Does 'self-access' still have life in it? Absolutely it does! However, I still maintain that it has to be done right. This will, to some degree, vary from institution to institution, but there are some fundamental things to get right when running an institutional self-access learning centre (SALC). It is sad to read about SALCs that are more like homework rooms, but there are plenty of SALCs that focus very carefully on the pedagogic side. Where I work, for example, the SALC is a thriving hub

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... is a thriving hub of activity, and that is no accident. This was largely down to the planning of the team led by Lucy Cooker over eleven years ago when it was established. The success is also due to the continued investment on the part of the institution. The university continues to support and invest in the SALC, and it remains a crucial part of the students' university life. The presence of the SALC is one of reasons why prospective students choose to come to our institution, and the reason why so many lecturers choose to apply for teaching and advising positions here. Cooker has written about some of her principles for self-access (2010):  Self-access learning should be truly self-access (i.e. optional and not required as part of a class)  Students should have an integral role in the running of the centre  Language learning should be fun  The learning environment is important I will add a few others, many of which were already mentioned by Reinders in his article. This list has been compiled from various sources e.g.