Redefine the Academic Library, Redefine the Future: Implementing a Danish, User-Centered Trend at the Humboldt State University: This Director’s Brief explores how to increase overall library engagement and bring the people of Humboldt County together by implementing an innovative, user-centered trend—namely, a performative gathering space—from the Dokk1 Library in Aarhus, Denmark to the Humboldt State University Library in Arcata, California.

Ever since Eleanor Magali Hill can remember, she’s always loved school. And even before she was able to attend herself, she would longingly gaze out the front living room window of her pastel blue Victorian home to watch her older siblings board an old, muted-yellow school bus, awaiting her turn. Now, after over two decades, Eleanor is thrilled to be nearing the end of her MLIS studies at San José State University, as she intends to live her childhood dream of a never-ending scholarly experience by becoming an academic librarian. Through her empathy-driven approach to academic librarianship, Eleanor wishes to support students both academically and emotionally. Eleanor is hopeful that her unconventional philosophy of academic librarianship will translate well with students and encourage them to become more engaged members of their university library’s community.