Students, faculty, staff and members of the community joined Oxnard College President Richard Duran and members of the board of trustees for the groundbreaking of the new Learning Resource Center on Dec. 3.

Bond Measure S makes the continued improvement of the campus’s face possible. Ventura County citizens voted to approve the measure in March of 2002 to renovate and construct educational sites across the community college campuses.

The Learning Resource Center, a two-story, 38,000 square foot facility will include updated reference and media collections, an electronic classroom, distance learning, study rooms, and a 400-station computer lab, making the building a resource haven for students.

With information coming from all over the world so quickly, Duran is pleased that the plans for the Learning Resource Center contain so many tools for students.

“The knowledge base has expanded exponentially and it’s important that we house resources for that knowledge base,” said Duran. “That’s what it’s all about: to facilitate learning.”

Along with being a state-of-the-art database center, according to Will Deits, director of facilities maintenance and operations, the Learning Resource Center will be as green and environmentally friendly as possible.

“We plan on implementing everything we can afford to be a green building,” said Deits. “A lot of features are environmentally conscious.”

The Learning Resource Center will include sophisticated lighting controls, high levels of insulation, and skylights to provide natural light.

According to Duran, Oxnard College has excellent technical programs, but the resources have been lacking. With the addition of the Learning Resource Center, the campus will come full circle.

“We have a comprehensive college,” said Duran. “With this the campus will be complete. We have the facilities to help our programs.”

And artist rendition of the new Learning Resource Center. (Courtesy of Laurie Nusser)