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Randwyck Library and the river of knowledge

Nice to meet you: Monique Notermans en Meike Kerkhofs-Welkenhuizen

A university library provides literature and audiovisual materials to the public. That’s true—if you look at it from the outside. But once you look beyond the cover, you’ll see that a modern university library is a living organisation that supports students and staff. It’s a place where you study, unwind, meet others, and conduct research. The library is evolving. That evolution led to a complete renovation of the University Library in Randwyck. Monique Notermans and Meike Kerkhofs-Welkenhuizen witnessed the vision behind a modern library come to life.

The University Library (UB) supports students and researchers in achieving their academic goals. It does this by providing a modern study and research environment, which is also available online 24/7. Monique and Meike have both been working at the UB for several years, and together with their colleagues, they contribute to a stream of ongoing changes. Meike is the project leader for ‘Innovative Learning Spaces’ and was responsible for translating the vision into the design of the new Randwyck library, one of the UB’s main locations alongside the Inner City Library. Meike: “I graduated as a historian and then worked for a while as a teacher. After starting at Maastricht University, I immediately began working on the renovation project for the new library in Randwyck”.

The library as a your second home

How do you define a library nowadays? According to Claudia van Oppen, director of the UB, the library supports a university’s core activities: education and research. Meike elaborates, “Besides traditional lecture, there’s an enormous collection of information available online. So why do people still come to the library in person? For our students, it’s about feeling at home — a sense of belonging where you can find what you need during the hours you spend here”.

Problem-Based Learning requires students to invest time in group work, which naturally needs to be facilitated on campus. “The library is perfect for that. Of course, we also stick to tradition, and thus the library remains a place where calm and silence are expected from everyone. That’s why we’ve set up focus rooms”.

Bookworms unite

Students’ expectations of a university are always changing. The Randwyck campus has grown into an inclusive environment where all facilities — right down to the coffee shop around the corner — play an important role. The library is no different. “We welcome national and international students from a variety of courses who get to know each other here. That can really contribute to their personal development”.

Library hub

The library’s offerings are flexible and shaped by the needs of its visitors. One of the major innovations within the University Library is the Digital Labs — and Monique knows all about them.

Monique explains: “I work for Team Information, the first point of contact within the library for all questions. Or, as our visitors know us, the people in blue vests. Since last year, I’ve also been the operational manager of our Digital Labs”. The University Library’s digital offerings include various multimedia spaces and services. “Think of DIY podcast studios, DIY video studios, or multimedia kits you can borrow, like VR headsets, 3D printers, and Raspberry Pis. All the equipment supports the needs of teaching. We provide the tools to bring ideas to life”.

These ideas also come from lecturers. A great example is the installation of the Vesalius 3D computer, which allows you to study human anatomy. A special space was created for it: the Vesalius Room. “We received feedback from Andreas Herrler, associate professor, saying he wanted his students to be able to use this computer in their free time. And so it happened”.

Monique Notermans en Meike Kerkhofs-Welkenhuizen

River of knowledge

In addition, the University Library offers a wide range of support for researchers and lecturers. This varies from workshops on Open Educational Resources and research data management to individual guidance and advice on literature reviews and using digital tools in teaching and research.

Meike: “We support researchers with managing data and publications. Our strategic plan includes developing living labs where researchers can carry out their work. By bringing these three major groups within a university together in one place, we want to create a river of knowledge — that’s our mission for the future”.

Not only the UM community but also external partners such as azM/MUMC+, the University of Midwifery, Open University, and the Brightlands campuses can make use of the services offered by the University Library.

If you have any questions or need support yourself, feel free to get in touch with the University Library via Ask Your Librarian.

Text and image: Ruben Beeckman

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