Instructional - Guide to the Library for Southwest Students: Library Overview

The Access Services Desk is centrally located on level 1 and functions as the service point where library users connect with the library staff and check out books. An adjacent consultation area allows for longer research questions and conversations. The proximity of the computer stations allow users to have nearby assistance, as this service desk is staffed all the hours the library is open.

The Learning Commons is a dynamic junction where many academic activities meet and overlap to form a collaborative atmosphere. The Center for Writing and the Arts (CWA) is housed in the center of this level (see below for full details about the CWA’s offerings.) The Learning Commons overlooks the beautiful Trinity Crossing, making the outdoor patio seating and nearby Southwest Book Store easily accessible to the library users. Computers, a book scanner, a photocopier/scanner, and student lockers are conveniently located on level 1. The library’s new books and course reserves collections are centrally shelved in the Learning Commons for quick access. The Wellness Room provides a place of private respite; it also serves as a campus Mother’s Room. Two conference rooms, A108 and A109, are equipped with “Zoom Room” technology and seat 10 and 8, respectively. These conference rooms are ideal locations to host hybrid meetings as well as in-person conversations and study groups. Room A110 adjoins the CWA and can be used as a small conference room when it is not in use for student writing consultations. All of these conference rooms are fitted with a tablet outside the room to facilitate reserving the spaces.  

At the top of the sweeping, central staircase is the One Button Studio. This unique space is equipped with everything needed to create a video or podcast and is designed for ease of use. Just north of the studio is the Quiet Reading area featuring a variety of seating options, the library reference collection, views of Trinity Crossing, and 4 private, reservable study carrel rooms. A collection of frequently-used books called the High Interest collection is shelved in the wooden slat walls by a cozy reading nook. The library reference collection (commentaries, encyclopedias, etc.) flows from the Quiet Reading area into the adjacent Charles and Alzada Black Reading Room where natural light and illuminated tables create the ideal atmosphere for studying.

Following the hallway from the Black Reading Room to the southern end of the building takes library users by more student lockers, a Special Collections room, a Digitization Room, gender neutral restrooms, a water fountain, the level 2 copier/scanner bay, the main Recording Studio, and the IT Office Suite. 

The southern part of the building features the window-lined Upper Commons. Nicknamed “the treehouse,” the Upper Commons is an inspiring space used as both a common library study space and a reservable large meeting room. Nestled up among the legacy live oak trees that frame the entrance to the entire complex, the room boasts a stunning view of downtown Austin, the University of Texas, and the Southwest campus itself. 

Level B1 features a beautiful community space called the Lower Commons. This light-filled room has its own entrance from Rathervue Place and can host book signings, art exhibits, or small events - all of which can spill onto a new deck right outside under one of Southwest’s beloved live oak trees. The Lower Commons is situated next to a large kitchen that all Southwest students are welcome to use, featuring self-serve coffee machines, a community refrigerator, a compost bin, and more. This is the best place to eat in the library and all library users are encouraged to use this space for meals and snack breaks.

B1 is also home to most of the library’s print books, including the Booher Collection in the North Room and the serials collection in the West Room. These rooms feature compact shelving units that hold a high volume of material. Level B1 also has a centrally located printer/copier, two restrooms, furniture storage for events, and a shipping and receiving room.