay on [this] track, we are going to succeed beautifully," Stuart said.