As space in libraries is usually finite and in high demand, how can librarians ensure the best allocation of space to meet users\u27 ever growing and changing needs? A team from the University of Tennessee\u27s School of Information Sciences and Libraries designed and implemented two academic library space assessment studies to find meaningful answers to these questions as well as learn the principles, methods, and tools of space design and space assessment, many of which they will share with session attendees

Carr, Sian

Carter, Alexa

Clement, Kristina

Dosch, Brianne

Fleming-May, Rachel

Johnson, Lauren

Kaufman, Jordan

Mays, Regina

English

ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University

If You Can’t Expand, How Can You Grow?Space Assessment Studies in the Academic Library  Kristina Clement, Brianne Dosch, Jordan Kaufman, Lauren Johnson, & Regina Mays - University of Tennessee KnoxvilleHELLO!Kristina Clement, MLIS Graduate Student, Experience-Assessment Cohort, School of Information Sciences, University of Tennessee Knoxville Brianne Dosch, MLIS Graduate Student, Experience-Assessment Cohort, School of Information Sciences, University of Tennessee Knoxville Jordan Kaufman, MLIS Graduate Student, Experience-Assessment Cohort, School of Information Sciences, University of Tennessee Knoxville Lauren Johnson, MLIS Graduate Student, Experience-Assessment Cohort, School of Information Sciences, University of Tennessee Knoxville Regina Mays, Coordinator Strategic Planning & Assessment, University of Tennessee Knoxville LibrariesBut first, let’s see who is here!How many of you have an assessment plan at your organization?Have you personally conducted an assessment study (of any kind) at your institution?Have you personally conducted or assisted with an assessment study related to library space at your institution?A Community of Practice: Assessment & User ExperienceRegina Mays, Coordinator for Strategic Planning and AssessmentUniversity of Tennessee Knoxville Libraries  ❏ Funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ (IMLS) Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian grant program❏ Focus: creating new information sciences professionals educated to perform assessment and UX research in both libraries and science-intensive information environment❏ Funded April 2016❏ 12 Students –began program in August 2016Experience Assessment Who’s Who Behind the ScenesGrant personnel:Dr. Carol Tenopir, UTK Chancellor’s Professor, SIS Faculty: Principal InvestigatorDr. Dania Bilal, SIS Professor: Co-Principal InvestigatorDr. Rachel Fleming-May, SIS Associate Professor: Co-Principal InvestigatorRegina Mays, UTK Libraries Coordinator Strategic Planning and Assessment: Senior StaffTeresa B. Walker, UTK Libraries Associate Dean for Learning, Research, and Engagement: Project MentorIncreasing need for information professionals with assessment and/or user experience expertiseCarol Tenopir’s extensive work in area of Assessment (Fleming-May, Mays, and Walker involved in Lib-Value)Relationships with/network of information professionals in Knoxville and Oak Ridge, TNNeed For & History of ProgramPROGRAM STRUCTURE1st Year - 1st Semester9 credit hoursCo-curricular workshops and trainings1st Year - 2nd Semester9 credit hoursCo-curricular assessment/UX project2nd Year - 1st & 2nd Semesters6 credit hours each Practicum placement both semesters (another 3 credit hours)Two years, 42 credit hours Graduation in May 2018Structured, guided curricular & co-curricular experiences❏ Theoretical and practical context❏ Relationship and community building❏ Professional development Fleming-May, R., Mays, R., Forrester, A., Walker, T., Tenopir, C., Bilal, D., & Allard, S. (2017). Experience Assessment: Designing an Innovative Curriculum for Assessment and UX Professionals. Paper presented at 12th International Conference on Performance Measurement in Libraries, Oxford, UK. July 31-Aug 2, 2017. ❏ Theoretical foundations AND hands-on training in assessment and user experience ❏ A significant edge in obtaining positions in assessment and user experience❏ A broader understanding of the organization than one might develop in a practicum devoted to a particular department or taskProgram GoalsExperiential LearningAcademic Libraries Research Team Space in LibrariesBrianne Dosch, MLIS Graduate Student, Experience-Assessment Cohort, School of Information Sciences, University of Tennessee KnoxvilleAre libraries just about books?Very few libraries follow the ‘traditional’ expectations of library spacesLibraries are less about books and more about:❏ Learning❏ Community❏ CollaborationImage via Cartoonstock“Book-centered”           Library Space Paradigm Shift“learning-centered”Steven Bennett’s Model of Library DesignVS“The design challenge is less with the interaction of readers and books and more with the connection between space and learning” (2009, p. 188). Images via CC0 Reference: Bennett, S. (2009). Libraries and Learning: A History of Paradigm Change. Portal: Libraries and the Academy, 9(2), 181–197.Why and how did this shift happen?❏ Not only the revolution in information technology❏ Librarians’ recognition and embrace of the revolution❏ And changing library space in responseImage via UT Archives Challenges with Library SpacesThere are many challenges, but what we encountered...1Creating new and needed spaces with finite space2All existing spaces  allocated and utilized in the best way possibleBig Question: What do you do with finite space in your library?Our AnswerSPACE ASSESSMENT In our experiences we found meaningful answers to our library’s space demands.So...We want to share our experiences with other librarians hoping to impact spaces in their own libraries. Space Assessment in LibrariesKristina Clement, MLIS Graduate Student, Experience-Assessment Cohort, School of Information Sciences, University of Tennessee KnoxvilleImages via CC0 DESIGNING THE STUDIES❏ Obtaining Institutional Review Board approval❏ Determining methodology and assessment tools ❏ Analyzing data to determine outcomesASSESSING SPACE:THE BASICS WHAT SPACE?What are priority spaces to evaluate?❏ High usage?❏ Not enough usage?❏ Waste of space?❏ Not enough space?WHAT METHOD?Which one? How many should I choose? ❏ Survey?❏ Observation?❏ Focus group?❏ Interviews?❏ Crowd-sourced?WHAT DATA?What type of information do you need to collect to tell your story? ❏ Qualitative? ❏ Quantitative?❏ Combination?So many spaces... So many methods... So much data...“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. PLANNING & ASSESSMENT CYCLECONSIDER THE CLIMATEWhat do your users need? What are you not doing that maybe you should be doing? PLAN TO PLANSet up relevancy; tailor goals to the parent organization; shared vision and mission. DEVELOP THE PLANDetermine outcomes and metrics - what do you want to know and how do you want to know it? PROVIDE / IMPLEMENTRoll out new services or resources or restructure existing services. ASSESSEvaluate services or resources using assessment tools.REVISEBased on assessment outcomes, what needs to change? WHY ASSESS?❏ To demonstrate relevancy to the university or parent organization.❏ To drive change.❏ To improve and meet the needs of the user.❏ And so many more! Two Spaces: Active Learning Space and Graduate Student Study RoomJordan Kaufman, MLIS Graduate Student, Experience-Assessment Cohort, School of Information Sciences, University of Tennessee KnoxvilleACTIVE LEARNING SPACEWHAT IS THE ACTIVE LEARNING SPACE?❏ Alternative to sitting for long periods of times❏ Psychological and physical benefits EQUIPMENT  ❏ Cycling & treadmill desks❏ Balance-ball chairsWHY THIS SPACE?❏ Newly implemented in 2016❏ Commons area BENEFITING STUDENTS❏ Emotional health❏ Physical healthGRADUATE STUDENT STUDY ROOMWHAT IS THE GSSR?❏ Enclosed study room❏ Quiet space for graduate students and faculty ROOM LAYOUT❏ Access ensured by card swipe ❏ Movable and fixed furniture WHY THIS SPACE?❏ Targeted Audience ❏ Assumption it was being underusedSTUDENTS’ NEEDS❏ Are their needs being met?❏ How can we improve? How We Did it: Designing the StudiesLauren Johnson, MLIS Graduate Student, Experience-Assessment Cohort, School of Information Sciences, University of Tennessee KnoxvillePROJECT TIMELINESPRING 2017 SUMMER 2017 FALL 2017❏ First Project Planning Meeting❏ Literature Reviews❏ IRB Drafting and Submittal❏ First Phase of ALS study and GSSR study❏ Ongoing ALS and GSSR Surveys❏ End of ALS and GSSR Surveys❏ Data Analysis of GSSR and ALS FindingsGSSR❏ Observations❏ Surveys❏ InterviewsMETHODSALS❏ Observations❏ Surveys ALS OBSERVATION ALS Results & Analysis138 surveysIn five months79 commentsWith 68.3%  positive reactions78 first-time usersAnd 60 regular users GSSR ANALYSIS & RESULTSWhy Graduate Students Want Dedicated Space in the LibraryLessons LearnedBEFORE THE STUDYOBSERVATIONS“What surprised me about the process was the amount of work involved. It wasn't until I actually worked on a project that I had any idea of the scope and time it takes to conduct a study--especially the amount of work that goes into the "front" end: planning the study, reading the literature, writing and submitting the IRB--before you actually get to conducting the study itself.”-- Lauren Johnson “And after the few set-backs, like being told no by my first interviewee, and losing the notes from my first observations, we did successfully conduct the studies. And now in the midst of analyzing data, and learning from my many research mistakes, I know I will at least know where to start when designing and conducting assessment studies in the future. And I'm not sure if I would have that confidence unless they threw us in the deep end, and trusted us to rely on their experience and expertise while learning the hard lessons of conducting successful assessments.” --Brianne DoschAFTER THE STUDYWhat would we do differently?Graduate Student Study Room Active Learning Space❏ More observations ❏ Focus groups instead of interviews❏ More data in general❏ More observations ❏ Data about demographics to understand usersWhat we learned about assessment❏ Assessment requires patience❏ Not to judge or assume - let the data speak louder than your assumptions❏ Be prepared to take steps backwards, without becoming discouragedAnd most importantly…...TeamworkTHANKS!Any questions?You can find the slide deck at: https://tinyurl.com/UTK-UXA You can find us at:Regina Mays: rmays@utk.eduBrianne Dosch: bdosch@vols.utk.edu Kristina Clement: kcleme10@vols.utk.eduJordan Kaufman: jkaufma9@utk.eduLauren Johnson: ljohn114@vols.utk.edu CREDITSSpecial thanks to all the people who made and released these awesome resources for free:⊡ Presentation template by SlidesCarnival⊡ Photographs by Unsplash, Pexels, Creative Commons, and the UTK Libraries Marketing Department 

If You Can\u27t Expand, How Can You Grow? Space Assessment Studies in the Academic Library

https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1050&amp;context=southeasternlac

If You Can\u27t Expand, How Can You Grow? Space Assessment Studies in the Academic Library

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