Library as Place: What Performing

Arts Students Value Most

Joe ClarkKent State University

Music Library Association’s 83rd Annual MeetingAtlanta, GA Feb. 28, 2014

Comprehensive Study of Spaces & Services

Why: shrinking resources forthcoming minor renovationsTo better serve student needs

Questions: Why do students come to the library? What services/resources do they most value? What spaces are most important to students?

Three-pronged approach: Observational data collected from the last year Survey Focus Groups

BackgroundKent State is a public research university

located in NE Ohio, with 28,000+ studentsThe Performing Arts Library (formerly the Music

Library) is a branch library. 2nd busiest of the 13 university libraries

In addition to students from the Schools of Music and Theatre and Dance, many speech pathology and nutrition students use the facilities

Library LayoutFive major areas, providing a variety of spacesTwo computer labs not run by the libraryA lobby area that doubles as a circulation areaA reading room, with non-circulating collections,

technology, and a variety of patron areasTwo group roomsCollection room, with compact shelving, four study

carrels, and open study space

Circulation Area – Entering Library

Circulation Area – Booth View

Circulation Area – Desk View

PC Lab

PC Lab

Mac Lab

More Mac Lab

Reading Room

More Reading Room

More Reading Room

Reading Room cont…

The Reading Room’s BIG Tables

Soft Seating in the Reading Room

Group Rooms

Group Rooms

Collection Room – Open Space

Collection Room – Study Carrels

Collection Room - Collections

Observational DataEvery hour on the half hour

students sweep the library, noting where patrons are within the libraryLimitations: not noting what

patrons are doing, just where they are going.

Today’s data are from the entirety of the fall 2013 semester

Over 11,000 “counts” last semester

Where They Go:

Computer Labs

Reading Room

Computers

Seating

Group Study Rooms

Study Carrels

Computer Usage – Where They Go

PC Lab Takes the Gold Medal

Reading Room - Silver Medal

Mac Lab gets the Bronze

TakeawaysStudents were as likely to be at the booth in the

circulation room as in either group study room (Circulation room=477, both group rooms=444)

Ninety-one percent of students went to an “open” space; group rooms accounted for 4% while carrels comprised 5% of student usage

Study carrels get more use than group roomsOne-third is for computer lab use

Circulation Area

Survey Two-pager on one sheetIRB approvedCompletion time approximately 7 minutesIncentivized with five $50 amazon giftcardsAdministered over a two-week period105 valid surveys

On to the results…

Survey DemographicsFreshman/Sophomore

19%

Junior/Senior56%

Graduate Student

25%

18-2580%

26-3513%

36-503%

50+4%

Music61%

Nutrition4%

Speech Pathology

7%

Theatre12%

Dance1%

Other15%

Male45%

Female55%

Survey Results: Mac vs PC

Mac PC Both0

10203040506070

MusicTheatre/DanceOther

Survey – Personal Computing

Laptop Desktop Tablet0

102030405060708090

MusicTheatre/DanceOther

Preferred Library Space

Quiet Group Both0

102030405060708090

100

MusicTheatre/DanceOther

“Library space & technology is more important than library services & collections”

Stron

gly Ag

reeAg

ree

Neutra

l

Disagre

e

Stron

gly di

sagree

0

10

20

30

40

50

MusicTheatre/DanceOther

“Expert help with library resources is important for my success as a student”

Strongly Agree

Agree Neutral Disagree0

10

20

30

40

50

60

MusicTheatre/DanceOther

“A strong library collection is important to my success as a student”

Strongly Agree

Agree Neutral Disagree0

10

20

30

40

50

60

MusicTheatre/DanceOther

“I come to and use the library alone”

Stron

gly Ag

reeAg

ree

Neutra

l

Disagre

e

Stron

gly di

sagree

010203040506070

MusicTheatre/DanceOther

“I come to and use the library with others”

Stron

gly Ag

reeAg

ree

Neutra

l

Disagre

e

Stron

gly di

sagree

0102030405060

MusicTheatre/DanceOther

Study Spaces in Rank Order

Quiet Study Area

Group Study Space in

Open Area

Group Study Rooms

Study Carrels0

0.51

1.52

2.53

3.5

Technology in Rank Order

Compu

ters

Printe

rsCop

ier

Scann

ers

Flashc

ard

AV Pl

ayba

ck0123456

Services in Rank Order

Help_Staff Circulation OfficeSupplies Help_Students0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

Importance of Quiet Study Space

Very Imp Somewhat Nuetral Not Imp0

102030405060708090

MusicTheatre/DanceOther

Importance of Group Study Enclosed

Very

Imp

Somew

hat

Nuetra

l

Not Im

p NA05

101520253035404550

MusicTheatre/DanceOther

Importance of Group Study Space in an Open Area

Very

Imp

Somew

hat

Nuetra

l

Not Im

p NA05

101520253035404550

MusicTheatre/DanceOther

Importance of Soft Furniture

Very Imp Somewhat Nuetral Not Imp05

101520253035404550

MusicTheatre/DanceOther

Importance of Large Tables

Very Imp Somewhat Nuetral Not Imp0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

MusicTheatre/DanceOther

Importance of Computer Availability

Very Imp Somewhat Nuetral0

102030405060708090

MusicTheatre/DanceOther

Importance of Scanning, Printing, and Copying

Very Imp Somewhat Nuetral Not Imp0

102030405060708090

100

MusicTheatre/DanceOther

Importance of Staff Help

Very Imp Somewhat Nuetral Not Imp0

102030405060708090

100

MusicTheatre/DanceOther

Importance of Student Help

Very Imp Somewhat Nuetral Not Imp0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

MusicTheatre/DanceOther

Importance of Library Events

Very

Imp

Somew

hat

Nuetra

l

Not Im

p NA05

101520253035404550

MusicTheatre/DanceOther

What Do They Do in the library?

Surfin

g

Writing

Pape

rs

Watchin

g Clas

s Mate

rial

Study

ing Al

one

Group S

tudy

Relaxin

gEa

ting

Socia

lizaito

n01234567

AllMusicTheatre

For All Majors, in Rank Order:

Writing

Pape

rs

Study

ing Al

one

Watchin

g Clas

s Mate

rials

Web Su

rfing

Relaxin

g

Group S

tudy

Socia

lizatio

nEa

ting

0

2

4

6

ConclusionsVery important items include:

Quiet study spaceOpen space (over rooms or study carrels)Strong library collectionExpert help from librariansAccess

• Most students have laptops, and we should support them (chargers and wireless printing), but computers and printers are still KING

• Most come to the library along

Spaces• Variety of spaces is

important, but strong preferences exist for a quiet environment with avaibility of large tables and soft furniture

• Group rooms and study carrels are important pieces of our library’s space puzzle, but clearly are not preferred by most students

Next StepsTwo focus groups with performing arts studentsContinue to analyze the data by age, class

standings, gender, and other variablesConduct a survey/focus group study of branch

libraries and their importance to students; compare and contrast results with this (and previous) studies

Thank you!

Questions/Discussion?

jclark88@kent.edu