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Innovation Hub
The Library Innovation Hub was created on the third floor of the Cal Poly Library to advance innovative project-based learning, including the 3D Digital Herbarium, GIS Data Archive, Photo Metadata Extractor Tool, and other Library Scholar Internship Projects over the years. Bringing many Library student assistants together in the same space, working on different projects, creates unique integrative opportunities to cultivate multidisciplinary collaboration, and share perspectives and expertise. Fostering meaningful connections and experiences plays an important role for our Library, and we recognize and value that the quality of engagement matters.
Cal Poly Humboldt Library is pleased to announce its 3D Digital Herbarium, a student-powered project that aims to increase access to plant science. This project uses immersive technologies to create interactive 3D models of local flora that help users visualize, identify, and learn about plants, their habitat and life cycles, and more. The images and data are condensed into an easy-to-digest package that’s free and open for anyone to use.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are computer systems that analyze and create visual displays of geographic data. Humboldt students and faculty have created amazing GIS projects related to our local area that are often challenging to store, maintain, and discover. The GIS Data Archive is a new project designed to preserve these projects, and their data, and make them discoverable. It will include GIS projects, maps, aerial photographs, and other relevant data and, with interactive visualization tools, will enable us to combine and repurpose data in unique and impactful ways.
Citing Insights was developed by students working at the Cal Poly Humboldt Library, thanks to funding from CSU Graduation Initiative 2025. The project began in the spring of 2019, with the Citing Insights Team of Cindy Batres, Elizabeth Lujan, Verja Miller, Kyle Smith, and Mitchell Walters, working with Cyril Oberlander, Library Dean, to develop open source software designed to streamline assessment of students' information literacy and other skills. It was released on Pi Day, March 14, 2020. You can find and download Citing Insights Beta at: github.com/hsu-library-project-x/citing-insights-beta
Cal Poly Humboldt Library’s annual assessment looks at how learners are using library spaces. Sample mapping is used to calculate use ratios that help us determine if spaces are well-utilized and pinpoint spaces that are not. The annual assessment ensures we have enough variety and spaces for everyone. Any space that has 10% or less use is changed to fit high use patterns; any spaces with high-use or close to peak use will be expanded. In 2018, the Library hired computer science students from Humboldt to develop a website to collect and report the seating use data. The opportunity to foster applied learning and this type of project-based learning is crucial to supporting student success, plus it is wonderful to watch the students writing code and learning so much about the library. Read more below in Finding Your Space at the Library & SpaceUse from our Fall 2018 Newsletter.