At a time when primary and secondary schools are planning and expending tens of millions of dollars on new facilities and technology – first graders doing digital portfolios in schools where young learners use tablets, and ēno and interactive white boards rule in a wireless environment – why are many academic libraries hesitant to be ready as these young learners prepare to enter college? In the 2 ½ years since it opened, the NHTI Instructional Lab - based on Biophilic Design, collaborative learning and tablet technology - remains in the forefront of innovative Instructional Lab design with an impressive track record of unparalleled instructional success: it has become the place to be on campus. Now, with several years of experience to interpret, this presentation examines why the Instructional Lab is so successful and what it means to student success, information literacy, secondary school partnerships, careers and technology preparedness even as the Instructional Lab helps make the student transition to college seamless. The future is now: to sit on the sidelines and not to embrace the new technology – not to prepare for the arrival of young learners - is a recipe for failure. Here’s how disaster can be avoided and success achieved.
