Silent and Independent: Student Use of Academic Library Study Space
In the fall of 2012, Concordia University Libraries started planning for renovations which would result in the increase of study spaces in one of its two libraries and the reduction at the other. In order to maximize the functionality of the reduced study space footprint, a survey and focus groups w...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The Partnership
2015-06-01
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| Series: | Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journal.lib.uoguelph.ca/index.php/perj/article/view/3338 |
| _version_ | 1818889823053676544 |
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| author | Katharine Hall Dubravka Kapa |
| author_facet | Katharine Hall Dubravka Kapa |
| author_sort | Katharine Hall |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the fall of 2012, Concordia University Libraries started planning for renovations which would result in the increase of study spaces in one of its two libraries and the reduction at the other. In order to maximize the functionality of the reduced study space footprint, a survey and focus groups were used to better understand the specific space needs of the library’s campus community. The study revealed differences in the use of the library among the respondents from different programs of study. Respondents enrolled in science programs visit the library more often but seek assistance less than the respondents in social sciences programs. The survey comments and focus groups pointed to students’ dissatisfaction with the quality of study spaces the library offers, either for individual or group study. Library users wanted larger table space, comfortable furniture, and more desktop computers. The overall ambience of study spaces proved to be rather important and a large point of dissatisfaction. The findings from the study have provided valuable information on how to prioritize targeted improvements and which aspects of the library’s space and services to highlight when promoting library services to different departments. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T17:15:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2a7de563a18f4919a45b85613f45ccfb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1911-9593 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T17:15:08Z |
| publishDate | 2015-06-01 |
| publisher | The Partnership |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-2a7de563a18f4919a45b85613f45ccfb2022-12-21T20:12:55ZengThe PartnershipPartnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research1911-95932015-06-0110110.21083/partnership.v10i1.33381789Silent and Independent: Student Use of Academic Library Study SpaceKatharine Hall0Dubravka Kapa1Concordia UniversityConcordia UniversityIn the fall of 2012, Concordia University Libraries started planning for renovations which would result in the increase of study spaces in one of its two libraries and the reduction at the other. In order to maximize the functionality of the reduced study space footprint, a survey and focus groups were used to better understand the specific space needs of the library’s campus community. The study revealed differences in the use of the library among the respondents from different programs of study. Respondents enrolled in science programs visit the library more often but seek assistance less than the respondents in social sciences programs. The survey comments and focus groups pointed to students’ dissatisfaction with the quality of study spaces the library offers, either for individual or group study. Library users wanted larger table space, comfortable furniture, and more desktop computers. The overall ambience of study spaces proved to be rather important and a large point of dissatisfaction. The findings from the study have provided valuable information on how to prioritize targeted improvements and which aspects of the library’s space and services to highlight when promoting library services to different departments.https://journal.lib.uoguelph.ca/index.php/perj/article/view/3338academic librariesstudy spaceslibrary useundergraduate studentsscience studentssmall campus library |
| spellingShingle | Katharine Hall Dubravka Kapa Silent and Independent: Student Use of Academic Library Study Space Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research academic libraries study spaces library use undergraduate students science students small campus library |
| title | Silent and Independent: Student Use of Academic Library Study Space |
| title_full | Silent and Independent: Student Use of Academic Library Study Space |
| title_fullStr | Silent and Independent: Student Use of Academic Library Study Space |
| title_full_unstemmed | Silent and Independent: Student Use of Academic Library Study Space |
| title_short | Silent and Independent: Student Use of Academic Library Study Space |
| title_sort | silent and independent student use of academic library study space |
| topic | academic libraries study spaces library use undergraduate students science students small campus library |
| url | https://journal.lib.uoguelph.ca/index.php/perj/article/view/3338 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT katharinehall silentandindependentstudentuseofacademiclibrarystudyspace AT dubravkakapa silentandindependentstudentuseofacademiclibrarystudyspace |