The Commons

The Commons is a space for interprofessional development, discussion, and innovation. A broad community of librarians, instructional designers, teaching experts, and technology leaders can connect here in support of educational goals.

We invite you to think about The Commons as a space to activate your creative and innovative ideas.

A view of the HSL Commons, showing the view from the podium.

U of M faculty, staff, and students can use the Commons to:

explore new technologies,
practice active learning and other educational teaching techniques,
create course content,
engage in interdisciplinary conversation and collaboration,
attend workshops to support teaching and learning across the health sciences disciplines, and
build partnerships and work together in an interprofessional space.

Request the Commons

Space and technology

Active learning classroom

Seats: 24 total. 4 active learning pods with 6 seats at each.
Set-up includes an instructor podium, computer and Crestron panel that lets instructor change display screens to one of four pods

1:Button Studio

Seats: 1-2
High-quality video production at the touch of a button

Conference room

Seats: 16
Room can be a Zoom room and has access to a kitchenette for catering

Upcoming workshops in the Commons

Workshops are free of charge on a first come, first-served basis. Registration requested.

No events are scheduled.

More HSL events

Recent news in the Commons

A computer monitor and keyboard are seen in the foreground, in the background there are 2 active learning stations next to an orange colored wall.

Activate active learning in the Health Sciences Library Commons

When the design process started for the new Health Sciences Education Center (HSEC), staff in the Health Sciences Library (HSL) knew they wanted to have a space that could function as an interprofessional ‘sandbox’ for exploring new ways of teaching and learning between faculty, librarians, instructional designers, and academic technologists.

Public health students from Hanoi Medical University in Vietnam

Librarian ‘Dream Team’ collaborates to create Free Access Public Health website

Elizabeth Wattenberg, Ph.D., is training students at Hanoi Medical University in Vietnam who seek to integrate public health practices into their work. Wattenberg joined with the Libraries to create the “Free Access Public Health” website, providing one-stop access to vetted resources that can support public health students and practitioners wherever they call home.