The University Library Commons As Third Place: Virtual And Social Dimensions Of Learning Support __________________________________________________________

Vanessa P. Dennen, Shuang Hao, Samantha Tackett-Bradt & Wade Bradt

April, 2013 �

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Library in “Old Times” 2 �

Library as the Third Place 3 �

¨  The “Third place” (Oldenburg, 1989) ¤ Library as physical third place

n  - support not only quiet study, but social study and just general socialization

¤ Corresponding virtual third place

Research Questions 4 �

¨  How do students make use of intentionally designed academic third spaces?

¨  How are communication technologies incorporated into those spaces?

¨  Is there a corresponding virtual component to these third places? If so, what role does it play?

¨  Do students merge physical and virtual third places? What are their intentions and purposes in each space?

Research Method �

¨  Quantitative description of observations ¤ Types and uses of physical spaces ¤ Types and quantity of technologies ¤ Social dynamics among people and within the

environment ¨  Content analysis

¤ Archives of students’ interactions via library social media sites

¨  Survey

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The Library

¨  First floor (The Learning Commons) redesigned to facilitate social study, is the major observation place for this research.

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Library Descriptive Data

¤ Café

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Library Descriptive Data

¤ Study Rooms with SmartBoard Technology

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Library Descriptive Data

¤ Computer Lab

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Library Descriptive Data

¤ Tutoring Area

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Library Descriptive Data

¤ Multimedia/ Hi-Tech Learning Space

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Library Descriptive Data

¤ Desktop computers

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Library Descriptive Data

¤ Modular Tables & Chairs

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Observation Findings �

¨  The most used areas of the Library Commons are the café and the study rooms

¨  Learning Styles ¤ Study in groups (Afternoons, Evenings, Weekends) ¤ Study individually (Mornings, Weekdays)

¨  Social Media Use (In approximate percentage) ¤ PCs (98%) ¤ Mobile phone (90%) (92% by the survey results) ¤ Facebook (70%)

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Survey Findings 15 �

¨  Participants ¤ 161 respondents ¤ 75% between the ages of 18 and 21 ¤ 70% visit the library between two and five times per

week ¨  Reason for coming to the library

¤  Individual study(87%) ¤ Group study (59%) ¤ Use the computers (34%) ¤ Socialize (27%) ¤ Tutoring (11%)

Survey Findings 16 �

¨  Socialize in the library ¤ Come with friends (52%) ¤ Expect to meet friends (54%) ¤ Expect to see particular person (21%) ¤ Use library resources (21%)

¨  Socialize through social media while in the library ¤ Facebook users (83%) ¤ Twitter users (21%)

44% used these tools to tell friends where they were

Social Media Findings 17 �

¨  Data description ¤ 9660 tweets containing the library’s hashtag were

analyzed ¨  Data analysis

¤ Two functions of tweets: n Broadcast a student’s status (e.g., working on a paper at the

#library). n  serve as attractors, explicitly calling upon companions to

come study at the library (e.g., Heading to the library to get some work done on my laptop. Anyone there?) or providing enticing information about the library to motivate others to come.

Social Media Findings 18 �

A Typical Week

Discussion �

¨  Even when students are studying alone, they may not really be studying alone.

¨  Dispersed social media updates are a core part of the library’s reputation and atmosphere as a third place.

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Implications

¨  The findings of this study confirm the value of offering on-campus social study space to students to keep them safe on-campus and encourage the development of good academic habits.

¨  Implications for future development of campus social study spaces as well as the use of corresponding virtual spaces and technologies.

¨  Libraries might mine the social media data produced by their patrons to learn more about the patrons’ needs.

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