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.

NIH Data Management & Sharing Policy Workshop (Online)
January 5, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Online workshop

More HSL events

Recent news in the Commons

Activate active learning in the Health Sciences Library Commons

The Commons is a gathering place located in the Health Sciences Library for interprofessional development, discussion, and innovation. It connects a broad community of librarians, instructional designers, teaching experts, and technology leaders in support of educational goals.

Heidelberg students examine rare books in the Wangensteen Historical Library.

Libraries key role in international dentistry exchange

Hospitality to visitors from afar may include a gift bag of treats. For German students of dentistry from Heidelberg University, those treats included an introduction to the jaw-dropping high-tech in the Health Sciences Library and the history-rich learning environments in the Wangensteen Historical Library of Biology and Medicine.

3D-printed gene segment models aid in active learning

Michelle Henry-Stanley, PhD, had been looking for a better way to teach the complex topic of genetic recombination using a tactile, hands-on educational tool. She and her co-instructor Donna Spannaus-Martin, PhD, connected with our Makerspace to produce low-cost sets of 3D immunoglobulin gene segments to support new ways of teaching and learning and meet their active learning goals.