Library Facilities

Planning, Purpose, and PositionLibrary FacilitiesUse of SpaceWhat/how much do we know of how our space is used?What do we want/need to know about use of space?What metrics/measures do we rely on for studying our space?Do the ways in which patrons use the library vary by location within the facility (e.g., are the people using traditional library resources and the people using the library for other reasons using the same areas of the library or different areas)?

Studying the Use of SpaceUnobtrusive observationSweeping studiesGIS mappingSurveysGIS Mapping

Conceptualizations of LibraryView OnePatron transaction is centralLibrary focus on information goods & controlRole is gatekeeper Success measured in investments and inputsView TwoPatron is customerLibrary focus service and connectionRole is assistant and guideSuccess measured in activities and outputsConceptualizations of LibraryView ThreePatron is guest, focus on experienceLibrary goals is collaboration Role is partner Success measured by impacts or outcomes- what happens as a result of interaction with library?

the user experience grounded in the library as place suggests the need to examine the value-added proposition of the role of the library in the life of the intellectual community that is the basis for the modern residential campus - Charles ForrestSpatial DefinitionsGroup learning spaces- spaces where students take control and responsibility for their own learning. Spaces not designed for delivery of library services or teaching.Information commons- designed for the delivery of services and instruction, but with the intent to foster active participation and independent learning.Space Planning QuestionsWhat is it about the Learning that will Happen in this Space that Compels us to Build a Bricks and Mortar Learning Space, rather than Rely on a Virtual One?How Might this Space be Designed to Encourage Students to Spend More Time Studying and Studying More Productively? For What Position on the Spectrum from Isolated Study to Collaborative Study Should this Learning Space be Designed?Space Planning QuestionsHow Will Claims to Authority Over Knowledge be Managed by the Design of this Space? What will this Space Affirm About the Nature of Knowledge (i.e. transfer or construction of knowledge)?Should this Space be Designed to Encourage Student/Teacher Exchanges Outside of the Classroom?How Might this Space Enrich Educational Experiences?Importance of Collaborative Space

Enriching Education

Characteristics of Preferred Study SpacesConvenience: availability of materials and resources, necessary space to work, parkingComfort: physical comfort, food & drink, being able to listen to music, ability to take breaksQuiet: freedom from distraction, silence, stillnessRedesigning Academic Libraries TodayPlan/arrange the stacks to make more room for the technology roles, such as multimedia production once reserved for media services areaCollections could be found in:Browsable stacksCompact shelvingAutomated retrieval system in inaccessible stacks (use the OPAC to browse )Remote storageRedesigning Academic Libraries TodayWant electrical power everywhere: walls, seats, etc.Computer labsNetwork jacks throughout; wireless access where wire is not feasibleLet students use technology from any seat in the libraryLibrary instruction areasFaculty technology training areasSecondary QuestionsOperations and processes- layout and arrangement of workspaceHuman factors engineeringWay-findingDesign ApproachesCreating SpaceInformation CommonsNew type of physical facility specifically designed to organize workspace and service delivery around the integrated digital environmentCoordinated and extended set of study and workspaces offering an array of options from traditional individual study to collaborative conference areasNew importance of a general information and referral desk, which functions as first point of contact and general help center

Information/Learning CommonsSees technology changes as a service and pedagogical issueOffers students and faculty facilities and instructional support for mastering new technologiesRelies on a new degree of collaboration between libraries (instruction/information literacy) and IT (user support) and Media (production)May also student tutoring and/or faculty development- Yields a collaborative learning environment in a learning organization

Information/Learning Commons

Information/Learning CommonsOften involve some restructuring:Cross-training- evidence suggests librarians need more substantive training in technology, while IT requires training in serviceReporting structure- changes reported in about 30% of cases, with only 4 institutions reporting a merging of library and IT.Substantial to high level of collaboration necessary for success

Information/Learning CommonsA flexible work space that responds to rapidly-changing needs of a highly demanding user community An array of technological options for the identification, retrieval, processing (productivity), and presentation of information in a variety of formatsAccording to Bennett, a service innovation that builds on traditional library roles of service, access, and instructionMarketing DesignSeeks to understand and respond to patron needs and preferences- regards information users as consumersDesign plans often start with staff needsInstead, learn more about what students want, how they learn, how faculty teach, etc.

Marketing Design

Marketing DesignIn generalOnly 1/3 of students use the library with any frequency andMost frequent use of the library is for quiet study or use of computers- are not intrinsic to the libraryStudents preference is for early morning and late night hours, comfortable seating, and food.Marketing Design

Marketing DesignWith above knowledge, must decide who to respond to in designing space:The 1/3 that already use the library?Or should/can we plan design that moves us closer to the other 2/3?Is this either/or?Mission-based ApproachMay insist on students as learners above all else (i.e. rather than information consumers)Design should be primarily concerned not with services but with learningFocus not on professional intentions of staff or preferences/behaviors of patrons but rather on institutional mission of bringing together students, faculty, and staff together.Mission-based ApproachDocument learning behaviors in order to decide if they support missionDevelop spaces to support these learning behaviorsDealing with Loss of SpaceLibrary represents prime real estateLoss of space may result inForced weedingMore focused collection developmentConverting to electronic subscriptionsOff-site storage (policy/service considerations)

Dealing with Loss of SpaceNegative outcomesPositive OutcomesResistance to change/ impact on moraleLoss of functional area (i.e. group rooms, shelves, office space)

Repurposed space may= more traffic/centrality of libraryRenovations may result in new equipment, updated facilities, more professional look.Chance to revisit mission and outcomes

Green LibrariesImmediate changes:Electronic subscriptions/ collectionsDigital record keepingEnergy efficient electronicsReusing and recyclingRenovations might includeSolar/ geothermal heating and coolingWater conservation devicesEco-friendly engineering

ReferencesGeographic Information Systems: Tools for Displaying In-Library Use Data.By: Mandel, Lauren H.. Information Technology & Libraries, Mar2010, Vol. 29 Issue 1, p47-52, 6p, 1 Diagram, 2 Maps; (AN 48049879) Academic Libraries as Learning Spaces: Library Effectiveness and the User ExperienceForrest, CharlesGeorgia Library Quarterly, vol. 46, no. 3, pp. 7-10, Summer 2009Bennett, S. First Questions for Designing Higher Education Learning Spaces. The Journal of Academic Librarianship v. 33 no. 1 (January 2007) p. 14-26ReferencesBennett, S. Designing for Uncertainty: Three Approaches. The Journal of Academic Librarianship v. 33 no. 2 (March 2007) p. 165-79