Transcript Using Evidence for Space Planning

ANCHASL Fall 2011 Meeting
“Assessment Data for Making
Those Space Decisions”
Michael Crumpton
Assistant Dean for Administrative Services
University of North Carolina at
Greensboro
Role of Library Space
• Bringing together
readers and books
o Collection building
o Space for reflecting and
contemplation
o Third place use of space
• Information Consulting
o Access to information
o “Gateway “ for locating
information
o Retrieval and communications
o Social and technological
networks
o “archive” or preserve resources
• A Learning Environment
o Transformational character of
intentional learning
o Knowledge transformation
o Library as facilitator:
• Environment design –
comfort and aesthetics
• Nurturing relationships –
staff and/or peers
• Foster self-directed
learning
• Creations of “new”
knowledge
o Safe and non-threatening
What’s Happening
to Our Space?
• Electronic vs. print
o Accreditation needs
• Organization shifting
o Reporting structure, traffic
• User needs changing
o Remote use, group activities
• Politics
o Other space demands
• Technology
o New equipment
• Perceptions
o Purpose of library space
Purposeful Assessment
of Space
Space as a factor to organization’s mission
• Gathering
• Services provided
• Partner in learning
Things to consider
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Consideration of assessment’s purpose
Types of questions to be used
Data-gathering methodologies
Reporting strategies for results
Basic Elements
• Statement of purpose with context – addresses
unique concerns and significance
• Literature review – multiple issues being addressed
out there so a review of relevant activities is good
• Determining assessment objectives – through
development of research questions to be answered
• Establishing methodologies and procedures for
implementation of assessment activity
• Present facts based finding of date w/o bias
• Discussion or interpretation of findings
• Conclusions and next steps
Problem Statement
• Needs to represent the point of view of stakeholders
• Needs to identify the scope and focus of planning
an assessment activity
• Should contribute history and background
information as well as flags for concerns
• Should put in context what the limitations are or
could be
• Must be conveyed in an open transparent point of
view that isn’t seen as defensive
Space Design
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Planners
Architects
Interior designers
Stakeholders
Donors
Administration
• Programming – what
space will be used for
• Initial layouts – DD
• Detailed review of
infrastructure – CD
o Protocols
o Professional standards
o Codes, local and multiple
Space Options or Needs
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Group teaching/learning
Simulated/special learning environments
Immersive environments
Peer-to-peer and social learning
Learning cluster
Individual spaces
External spaces
Doing your research
Primary
(data gathered firsthand)
• Experimental
• Pilot projects
• Surveys
• Interviews
• Focus groups
• Direct observation
• Testing
Secondary
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(data gathered by
others)
Secondhand reports
Historical data
Purchased data
Professional
publications
Benchmarking
Best-practices reports
Assessment Methods Questionnaire
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Advantages
Most cost effective for
quantity of feedback
Anonymous
Can be compared
Can be statistically
analyzed
Less time consuming
Can be done
simultaneously and in
multiple locations
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Disadvantages
Literacy and/or
language issues
Clarification or
explanation issues (lack
of detail)
Responses limited to
context of question
Perfunctory answers
Can be consider
impersonal or cold
Assessment Methods –
Interviews (IND)
• Provides personal
communication
opportunities:
o More details
o More free association
• Problems or issues can
be explored in depth
• Allows for examples,
anecdotes, stories,
illustration of issues
• Least time-efficient and
usually most costly
• Interviewer should be
practiced and skilled
• Interviewee selection
must be broad to
represent all points of
view
• Should consider
sampling models
Assessment Methods –
Focus Groups
• Teaching tool
• Group interaction can
procreate broader
issues
• Non-verbal clues can
be useful
• More time-efficient for
interacting with more
people
• Achieve better overall
understanding
• Requires prep and
skilled facilitator
• Be aware of peer
pressure responses
• Recognize broader
stakeholder definition
to get all viewpoints
• Use data from other
methods to support
proposals
• Keep it realistic
Other Methods
• Sandboxing – test
concepts prior to large
scale commitment
• Design charettes –
stakeholders allowed to
actually create design
• Outside experts – seek
input from specialized
expertise
• Close-ended vs. openended questions
Observational Studies
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Checklist of observable behaviors
Various times of day and evening
Multiple observers involved
Eliminates emotional or subjective data
Delphi Study
• Technique premise is that experts have the best
idea of future pathways
• Validity of study is based on expertise of
participants
• Questions/responses are adjusted until participants
reach consensus or determined it can’t be
• Not a precise analytical technique
• Is helpful with problems or issues that aren’t data
driven
Delphi con’t
• Change statements
o Why or why not
o Impact and desire
• Agreeing on consensus
o Results ranked
• Causes of nonconsensus
o Economics and technology
can be changing factors
William J. Mitchell
(paraphrased)
• Spaces that work well
(long term) are built
around human needs,
comfort, natural light,
social ambience,
connection to outdoors
• Must remain sensitive to
how technology and
culture come together
Data Driven Methodology
• Removes politics
• Reduces emotional
investment
• Makes adversarial
moves more rational
• Takes problem out of
personal context and
allows for subjective
analysis
Factors to Consider
Design Factors
• What question are you
asking and why
• What goals and
objectives are already
determined
• Who is the audience
• What other information
is available or needed
• What is best method
Space Factors
• Types of stakeholders
• Infrastructure issues
• Location and
adjacencies
• Functionality
• Flexibility
• Non-public needs
• Efficiency of design
• Funding ability
Example at UNCG
Identifying Space Problem
• Library consists of 3 story main building built in
1950 and a 9 story book tower
• 131,705 sq ft of space at capacity
o Seating for 849 reduced by 50% last 5 years
o Collection runs full, incoming acquisitions outpacing withdrawals
• Student requests are for group study areas with
tools for collaborative work
• Quality of instruction effected by small
instructional space
Proposed Future
Renovations
Create a larger instruction lab
Expand collaboratories and group spaces
Expand information commons
Expand service areas to include newsroom, inhouse vending, expanded copy center
• Expand Archives space
• Reduce and relocate Government Documents
• Reduce size of Reference collection
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Purpose of Assessment Activity
• Gain hard data to present to consultant for
programming ideas related to renovations
• Gain data on how students use the building
• Gain data to present to University Administration
for funding requests
• Determine students’ satisfaction with the Libraries
• Consider changes to technology policies and
actions to library space
• Determine future needs
Changes in Functionality
•SuperLab – needed for convenience
•Wireless – highly used, but need space in
which to use
•Instruction – class and individual, grown
significantly but needs more space
•Food and Drink – keeps students in library
to work
•Increase in student population – natural
facility on campus to feel the
increase
•Increase in higher degree level research
needs
In-house Survey
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November 2007
Jackson and Music
Recruitment
Set up table in Library
Staffed with students
Giveaways
600 responses!
What they do
Top 5 Activities
328
275
227
178
143
Used a computer in Studied or worked on Used a quiet space to Just walked through Met a group to study
the library (other than a project by myself
study
or work on a project
the Superlab)
How often they come
Visits per week
269
213
89
25
Once per week
2-3 times per week
4 or more times per week
No answer
When they’re here
Reading Room Totals
Reading Room Totals
32
29
23
28
28
23
22
19
19
17
13
12
16
15
13
15
12
11
8
3
2
Mon. Mon. Mon.
8am 10am 2pm
Mon.
5pm
Mon. Tues. Tues. Tues. Tues. Tues. Wed. Wed. Wed. Wed. Wed. Thurs. Thurs. Thurs. Thurs. Sun.
9pm 8am 10am 2pm 5pm 9pm 8am 10am 2pm 5pm 9pm 8am 10am 2pm 5pm 3pm
Days and times of week
Sun.
7pm
Alone vs. Groups
Group floor
Quiet Floor
Working alone
Working alone
Working in small groups
Working in small groups
Working in large groups
Working in large groups
0%
21%
22%
32%
79%
46%
Computer usage
Information Commons
Library computers vs.
laptops
Using library computer
Using laptop
Reference Room
Computer Usage
Using login computer
Using open computer
Using laptop
24%
33%
36%
76%
31%
Using Materials
Reference Room
Reading Room
Using reference book
Using magazines or newspapers
Using own materials
Using own materials
Using reference and own materials
Using library and own materials
16%
17%
12%
24%
60%
71%
Focus Groups
• Recruitment
o emails to student groups,
o posters, flyers
o incentives
• Good mix of undergraduates, graduate students
and subject areas, ages, off-campus and oncampus
• Took notes and transcribed
• Used LIS practicum student again
• Part of discussion was showing space
consultant’s first concept drawing
Questions Asked
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How often they come and when?
Entrance they use?
What do they do?
What’s good, what needs improvement?
Role of the Library?
Concept drawing
o Indentify major changes for feedback
o Esthetics of specific areas, i.e. circ desk, basement, SuperLab
Concept Drawings
Student Feedback
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Library is an important place to study
Both group space and quiet space important
Most students use their own materials
Don’t want to carry their laptops around
A variety of furniture and spaces are needed
Not getting instruction at freshman level
Online resources particularly important to grad
student
Summarized Responses
Circ Desk not
easily assessable
Love collaboratories…
Need more!
Librarians helpful
but group instruction
suffers from lack of space
Superlab is needed
but as convenience,
would go further to use
Food and drink important
for using library
Basement creepy
and dark
Other Useful Info
• Lack of awareness of some services
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Software on Library computers
Printing options
Copy center type services
Carrels and lockers
IM assistance
• Materials not as important to undergrads
• Two entrances create traffic flow and
communication opportunity
• Students expect us to be there
Effect on Space Planning
• Feedback and ideas carried into second
concept drawing and final report
• Evidence of library more important for space
rather than materials
• Comforts and conveniences important for
ownership of space
• Library can be host to other service points with
expectations of compliance
• Library is important to total educational
experience and should be presented as such
Immediate Actions Taken
Expand collaboratories concept
Increase popular furniture options
Will offer laptop checkout in Fall 2008
Offering carrels to all students
Adding vending options
Expanding 24/5 available space
Will target marketing of IM, collaboratories and
other services
• Implement NewsRoom in the Fall
• Add Messaging Board for traffic
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Space Assessment Report
• Reposition Circulation Desk
• Expanded Information Commons area including
computers and collaboratories
• Moved Superlab to 2nd floor – destination
• Develop Cyber-café concept
• Create Government Information and Data
Center
• Basement remodel to include “people friendly”
spaces
• Developed “Main Street” of services concept
Summary of Process
Space needs and problems identified
Space consultant hired
Survey of student space needs conducted
Observation studies of behavioral related traits
conducted
• Focus group activity conducted with space
consultant’s first concept drawing
• Space consultant’s revised second drawing
compared to assessment data
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Summary of Process “continued”
• Staff feedback gathered from each concept
presentation including assessment data
• Space consultant issued final report and
recommendations
• Changes identified that were affordable outside
of remodel executed summer ’08
• Proposal presented to Dean’s Council with
request for funding assistance for major work
and changes
• Assessment data summarized for staff
What to Read?
• Planning for Health Science Library Facilities, Weise
& Tooey, Administration and Management in Health
Science Libraries, vol. 8, 2000
• Space Assessment as a Venue for Defining the
Academic Library, Nitecki, The Library Quarterly,
Vol. 81, no. 1, Jan 2011
• Library as Place: results of a Delphi Study, Ludwig, &
Starr, J Med Libr Assoc 93(3) July 2005
• The Third Place: The Library as Collaborative and
Community Space in a Time of Fiscal Restraint,
Montgomery & Miller, College & Undergraduate
Libraries, 18:228-238, 2011