Library Learning Spaces Research Articles

Reimagining Library Learning Spaces, or Risking Digital Piracy in Universities: Students Views on Spatial Boundaries, Time, and Self-Study Modalities in the Post-Digital Era of AI

Higher education (HE) is changing. Students are crossing boundaries, such as physical (those of countries) or digital (through distance learning). During COVID-19, the concept of a learning space was redefined, for many studied at home. As the student experience changes, so does the use of learning spaces. This article focuses upon ‘post-digital’ learning spaces and goes on to frame a narrative about how our HE institutional environments need to sharpen the now much hazier boundaries between the physical, digital, spatial and temporal realms; by drawing upon research with 103 Chinese postgraduates in a Sino-British university, it demonstrates piracy of ebooks as one indicator – and disruptor – of a shift in post-digital lived experience (analysis shows how students turn to online ‘shadow libraries’, to save not just money, but time and space too, redefining universities, reading and information retrieval practices); it concludes by discussing how institutional repositories need to be transformed into multifunctional spaces where students can access resources in various ways, not just in hard copies of books. In consequence, it positions the need for a future ‘post-digital library’ in universities as a place of collaboration, creativity, enterprise and critical thinking, not as one of stacked shelves.

Physical learning spaces in Kenyan academic libraries

Libraries form an integral part of the university physical learning landscape. Advances in technology, the emergence of student-centred pedagogy and the changing campus demography have caused academic libraries across the world to reconsider the design of their spaces. This study undertook a qualitative assessment of physical library learning spaces in selected Kenyan universities with regard to their suitability for twenty-first century learning. Data collected through interviews with librarians and student library users, indicates that the spaces provided are basic and barely support student learning needs and expectations. The spaces are modelled around collections with the traditional view of libraries as information repositories taking centre stage. The study recommends a repurposing of Kenyan academic library spaces to enable support for a wider spectrum of learning needs and preferences. Specifically, academic libraries should consider managing their collections differently with a view to expand learner spaces, they should develop a good understanding of students and their needs, and work towards infusing variety in the learning spaces for increased inclusivity and sustained relevance.

Learning support in the 21st century university library space: Strategies for success

Library learning spaces in the 21st century are expected to be service-rich spaces. In these spaces, students are often supported by librarians and other campus units offering support for student learning and well-being. This study investigated services offered in library learning spaces in select academic libraries in Kenya through interviews and observations. It was established that the libraries continue to offer services that are basic and largely traditional. They are yet to introduce modern and innovative support for student learning or to bring together services spread throughout their campuses which would make their spaces one-stop shops. The study recommends that academic libraries in Kenya should consider redeveloping their services by modifying the existing services and bringing on board new learning support services through a good understanding of student needs and the establishment of university-wide collaborations. This would lead the libraries into becoming true learning hubs and popular spots for student learning.

Standing Out or Blending In: Academic Libraries in the Crowded Informal Learning Space Ecosystem

As more campus locations establish intentional informal learning spaces, what, if anything, is the unique value of these spaces within the physical academic library? Using mixed methods, this study examines the relationship between students’ use, satisfaction, and productivity needs at five discrete locations at a large public university. Findings from unobtrusive observations, student surveys, and semistructured focus groups reveal an interconnected ecosystem of campus informal learning spaces in which the academic library is prominently situated, providing guidance for those making decisions around the availability and design of library learning spaces.

Considerations for creating library learning spaces within a hierarchy of learning space attributes

University libraries struggle to keep up with rapidly changing technology and the associated change in teaching strategy. Most administrators and librarians are often not trained to assess space needs and struggle to reassign library spaces for non-traditional library use. As such, they often embark on expensive and time-consuming feasibility studies, using (typically) hard-earned monies to complete the research or to pilot a new space. What academic research library administrators and staff lack is guidance for discovering and planning needed renovations and improvements in aging library facilities. The purpose of this research project was to develop a set of considerations that can be used by library staff to self-analyze existing academic library spaces and identify areas that can be effectively improved for student benefit. The end result is a series of hierarchical self-analysis space considerations with a structured framework based on Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. The results of this research use evidence-based design to facilitate important conversations, and provide an organized quick reference checklist of various considerations for library administrators and facility managers as they navigate the world of twenty-first century pedagogy and student learning.

Library café or elsewhere: usage of study space by different majors under contemporary technological environment

PurposeAs current university students may access information for their study anytime, anywhere with ubiquitous mobile technologies, this research re-examines the roles of study space in students' learning and campus life.Design/methodology/approachA survey was conducted to collect students' opinions and habits regarding the usage of different study spaces. Results in three different academic majors (science and engineering, arts and business) of a comprehensive international university were compared.FindingsThe authors’ findings showed a more diversified space usage among students, with the library café increasingly important in students' learning and life while learning commons remain important. However, there were only minor differences among these three study majors towards the learning and entertaining spaces, as these students generally apply inquiry-based learning.Originality/valueWhile some researches have investigated students' usage of university and library learning spaces, few studies have focused on the study space issue in Hong Kong or other metropolises in the East under the current mobile learning environment. This study's insights could help libraries and universities improve the management of their physical spaces to meet student needs.

Gathering Evidence of Learning in Library Curriculum Center Spaces with Web GIS

Abstract Objective –This article reports on a pilot research project that gathered usage statistics in specifically designated library learning spaces using a Web-based Geographic Information System (GIS). These learning spaces were then mapped to expected learning activities that would occur in these areas based on its intention or design. In this way, the library could begin to associate the usage of a space with different types of learning. The researchers then mapped these learning activities to campus learning outcomes to create learning impact statements. Methods – The researchers used observation data gathered with a Web GIS tool to examine space usage within the library’s curriculum center. Results – The pilot study found that student usage of the curriculum center was mainly associated with two campus learning outcomes: (1) Communicate and (2) Learning and Integrate. The evidence also indicated possible design improvements that may make the curriculum centers spaces more functional for students. Conclusions – The Web GIS tool proved to be a useful tool to gather evidence of student space usage within the library environment. The mapping of individual spaces to learning activities further enhanced the usefulness in interpreting how students are using library spaces. Leveraging the space usage data within learning outcomes statements created another means for the library to communicate its learning impact with campus stakeholders.

It looks nice, but does it work? Using student learning outcomes to assess library instructional spaces

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss how a mixed-methods approach to assessing student learning was used to determine the efficacy of redesigned library instructional spaces. Design/methodology/approach In 2017, the library at San Diego State remodeled a classroom to support active learning. The author undertook a pilot study to compare outcomes from the active learning classroom (ALC) and the traditional computer lab (CL) classroom. The assessment was done after one-shot library sessions for four sections of the same course in the ALC and the CL. Students completed surveys to assess their reactions to the instruction and e-mailed the librarian copies of the articles that they selected which were analyzed for quality using a rubric. Findings The mean scores from the CL classroom sections were slightly higher for the survey questions, though it was not statistically significant. The articles selected by students in the ALC had a slightly higher average quality score on the rubric, however, it was not large enough to be statistically significant. Research limitations/implications This was a limited assessment project and the results may not be generalizable to other institutions or types of instruction. Overall, students selected high-quality resources and felt positive about the library after instruction in both library classrooms. The data did not demonstrate significant improvements in student learning outcomes or attitudes in the remodeled ALC. Originality/value This mixed-methods assessment technique can be used to evaluate student learning and attitudes about the library and may be adapted by other librarians. It may also be of interest to those interested in designing learning spaces in libraries.

“Let Me Tell You What I Learned”: Primary Source Literacy and Student Employment in Archives and Special Collections

ABSTRACT In academic libraries, information literacy traditionally focuses on instruction sessions and classes, activities in library learning spaces, and interactions with librarians. Often overlo...

Planning and Designing Academic Library Learning Spaces: Expert Perspectives of Architects, Librarians, and Library Consultants

This paper identifies approaches, challenges, and best practices related to planning and designing today’s academic library learning spaces. As part of the Project Information Literacy (PIL) Practitioner Series, qualitative data is presented from 49 interviews conducted with a sample of academic librarians, architects, and library consultants. These participants were at the forefront of the same 22 recent library learning space projects on college and university campuses in the US and Canada between 2011 and 2016. Most library projects had allocated space for supporting at least one of these four types of academic learning activities: collaborative, individual study, tutoring by campus learning partners, or occasional classes taught by campus instructors. Successful collaboration between the architect and the librarian was fostered by their shared commitment to meeting users’ needs, though few stakeholders systematically collected input from users beyond standard usage statistics and gate counts. Most interviewees reported facing some common challenges during their project planning and implementations. One challenge was translating design goals into tangible designs while trying to resolve issues of noise mitigation, shared space allocations, and providing enough electrical power for IT devices. Another challenge was ensuring effective communication practices with planning teams as well as campus-wide constituents throughout projects. Additional challenges included building consensus, compensating for project interruption and inadequate knowledge about both architecture and library IT issues, and having too few a priori evaluation metrics for linking learning outcomes to goals of the library space projects. Taken together, the success of library learning space projects depends upon shared knowledge and understanding of the sweeping learning, pedagogical, and research changes facing the academy. Librarians and architects need to work together to apply that knowledge and understanding to the unique environment and learning and teaching needs of their specific institution.

Library Learning Spaces: Investigating Libraries and Investing in Student Feedback

ABSTRACTWe examine how students in academic libraries work; their furniture, technology and space needs; research methods used to determine these; and the results and evolution of our space design and assessment efforts. From the creation of a new collaborative center at Mann Library at Cornell University in 2007 to our latest space redesign in 2015, we've used a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods—including surveys, interviews, usability tests, and participatory design exercises—to discover the study behaviors and needs of users, applied this data to help redesign our collaborative study spaces, and assessed the results.

Destroy Your Classroom! Re-conceptualizing the Instructor/Student Model in Academic Libraries

ASBTRACTPedagogies and technologies evolve, yet academic library learning spaces are unable to keep up with the change. Budgetary and space limitations, traditional teaching practices, and staid attitudes all contribute to tethered spaces hindering active learning. This is a documentation of the authors’ urgent need to break free from tradition while providing students and faculty interactive equipment meeting pedagogical needs in an un-tethered, flexible learning space in three library and non-library spaces at the University of Florida's George A. Smathers Libraries Education and Architecture and Fine Arts Libraries.

Commons consent

Purpose – Constructing academic library learning spaces involves ad hoc groups of agents often with fuzzy inter-relationships. Librarians and their user communities are initially hailed within these groups as prime-movers in realizing projects. Librarians bring to the table contagious ideas generated from their own profession in the hope of securing appropriate funding and planning pre-requisites. All other agents, be they internal community representatives or external architects, assist them in making sense of each other’s standpoints to co-create dynamic learning spaces in “commons consent”. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Using the community culture in The Chinese University of Hong Kong as existed in 2012 as a case study, this paper examines the reality of this process in terms of a new library for learning, teaching and research. Findings – Can librarians hold sway over the priorities of other individual agents, particularly architects, to gain consent to build their initial concept of the commons which they are vigorously promoting as professionally valid and educationally potent? In the co-creation of a building, individual preferences and organizational power structures in ad hoc groups drawn from the university’s distinct cultural environment fuel compromise and even tension around the librarians’ and architects’ original visions. Research limitations/implications – Many other case studies of library building learning commons projects would be useful to add to these findings in sensemaking, co-creation and community cultures. Practical implications – Assists library managers in their management of large buildings projects. Originality/value – An original case study of a major Asian academic library learning commons project which involves sensemaking, co-creation and community cultures ideas imported from construction science.

Exploring Librarian Roles in Support of One Health

The growing One Health movement recognizes connections among human, animal, and ecosystem health and encourages collaboration among these disciplines. Fostering a One Health perspective in students and faculty is a strategic initiative of the Medical Sciences Library at Texas A&M University, which provides human and animal medicine, public health, agriculture, and life sciences programs. Librarians implemented a four-pronged approach to pilot One Health strategies among user communities—including developing curriculum modules, redesigning library learning spaces, and developing new research services. Aggregate data and participant comments from these activities support the value and feasibility of librarian engagement in One Health initiatives.

Re-defining the service experience: forging collaboration between librarians and students

Purpose – In response to changing pedagogical theory and practice in higher education, library designers have created innovative library learning spaces that support informal learning outside the classroom. Libraries can be justly proud of their new collaborative learning spaces that support interaction and discussion; social spaces that foster engagement and learning; as well as quiet places for independent study. Less attention has been paid to the relationship between library spaces and frontline services and the way in which learning theory might inform the service experience. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the way in which a large academic library responded to this challenge. Design/methodology/approach – Using a case study approach informed by theoretical analysis, the paper outlines the decision-making process underlying the reformulation of frontline library service. The study explains why decisions were taken leading to the development of a distinctive and collaborative service model and how they were put into practice. The case study employs a narrative approach that is deliberately rich in description to assist readers in understanding the context of this complex process. Findings – Informed by the principles of social constructivist pedagogy and modern learning space design, the paper poses an alternative and more collaborative model for delivering frontline service that is more consistent with learning theory. Originality/value – Through the reformulation of a traditional frontline service model, this case study engages with a topic of interest to many academic libraries, contributing to the literature of library practice and encouraging re-conceptualisation of space, design and service.