INHERITING A NEW BUILD

AND BUILDING A NEW FRAMEWORK

IT’S BUILT, WHAT CAN YOU ADD?

REALITY• It’s never finished

• Planning from at least 10 years ago

• Much to learn from a few years of usage

• Years of concentration on physical framework, time to refresh the strategic framework

• Ask two different questions

1.HOW DO WE NOW

DEFINE, IDENTIFY, AND CREATE NEW POLICIES AND SERVICES WITHIN

THE NEW SPACES?

THIRD PLACEA sociological construct (and our new strategic framework)

Attitudinal shift

Cultural adjustment

Not revolutionary, but

Pervasive

SOME DEFINITIONS• Informal public life

• Pub, coffeehouse, café, barbershop, church …..

• In community building, the third place (or third space) is the social surroundings separate from the two usual social environments of home and the workplace. [wikipedia]

• Remedy for stress, loneliness, and alienation [Oldenburg, The Great Good Place, 1999]

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

CHARACTERISTICS • Neutral ground

• Level playing field

• Interaction, conversation

• Accessible – long hours

• Unpretentious, playful

• Diverse population

• Loose structure

Independent Adult Student

1.Home 1. Dormitory

2. Work 2. Department/classes

3. Football club 3. Library

HOW DOES THIS TRANSLATE?

• 24/7 PILOT

• 2:00 CLOSING PILOT

• RELAXED FOOD AND DRINK RULES

• MACMILLAN COFFEE

• CAROLING DURING EXAMS

• FREE PHOTOBOOTH DURING EXAMS

• RELAXED RULES FOR STUDENT ASSOCIATION USE OF LIBRARY SPACES

WHAT ELSE COULD WE DO?• Circulating laptops or tablets• Free or break even printing

• Seat reservations• Food & drink rules tossed out completely• Cell phone usage not controlled

• Group study areas prioritized

• Long hours beyond exam period• Free interlibrary loan

• Game nights

• ????? – let’s ask them.

WHY DOES HAVING A FRAMEWORK MATTER?

• Academics love to hear about a sociological construct

• The principal now understands what we are trying to do

• Consistency of message

• Great elevator speech

• Very appealing to students

• Presents the library as a vibrant, ever-changing, still growing service

2.HOW DO WE NOW

REDEFINE, IDENTIFY, AND CREATE NEW

SPACES WITHIN THE NEW BUILDING?

STUDENT LOUNGE

FEWER QUIET/SILENT STUDY ROOMS

MORE GROUP STUDY ROOMS

MOVE PRINT SHOP OUT

MOVE MICROFICHE OUT

ADD MORE COMPUTERS – AND/OR CIRCULATING LAPTOPS OR TABLETS

BETTER CONTROL OF FLOOR ACCESS

WORKING FRONT DOORS

COLOR, PLEASE

ART, PLEASE

MAKERSPACE

MORE EXHIBIT SPACE

SEATS (A STUDENT INITIATIVE)

DEDICATED STUDENT PROGRAMMING SPACE

MORE SEATING

MICROWAVE/HOT WATER TAP

BEFORE MAKING THESE CHOICES/DECISIONS

• User Experience Design - study what students do, rather than what they say

• Build a program of student interaction

• Analyze the data we collect

• Stay open to new ideas

• Never declare it finished

WE REMAIN VITAL TO OUR

COMMUNITIES THROUGH

INNOVATION AND ADAPTATION.

DIANE BRUXVOORTdbruxvoort@gmail.com

01224 273384