Do you C-Pod?

19Jan09

C-pod is short for Collaboration Pod, and may be one of the coolest things I’ve seen in a while.  The University of Hartford came up with this idea and incorporated it into their Information Commons, where it’s been a huge success.  They started with two C-pods, now have four, and are hoping to get four more very soon.

So what in the world is it?

A C-pod consists of a 42 inch monitor, three keyboards, and three mice, and one CPU which allows students to work on group projects all together.  They built custom desks to fit the monitor along space for three keyboards and three chairs, and installed sound-absorbing partitions.  Nicholas Wharton, of University of Hartford’s Mortensen Library said that within a day of the C-Pods being installed, students were using them regularly.  The library did no promotion, the students just came and knew what to do with it.

Personally, as soon as I saw one of these things, I got very jealous.  Considering all of the group work that we have to do in library school, wouldn’t this be the handiest thing in the world?  They are a little bit expensive– between $1000 and $2000 depending on how elaborate the size of the monitor etc., but I think, a very good investment.  There’s a picture here (just click on c-pods).

Filed under: By: The Librarienne, News, libraries, tools of the trade   |  4 Comments
Tags: C-pod, Collaboration Pod, Mortensen Library, Nicholas Wharton, University of Hartford