Assessment of Student Usage of Library Services2009-2011Cory Mills

History of StudyApplied Anthropology Course

Spring 2009Cortinas and Prendergast

Internship Fall 2009Mills Internship Spring 2010 to

Present

Mills InternshipCollected and Organized as much

preexisting data as possibleRe-evaluated earlier statistics

◦Survey Sp2009◦Grand Tour 2 Sp2009

Designed Interview ProtocolConduct Interviews

Interview Specificsn = 5Intercept students using library

servicesOne from each floor and each

wingInterviews length: 8 – 20 minutesRecorded, Translated, Analyzed

and Filed

BREAKDOWN

A quick look at the findings of Spring 2011 interview

Why do you use the Library, why not? ◦Very heavy emphasis on Group

Study on the second floor, East wing (TA2009)

◦Evidence of greater independent study than initially assumed (S2009)

◦Greater reliance on computer resources for research than hardcopy reference materials (GT2009)

Why do you use the Library?Spring 2009 Study

Computer Use

Research

Group Study

Independent Study

Time Between Classes

Course Taught in the Library

Other

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

22.3

14.3

16

20.6

12.6

9

5

Mean

Freshman

Sophomore

Juniors

Seniors

Post-GraduatePercentage of Response

Interview 2011Top Reasons for Using Library

◦Independent study (100%)◦Conduct research (40%)◦Group Study◦Killing time Between Classes

“[I] mostly study or do homework, aside from that I may take a nap when I am waiting for my classes.”

Interview 2011Where do you prefer to work?

◦Most avoid noisy areas, but not all◦Preference for Lib West 2nd Floor

“[I prefer to work on the first floor] because sometimes I find other

classmates… and we can do teamwork. That’s when I want to study

in groups”

Interview 2011Where do you prefer to avoid?

◦Some avoid noise, notably Lib East 1st and 2nd Floor

◦Some don’t mind

“[I tend to avoid] wherever it’s really crowded. I don’t have a specific wing.”

Do you use the books available in the library? Why or why not? ◦English Major from 2nd Grand Tour

(2009)

Do you know where the books for your major are located? Why or why not?◦Data suggests that most students do

not

Do you know where the books for your major are located?

Yes No0

20

40

60

80

100

120

4753

Post-Graduate

Seniors

Juniors

Sophomores

Freshman

Mean

Interview 2011Most used books, and knew where major

specific books were located (80%)Most have been required to use books,

however heavy emphasis on online journals

“Yeah, yeah, I’ve had to come here and check them out [for class]… but my microbio teacher told me that they had to do budget cuts so they don’t have the microbio book here”

What do you know about the library’s available services, and which ones do you use? ◦Students have a tendency not to

utilize available resources (S2009)◦List of services

How did you learn about these services?

What reference materials do you most commonly use?

Help/Refrence Desk

Books

Articles/Journals

Computer Internet

Other

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

12

13

19

54

2

MeanFreshmanSophomoreJuniorSeniorPost-Graduate

Interview 2011Workshops, mainly APA/MLA Writing

WorkshopsOnline DatabasesBooksHelp Desks and Reference LibrariansTutoring sessions (?)Computer labInterlibrary LoanMagazines

“The infamous Inter-Library Loan”

Interview 2011

Teachers talk about library services

Library representative visited class

See signs for workshops

Interview 2011How about the staff that is there

to help you, do you ask for help from them?◦Very little response◦Mostly for computer help

“I asked one time, where was a building I was looking for, and they gave me a

map and everything”

Do you consider the Library as a place to meet friends and socialize?◦16% students claimed to use the

library for group study (S2009)◦Group activity on all three floors

(TA2009)◦ “A good place to meet friends and

eat lunch” (2GT2009)

Interview 2011Split Jury!

“Yes, I am always meeting people here” (40%)

“Not so much, need to keep it quite” (40%)

“for schoolwork, but not socializing” (20%)

Do you often work alone or in groups? ◦Mixed impressions of the second

floor, East wing (GT2009 & 2GT2009)◦Library West is often considered a

quiet zone◦Computer lab and lobby are not

Interview 2011Independent study was the

dominant reason for using the library

Some hostility toward group usage

Interview 2011If they existed, would you make use of

designated “quiet” and “noisy” areas?

Yes (100%)Some compared to previous schools

◦Florida Tech and UF

“Sometimes it is incredibly loud with people just chatting, and I can tell

it’s usually just social, they just hang out”

What services do you require for group study? Does the library offer those services? ◦Almost all students identified the

Group Study rooms and tables (GT2009)

How could the library better serve your group study needs?

Interview 2011More CPUs and Large Monitors in

group roomsMore group roomsLarger computer labEnforce group room “law”Make appointments for group

roomsWhiteboards for student to useWalking assistant

Why do you use the computer lab? Do you ever use the computer lab for group activities? Can you tell us more about this?◦We know the computer lab is the

most popularly used part of the Library (S2009, GT2009, 2GT2009)

Interview 2011Not much!Printing (40%)Do not use (40%)Online classes and checking email

(20%)

Never for group work

“[The computer lab] is for individual use”

What would improve your usage of the library and the services it offers?

Possible ImprovementsWalking librariansExtended hours (but not as big a deal

now)Open wirelessEnforced quiet zonesMore large monitors in group roomsManagement of group rooms

◦Kick out individuals◦Make groups use them◦Few more rooms

Other notes of InterestMajority of students use library

for independent study and academic research

Group use is secondaryComplaints of noise are

“occasional”Quiet floors work in other

schools, but our library’s layout may make it more difficult

Potential Future ProjectsAssess workshop successCamus wide survey

◦All studies have been held inside of Library as of this point

Design Service Awareness Projects