The HSG library fosters a culture of active innovation; be it internally in our team, or on our Wall of Ideas, where our clients too get a say. Keeping an open ear to feedback and suggestions brings us new services, helpful process optimisations, as well as valuable input about our establishment and our services every year.
Even though we were facing great changes last year with the nationwide library system overhaul, a global pandemic, and various renovations, we have also improved our services in many other areas. In the following we would like to present you with a selection of the more than 30 projects we realised in 2020. We warmly invite you to continue to share your feedback and suggestions with us in 2021. Use the Open Innovation with the HSG library Wall of ideas.
Media return box
Killing two birds with one stone; our new media return box in front of the library building was on the one hand a great solution to facilitate round the clock media returns during the summer months, where we had reduced opening ours and were operating from the provisional library building. On the other hand it is a perfect addition to our contactless services, ideal in times of global pandemics. In fact we have taken quite a liking to our media return box, so it will hopefully stay with us for a while.
Virtual reading room
Having to close suddenly in Spring meant that all of the study spaces were gone at once. A burst of creativity was triggered when we received some rather interesting suggestions from the Institute for Business Ethics and we launched our virtual reading room within a week. After we were able to reopen the study spaces in June we put our digital version on hiatus.
However, at the beginning of the new year we suddenly had to go back to square one. Hence the virtual reading room it’s getting a refresh at 19th of April 2021 to entice a new group of participants. At a first glance the service seems a little mundane, but if you haven’t tried it you haven’t experienced the fantastic community effect. Stay tuned!
Building optimisations
Many contributions on our Wall of Ideas feature the library building and its infrastructure, this was no different in 2020. On certain issues our hands are unfortunately bound, but we did take note! Now this is all taken into consideration during the ongoing renovation of the library building. The climate in the library will be improved by a new glass roof tn he cuppola, new windows as well as a replacement of the ventilation system on the first floor. We are also moving the doors to the reading room and the toilets, to reduce noise interference from conversations and running water. Finally, by integrating the library and the new Learning Centre there will be even more space and more ways to study.
Library tour video
Starting the term last autumn was definitively a different experience to previous years. Our well established library tours were not in accordance with health and safety guidelines and thus we had to look for alternatives. To our freshers we showed a different side of ourselves; as film producers,with epic music, a dash of humour, and a few technical gadgets. Important information wrapped in an entertaining parcel.
Suspension of day lockers
We are well capable of changing our mind for the better. Why should our clients be able to use our lockers for just one day if there is no shortage? That was our thought in 2020 and we acted accordingly by speedily transforming all our day lockers into week lockers. Voila!
