| In May 2000, a survey of current academic library building activities in Australia was undertaken. The libraries were asked to identify current or planned building projects, the drivers of the projects (i.e., why they were being undertaken), assumptions about the future of academic libraries underlying the planning, and what were seen as the key innovations in the new facility. The broad purpose of the survey was to identify any significant new trends that were emerging in the physical planning of academic libraries. Thirty-eight libraries were surveyed, and seventeen indicated that they were currently involved in significant building activity. Two New Zealand academic libraries also responded. The survey also canvassed comments from respondents on the challenges they faced in negotiating support for new facilities. Future models for academic libraries were examined, including "Information Commons," the integrated facility, the learning center, and the decentralized model. The paper also provides background on an investigation of trends in the planning and design of academic library facilities that took place at La Trobe University (Victoria, Australia) in preparation for a number of library building projects that would alleviate severe space problems at three of the campus libraries. |