Santa Clara University

Whether you want to locate a book, research a project, peruse a government document, watch a video, or grab a cup of coffee, SCU’s new Harrington Learning Commons, Sobrato Technology Center, and Orradre Library may be just the place you’re seeking. The facility, which officially opened March 31, was built not merely to house library materials and computers, but also to create inviting gathering places for people to use informational, technological, and media resources for teaching, learning, and scholarship. The full range of cutting-edge technology coupled with knowledgeable staff will help visitors find, understand, evaluate, and manipulate information to meet their diverse needs well into the future. And it’s open to the public.

“This building has been designed to make it relatively easy for us to adapt it to new styles of learning, new ways of interacting, new kinds of information resources as we move into the future. It’s truly intended to be an ongoing project for its entire lifespan,” notes Ron Danielson, vice provost for information services and chief information officer.

From its architecture to its furnishings, its rare books to its state-of-the-art technology, the new facility blends the traditional with the futuristic, allowing a conventional, solitary scholarly experience while encouraging a more current, collaborative approach when appropriate.

Entering on the main floor, visitors encounter an inviting atrium, with a three-story ceiling and comfortable lounge seating designed for curling up with a new book from the nearby stacks, or chatting with friends. In sight is a consolidated help desk where guests can get directions, research guidance, technology support, or referrals to specialists for in-depth consultation.

Though the main level of the building may be a bit noisier than the libraries of the past, the building becomes increasingly quieter on its upper levels, with electronics banned and silence encouraged in the third-floor Saint Clare Room.

Hours vary with the school calendar. The Harrington Learning Commons, Sobrato Technology Center, and Orradre Library is generally open Mondays through Thursdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2 a.m., Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m.