The Learning Commons and 3D Printing — The Library’s “Third‑Generation” Transformation

A twenty-first-century university library has long ceased to be merely “a place that stores books”. From “book repository” to “information retrieval centre” to the present-day “learning and creation space”, the library has undergone several generational functional shifts. The Learning Commons (LC) of the HKUST Lee Shau Kee Library is a textbook example of this “third‑generation library” concept. This article focuses on its space, services and transformation, complementing Library, University Archives & Special Collections^※ and Library & EdTech^※ — those two pieces concentrate on archival special collections and IT services respectively, while this one looks at the learning spaces.

# 1. The space: roughly 600 seats and five functional zones

According to HKUST Library sources, the Learning Commons provides about 600 seats laid out in five functional zones: Group Study, Open Study, Refreshment, Teaching, and the Creative Media Zone^※. It contains 18 spacious rooms equipped with large screens (televisions or interactive projectors), along with study pods that have seats, good ventilation, power sockets and USB ports^※.

The design of the five functional zones embodies the core philosophy of the “third‑generation library” — it no longer treats “quiet, solitude and book storage” as the only priorities, but simultaneously accommodates diverse learning modes: small‑group collaboration, open‑plan self‑study, casual interaction, teaching and creative work. The shift from “silence please” to “collaboration encouraged” is a fundamental change in the library’s role.

Additionally, the Information Commons, on the ground floor, offers, per library material^※, a variety of computers, equipment, group‑study rooms and services, and has a learning space with an 85‑inch digital whiteboard suitable for presentations or small‑class teaching^※.

The Learning Commons proper is on the lower‑ground floor (LG1). Library material notes it contains 18 group‑study rooms, two e‑learning classrooms (A and B), tutorial spaces and a refreshment zone^※. Room booking is online — students can reserve study rooms through the library’s online booking system (lbbooking.ust.hk); for teaching purposes they can contact the Learning Commons team to arrange venues separately^※.

One detail that is easily overlooked but says something about the library’s considerate side is the presence of nap pods and a “Tech Item Kiosk”, from which users can borrow various electronic devices under library lending policies^※. In a way the nap pods are a compromise with, and a response to, the culture of overnight exam revision — rather than pretend students will never stay through the night, the library simply provides a corner for power‑napping.

The Creative Media Zone is the corner of the Learning Commons that most resembles a “production house”. According to the library, the zone is run by the Media Technology and Publishing Center and houses a media‑production studio (with control room and changing room), four AV editing suites and a graphics workshop^※. In other words, it is not merely a place for “looking up references and writing essays”: if a student needs to produce a presentation video, record a podcast or edit a graduation project, they can do all of it inside the library — which, like the 3D‑printing service discussed below, shows the library’s function extending from “consuming information” to “producing content”.

# 2. 24‑hour opening: exam‑season sanctuary

For university students, opening hours are often a non‑negotiable necessity. According to the HKUST Library, the Learning Commons is open 24 hours during the autumn and spring semesters^※.

That 24‑hour access, especially during mid‑terms and finals, turns the library into a sanctuary where HKUST students pull all‑nighters for exams and rush through projects. Behind the arrangement is respect for students’ real learning rhythms — an acknowledgment that university study does not always run nine to five, but often involves “deep nights criss‑crossed by inspiration and stress”.

# 3. 3D printing: from “borrowing books” to “making things”

The service that best captures the library’s “third‑generation” shift is its creative‑production service. The HKUST Library reports that the Learning Commons provides 3D‑printing; librarians help users set up their models^※.

The very fact that “you can 3D‑print in the library” carries symbolic weight: it signals that the library’s role has moved beyond “acquiring knowledge” (borrowing books, searching databases) into “creating artefacts” (printing models, making prototypes). For a university known for its technology and entrepreneurship credentials, embedding maker‑style facilities such as 3D printing inside the library chimes neatly with HKUST’s overarching “hands‑on practice, industry‑academia fusion” character — inside this library, students can not only read about drones but also print a prototype drone part.

The operational details of the service are both accessible and refreshingly “priced‑up‑front”. Per library material, 3D‑printing is charged as a “HK$20 base fee + HK$1 per gram of material” — so a 12‑gram model costs the base HK$20 plus HK$12 for material, making HK$32 in total^※; the library explains that the base fee helps cover machine maintenance and staff costs. The printer model is a Tiertime Up Box, using biodegradable PLA polymer filament; printing is single‑colour and users must choose from the library’s current stock of colours^※.

In terms of workflow, users must first prepare a solid, manifold‑/watertight model file in STL format, then book a printing time‑slot^※; library rules stipulate a maximum of one slot (6 hours) per person per day and a maximum of two slots per week^※ — that “two‑times‑a‑week” limit is essentially a rationing mechanism that balances limited kit against huge student demand, ensuring the service is not hogged by a handful of heavy users. After printing, users must collect and pay for the item at the service desk, using cash or Octopus; any piece uncollected after 14 days is recycled^※. The library says the service is open to all HKUST students, faculty and staff^※, not confined to engineering or design departments.

The combination of “transparent pricing + weekly cap + overdue recycling” is, in some ways, closer to a public utility than to a free‑for‑all amenity. It assumes students will use the service repeatedly and will sometimes be late picking up their prints, so clear billing and deadlines replace the woolly management that goes with “first‑come‑first‑served, keep‑going‑until‑it‑runs‑out”.

# 4. The transformation: 2011–12 expansion and renovation

The Learning Commons did not appear out of nowhere; it is the product of a deliberate spatial transformation. According to the Wikipedia entry on the HKUST Library^※, in 2011–12 the library was extended by roughly 1,800 m² and an existing area of roughly 1,800 m² was converted into the Learning Commons^※.

This “add 1,800 m² + refit 1,800 m²” project essentially redefined a substantial part of the library from “bookshelves and reading space” to “collaboration and creation”. HKUST also conducted a Learning Commons Assessment 2013^※ to measure the impact of the change with data — that “renovate‑then‑evaluate” approach reflects a pragmatic attitude towards spatial investment.

# 5. Summary: the library as the hub of a learning ecosystem

Seen within the wider HKUST narrative, the Learning Commons stands for:

1. Spatial transformation — roughly 600 seats across five functional zones have reshaped the library from a “book repository” into a “collaboration‑and‑creation space”;
2. Service extension — 24‑hour opening, 3D printing and similar services push the library from “acquiring knowledge” into “creating artefacts”;
3. Pragmatic evolution — the 2011–12 expansion‑and‑refit, followed by usage assessment, exemplifies a practical “renovate → evaluate → improve” pathway.

Together with the University Archives and Special Collections — see Library, University Archives & Special Collections^※ — the Learning Commons gives the HKUST Library a dual aspect, one “facing the past” (archives and special collections) and one “facing the future” (learning and creation): the first preserves memory, the second incubates creativity.

Note: the seat count (roughly 600), the functional zones, opening hours and expansion floor‑area cited in this article are drawn from the source pages listed and are time‑sensitive. Library spaces and services are updated on an ongoing basis; please consult the latest official HKUST Library announcements before citing.