Abstract
This paper presents an empirical research on the strategic development of a large-scale transdisciplinary area, named Intelligent Infrastructure for Human-Centered Communities or IIHCC, in the institutional context of Virginia Tech. In such an innovative space, this study investigated the change dynamics, system thinking, and adaptive design strategies associated with the IIHCC evolution and libraries’ innovation. It employed a mixed-methods approach combining semi-structured interviews, ethnographic participant observation, and document analysis. The results present an emerging horizon of intelligent infrastructure and ubiquitous mobility and the evolving knowledge space and shifting data sphere in this cyber-physical-human integrated environment. Within such developments, this study discusses the developing scenarios of “smart” libraries as innovative testbeds for data exploration, community knowledge base, and intelligent information interface. It further projects an intelligent, learning, and adaptive library system, featuring exemplary data science platform and dynamic data management mechanism, smart design and innovation space, as well as collective intelligence and creative partnership. During this extraordinary time of horizon change, this timely work informs academic library transformation and its architectural innovation in the age of “smartness.”
Highlights
In today’s complex transdisciplinary problem space, challenges “span the full range of a comprehensive university from the arts, humanities, and physical sciences to engineering, business, design, and the social sciences” (Sands, 2017)
This study presents a schematic view of how the Intelligent Infrastructure for Human-Centered Communities (IIHCC) evolution shapes new library infrastructure and how a smart library system can mobilize the IIHCC advancement
As characterized by the Social and Decision Analytics Laboratory (SDAL) Director, “we look at data and think ‘collect, liberate, and repurpose’” and “we continually question how we can use data in ways that benefit communities” (Virginia Tech News, 2017a)
Summary
In today’s complex transdisciplinary problem space, challenges “span the full range of a comprehensive university from the arts, humanities, and physical sciences to engineering, business, design, and the social sciences” (Sands, 2017). This is an infrastructure that collects data and processes and transforms the acquired data into timely, accurate, and relevant information (Shen, 2019) so as to drive autonomic responses and adapt to changing conditions (Prasad and Ruggieri, 2014; Weiss, 2009; Royal Academy of Engineering, 2012; Ogie, Perez and Dignum, 2017; Buckman, Mayfield and Beck, 2014) With such capabilities, intelligent infrastructure offers the promise of a transformed future where cyber-physical-and-human systems are interconnected and interdependent, and where lives are enriched with new knowledge and insights generated through data mobilization and information integration. An IIHCC library system needs innovative approaches and deep insights for “smart” integration With this in mind, the current study asks and addresses this timely question of how academic libraries’ physical and digital architectures should be transformed to support IIHCC and to realize the full transformative potential of data, information, and knowledge in this complex adaptive system. Such discussion falls within the bounds of following relevant industry standards, policies, and solutions established for maintaining integrated security in intelligent systems
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
