Student Use of Library Physical Spaces: Unobtrusive Observation of Study Spaces in an Academic Library

Sanjica Faletar TanackovićDarko LacovićGordana Gašo

Introduction

• Academic libraries supply patrons with collections, services and spaces – for study, research, contemplation, relaxation

• Hybrid and flexible learning spaces– Academic/learning commons

FHSSO Library

FHSSO

Study• Research questions– How are the library spaces, collections and services

being perceived and used? – What factors facilitate/impede library use? – How could the existing library spaces be

rennovated and the new library spaces designed in order to serve the patrons better?

• Method– Triangulation: survey and ethnography

Study• Observation study– Conducted by 10 graduate LIS students in four

library areas– Data was collected in Week 9 in Autumn semester,

Monday through Friday– Observation time periods purposively selected to

obtain a glimpse of ongoing activities across a range of normal library business hours (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.)• Total 108 observation hours

• Observation study– Data was collected in print sheets – Students recorded their observation of patrons’

activities and behaviors and interaction patterns

Study

• Observation study– Students observers pretended to work while

observing and taking notes• tried to interpret what they observed based on their experience

– Students observers photographed the studied library area

Study

• Ethical consideration– Prior to the study ethics approval was granted by

FHSSO• Notification was posted on the library website

– Library staff were notified of the study well in advance• Head of the library was actively involved from the beginning

– Special considerations of ethical issues in visual research (taking photographs) • Consent, confidentiality, anonymity…

Study

Quiet study room

Quiet study room

Major findings• General observations– Quiet study room was constantly heavily used

• Peak periods from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and middle of the week

– All patrons were students– Unaffiliated patrons never sit next to each other

• Inadequate table sizes for comfortable work of two persons

– Quiet policy was more or less observed although area is not monitored by librarians• Some noise produced by group work was tolerated

– Background noise contributes to the working atmosphere!

– Area was brightly lit but the air conditioning was poor• drowsiness

Major findings

• Study behavior– Predominant study activity: reading, taking notes

• Personal material, library books, library computers– Location of reference collection and circulating material

– Most patrons worked individually• But also smaller groups (2 to 4 persons)

– Majority of patrons stayed in the library over 60 minutes• Saving places for friends and returning

Major findings

Major findings

Major findings

• Computer use– Computers used heavily across all days of week

and time periods• Insufficient number of computers• Computers are old and slow • Inadequate table sizes

– Patrons use it both for academic purposes (e.g. MS Office) and relaxation (Facebook, Twiter etc.)

– Low use of laptops• Only three power outlets, no WIFI

Major findings

Major findings

• Social and leisure behavior– Resting– Chatting– Listening to music– Making phone calls– Eating and drinking

Conclusion

• ethnographic methodology can uniquely contribute to the library space redesign by providing valuable insights into the students’ library behavior and uses

• benefits of employing student-observers– minimal intrusion and signifcant contribution to

interpretation of the observation data because members of the culture under study & users of library space

Conclusion

• FFHSO library did not have to rely on assumptions, but solid evidence, to negotiate the improvements to the library space and services to better support student work behaviors– The number of computers was doubled– A number of larger tables were purchased– Initiated talks about the introduction of WIFI

Thank you!

• sfaletar@ffos.hr

• dlacovic@ffos.hr

• ggaso@ffos.hr