Re: floor plans

[Jim Adams <adams001@coyote.csusm.edu>]

Hi Linda,

We just spent the summer redesigning our WC space at CSU, San Marcos. We
went from a few desks (one-person desks) randomly stuck in corners, to a
consultation center, a resource center and a reception area. The
Consultation Center is made up of several partitioned 'consultation units.'
A five-foot-long folding table with two chairs has partitions on three
sides. This forces the consultant to sit side-by-side with the writer and
thereby physically manifest a sense of camaraderie. If the consultant sits
away from the writer's writing hand, it makes it hard for the consulatant
to pick up a pen and take control away from the writer. 

As for the Resource Center, we moved our computers in there, along with a
bookshelf full of writing-related books. We have a smaller table with milk
crate files containing handouts. The computers are used for writing and for
accessing WWW resources for writers, which we worked into our homepage. The
reception area has a reception desk, behind which are several foldong
tables and chairs where students can look at books or talk with each other.
It seems like a good way to utilize a small amount of space, but the proof
is yet to come. Please let me know if you would like more details.

Jim Adams

 At 03:38 PM 9/4/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Currently, our "Writing Center" is a computer classroom with a couple of
>tutoring tables.  We're putting together a proposal for additional space,
>with areas or rooms for tutoring, and offices for a secretary, center
>director, and technical editor.  Does anyone have floor plans--or
>advice--to help me visualize the "ideal space" or spaces for a writing
>center.  Thanks.
>
>Linda S. Bergmann
>Associate Professor of English and Director of Writing Across the Curriculum
>University of Missouri-Rolla
>Rolla, MO  65409
>
>(573) 341-4685
>
>bergmann@umr.edu
>
>
>