Valuing Staff as Stakeholders in Recreating Library Space

Valuing Staff as Stakeholders in Recreating Library Space

Jan Tidwell & Tara Spies, Reference [email protected], [email protected]

Link to slideshow: http://www.slideshare.net/alkeklibrary/valuing-staff-as-stakeholders-in-recreating-library-space-presentation

Albert B Alkek Library, Texas State University – San Marcos

Background

7 floors

Over 300 k square ft.

Printed volumes – 902,978

Print Serial Subscriptions – 5,804

7 floors

Over 300 k square ft.

Printed volumes – 1,513,583

67% increase

Print Serial Subscriptions – 4,268

<29.39> decrease

Alkek Library 1990 Alkek Library 2008

Background

Special Collections Accessions – 310

Special Collections Storage –2,976 sq. ft.

University Archives - NA

Special Collections Accessions – 3,761

1,113 % increase

Special Collections Storage – 10,516 sq. ft.

253.36% increase

University Archives – 4800 (linear ft. received in last two years)


Background

Public Seating – 2,985

University Enrollment – 20,778

Library Door Count – 543,546

Public Seating – 3,193

7% increase

University Enrollment – 29,125

40.17% increase

Library Door Count – 753,757

38.67% increase

Alkek Library - 1990 Alkek Library - 2008

Background

E-Books – 0

Electronic Serials – 0

E-Books – 369,342

Electronic Serials – 57,287 (unique titles)


Background

Number of employees - 69

Number of employees – 96

39.13 % increase


Academic Library Trends

Electronic Resources

Course Management Systems

Information/Technology Literacy

Social Networking – Web 2.0

Library as Place

Library as Intellectual Heart of Campus

Must Keep

Coffee Shop?

Barnes & Noble Arrangement?

Combine Service Points?

What Can We Do?

Create New Spaces

Information Commons Concept?

Remote Storage Facility

What Can We Do?

Money

Grant from Albert B. Alkek Foundation

Texas State University Capitol Campaign

Enter:Library Space Assessment

Team

Charge

To assess and recommend changes to how library space is designed with attention to student learning and learning spaces, the integration of technology, changes in teaching and learning, and how library users search for and use information in relation to learning spaces.

Library Staff Survey

Spaces to assess:staff meeting

roomsstaff officesstorage areasservice pointstechnology areasstudent study

spacescollection spaces

Issues to assess:amountlocationcomfortfunctionalitytechnologyaccesslighting

The Survey Says: Office/Storage Space

The office space in my department is used effectively.

50.8% disagree “The work areas in Acquisitions have different workflows

than 18 years ago. . . I think that a major review and redesign would benefit the department.”

“Space use and space waste in technical services is disgraceful. There are areas that are empty or have few people and in others we are piled in with little space to work or put material.”

“We do not have the space available for student work projects, volunteers, or interns. . . a lot of the space we do have for staff ends up being used as storage for supplies, equipment, and collections.

Acquisitions

Office Space/Storage


My department is dispersed to more than one area/floor of the library 48.3% agree

Is this an obstacle and how?

“My department is spread out throughout the library on various floors. It is hard to have meetings with students, faculty or other staff in my office area because of lack of privacy and/or the cramped area.”

“New incoming librarians have been thankful to not be placed in the offices in the Reference office due to the noise.”

“We need more office space!”


Storage space is adequate in my work area:

51.7% disagree

“We are so low on storage space that offices are becoming over-packed with items that just need to be stored rather than items that pertain to that person's job function.”

“I think we do the best we can, but having to accommodate archives arriving for processing alongside moving tables and chairs in and out for events, posters needing to be laid out to dry, carts in use or in need of storage, overflowing publication, supply, and book storage shelves--simply a lack of ENOUGH space--just seems to be too much for what all we have going on. . .”

Reference/Interlibrary Loan Office


Reference Librarians with offices on 3rd floor


Information Literacy Electronic Classroom

Storage

Photocopiers and recycle bins have more space than staff:


The Survey Says: Service PointsThe location for the following services

points facilitates effective service:

Interlibrary Loan (in Reference Office) 47.1% -no

Circulation Desk 92.3% Yes

Circulation Desk

Service Points

Interlibrary Loan

Service Points

Reference Office and Interlibrary Loan on 2nd Floor

Service Points

Interlibrary Loan

Service Points

Service Points: Other Questions The amount of space for the

following service points is: Equipment at the following service

points is (please consider ergonomics, appearance, and functionality in your responses):

Furniture at the following services points is (please consider comfort, appearance and functionality in your responses):

Comments about Service Points

“The reason some of these service points are so large (eg. Circulation and Periodicals) is because they also serve as office spaces for staff. This is not good for two reasons. Staff should have office space that is not out in the public 8 hours per day, so that they can concentrate on other projects/tasks.”

“Periodicals area appears crowded but, not much is going on up there these days.”

“Computer lab counter is really long. Is it because it is acting as a barrier to the office behind it?”

Comments about Service Points “When entering the 4th floor from the elevator, GovDocs is

visually blocked by SLAC & tables from the students trying to locate documents. Signage might be appropriate here.”

“Chairs at the reference desk and in the reference area are shared by many people and get very dirty in the course of the semester. We should have some system for regular cleaning of chairs.”

Comments about Service Points “The reference desk is very unergonomic. Anyway that you

sit at it you are not sitting correctly. A new desk and chairs would be nice.”

“Service points (Gov Docs and periodicals) with lots of partitions sometimes make it hard for staff and patrons to locate those staffing the area. These areas do not appear "approachable" from a public service standpoint.”

“Computer/printer help desk needs to be farther away from reference desk. It encourages conversation between reference desk staff and student workers at computer/printer help desk by being next to the reference desk.”

Reserves Desk and Periodicals Desk

Service Points with public office space

Government Documents, 4th floor

Service Points with public office space

“Gov Docs looks cluttered and tight. Reserve is a bit better, but also has too much stuff in too little space.”

Government Documents

“Gov Docs looks cluttered and tight. Reserve is a bit better, but also has too much stuff in too little space.”

Reserves

“The reference desk is very un-ergonomic. Anyway that you sit at it you are not sitting correctly. A new desk and chairs would be nice.”

Reference Desk

Reference Desk

“Computer/printer help desk needs to be farther away from reference desk. It encourages conversation between reference desk staff and student workers at computer/printer help desk by being next to the reference desk.”

Printer Help Desk

The Survey Says: Computer/Technology Spaces The amount of space for the

following public use computer/technology spaces is:

2nd floor Workstations 62.3% not enough

4th floor Computer Lab 52.8% not enough

2nd Floor reference area computers: Self-monitored Chaos

Computer/Technology Areas

2nd Floor reference area computers: Students waiting in line for a station


2nd Floor reference area computers: Waiting patiently


The Survey Says: Study Spaces The amount of space for study is:

Individual study rooms 45.8% appropriate

Group study rooms 47.9% not enough

Individual study carrels 40.4% too much

Comments about Study Spaces “Need more individual and group study rooms. Also a few

more soft couch/chair areas (closer to the windows and with table lamps for reading. Open study tables should be arranged more creatively. Get rid of most of the individuals study carrels.”

“I never see the space of the individual carrels being utilized to their potential either by lack of student need or by their purpose. I believe that some of the space taken up by individual carrels might be reconfigured or put into use another way.”

Comments About Study Space “We need smaller tables, not the huge, heavy tables

we now have - we need more group study rooms, but perhaps a variety of sizes, like several 4-8 person, several 8-12, a couple of 20+ maybe.”

“Don't need so many study carrels. Use this space for comfortable furniture like couches and chairs and low coffee-table like tables with plenty of internet/outlet access.”

“we are wasting precious window space for individual study rooms, when it would be better to have open study area or soft couch/chair areas close to windows.”

Individual Study Rooms

“Lighting, especially at night, is bad in individual study areas. It looks fine during the day but, take a walk through the building at night and you will see a difference in lighting issues.”

Individual Study Rooms

“Get rid of most of the individuals study carrels.”

Study Carrels

Students Using Photocopy Rooms for Group Study

Study Spaces

Study areas on 3rd Floor in Microforms/Periodicals

Study Spaces

“Could have smaller open study tables possible round? Need bigger more comfortable couches. Take out maybe all study carrels. Outdated.”

Study Space

“Soft couch areas should be close to natural lighting near the windows.”

Study Spaces

“uncomfortable seating, even the so called soft couch/chair areas - they are hard and too small.”

Study Spaces

Index Tables behind reference desk on 2nd floor

“Use this space for comfortable furniture like couches and chairs and low coffee-table like tables with plenty of internet/outlet access.”

Study Spaces

“needs to be more inviting and multi-use rooms and areas”

Study Spaces

“wireless access is everywhere, but need lots and lots of plugs for people's laptops to charge”

“Updated, more colorful furniture, carpet, walls. Fewer squares, more circles visually throughout. More collaborative space. Better use of natural lighting”

General Comments

General Comments

Please identify at least 3 interior design elements important to the re-design of library spaces.

“Clean, uncluttered, logical space use at service points and use areas. 2. Lots of wiring and/or internet connectivity. 3. Staff areas are in visual and service harmony within the public service points.”

“more "social spaces" to improve and increase student use”

“more plants throughout the library”

“Lots of wiring and/or internet connectivity.”

General Comments

General Comments

Please identify at least 3 interior design elements important to the re-design of library spaces.

“Complementary use of color and materials--all working together in a beautiful way. 2] Non-institutional colors and materials. Create a sense being welcomed by and at-home in the space. 3] Art, art, and more art.”

“more green, pot plants in the breezeway, comfortable seating in the breezeway, even small lawn furniture seating in the breezeway and other accessible areas.”

“more "social spaces" to improve and increase student use”

General Comments

General Comments

“. . .students want an inviting and comfortable place to work and hang out. we need to give them a few recreational or stress relief activities, like a gaming room with computer games, tables with board games, a small inviting coffee shop or sandwich shop where they can take a break from study.”

Where do we go from here?

Action Items List:Prioritized short, medium & long term actionsSome items complete – study carrels removed,

print management system for 2nd floor stationsMany items in progress – move index tables from

2nd floor area, create living-room style browsing area

Some items will have to wait for money – furniture, more workstations, carpet

Design students will work on project to create better signage

Thank you very much!

Comments? Questions?

Education

Valuing Staff as Stakeholders in Recreating Library Space