It's Academic

Putting the Wow into Your Library Using Nonverbal and Merchandising Principles
Larry Nesbit, Mansfield Univ (retired)
Joyce Seno, Larson Design Group
Judy Brown, Brodart Co.

I was interested in this session as we’re thinking about reconfiguring some space in our library but have no budget, and I thought I could get some ‘free’ tips. Although the session was mostly directed at public libraries, there were lots of nuggets that academic libraries could use too.

The three speakers followed a format of each addressing the same ‘talking point’ from their perspective, usually with Nesbit first, and then Seno and Brown following. Larry is a Library Building Consultant and helps libraries develop a program for renovation within their budget. Once he’s consulted with the client, he’ll turn the project over to Joyce, the architect, who then designs a graphical plan (including HVAC and electrical). And finally Judy works with library to make decisions on furniture, etc.

They first addressed how much library buildings have changed so much in last 6 years, primarily in that libraries are now being designed from the user’s perspective not the librarians’. Libraries are (no surprise here) looking at retailers, especially bookstores, to pick up some cues for improving their space.

2 important factors to keep in mind: Everyone wants a cafe! Why? Because commercial bookstores have them! Also, computers are omnipresent.

Nonverbal communication is very important in design and varies by culture. 75% of how we communicate is nonverbal. Nesbit used an example from Wegman’s – they use ceramic tile to slow down carts in their produce section because they want shoppers to take their time. Use of flooring, smells and textures are important to the user experience.

Library as the 3rd space
1st space: Home
2nd space: Work
3rd space: Community space

Requirements for 3rd space is that it be safe and comfortable, provide social opportunities, and provide a place where people can accomplish something worthwhile

The retail view looks at space from a user’s viewpoint, and looks at different zones.

Civic zones:
-Outside the building, be aware of surroundings, look at retail stores
-Entrances are very important; take stuff off windows and doors, it creates clutter and confusion
-Put displays and maybe a bench in your vestibule
-When you walk into a Borders, what do you see? Books. When you walk in a library, what do you see? The Circulation Desk. Don’t make your users have to hunt for your ‘stuff’
-When you create displays, don’t put too much on display, which causes confusion
-Leave enough space so people are ‘butt-brushing’ – women especially hate this

Information commons idea is the marriage of computers with service
Villanova (which used Larson) used individual and group work stations, flooring/carpeting to direct the traffic flow, and decluttered. The individual and group areas are both important; want to let users create a sense of territory and privacy.

Brodart has designed some flexible Information Commons furniture – “grid wall” to separate spaces.

Seating is important, “seating says you care”. Use empty space or extra space for placing seating. Seating is the #1 request of users. Keep seating next to windows or use lamps if cannot.

Keep in mind the use of endpanels in your stacks. The stacks are the “Forgotten Zone” — we want users to get into the stacks and use more. Carve out searing in stacks areas. Pull out some books for display, if possible. Use lower shelving too. Have ‘lookup stations’ with computers at ends of stacks, for ease of use.

Administrative Zone — how to get a flow through technical services. May need to reconfigure this area too.

Larry recommended reading Paco Underhill’s book, Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping; it’s a classic! I didn’t manage to snag his bibliography, so I guess I’ll have to email him for a copy.

Around the Campus in 8 Days: Learn How Librarian House Calls Can Create a Buzz About Your Library
Renate Sachse, Catalog and Circulation Librarian, and Andy Gulati, Systems Librarian, Franklin & Marshall College

This was a very engaging presentation about how F & M librarians take 2 weeks each semester to visit academic departments on campus. Ten librarians make ‘house calls’ with their liaison depts. F & M is a very walkable campus, and the library has a good-sized collection with lots of study space. Librarians do not have tenure at F & M, and they thought that ‘house calls’ would provide a perfect excuse to visit faculty and staff, and dept. coordinators.

How does it work? Each semester, for 2 weeks after fall and spring breaks, librarians travel in pairs, and tour for no more than 2 hours per slot, and no more than 2 slots per day. Traveling in pairs is optimal — 3 was too many, and 1 doesn’t work too well, as the librarian-faculty relations is not really an ‘equal’ one.

Advertising is primarily done through 2 emails; first email 6 days before program, setting up program, telling them what to expect, give them talking points (ill, requesting books, etc, new resources). In the email, they do ask for appointments, but there has not been much demand for that. They select a 2 hour period when people are likely to be in their offices. They also send second email at beginning of 2nd week of visiting, highlighting some of the ‘good questions’ they’ve gotten, which seems to spark interest.

They travel with literature (a nice brochure about the Library which is also used at Parents’ weekend plus a brochure with all the librarians’ pictures and their liaison areas) and pens. In the past they’ve also given a coupon for free coffee for ‘significant interactions’.

They only knock on open doors, introduce self and their purpose– ‘we’re here to see if you have any research questions…’ If there is no response, they will fall back on ‘talking points’ until they have a question 1) highlighted databases 2) their dept. budget 3) where students can go for help

Highlights over the years:

-Andy writes up a report with abbreviated questions, and for whole year to see what they’ve done and what to do next year

-2003 – 33 contacts first year (15% of faculty)

-2004 – # of house calls jumped ~50%
-2005 – start of successful outreach program to international students, faculty are pleased with the new patron-initiated (EZborrow) –

-Their outreach program was an outgrowth of their house calls.

They are careful to respect faculty members’ confidentiality.

2006 – started promoting digitized programs, quiet study areas, ‘Ask Andy’ (over 1,000 questions a year, including texting, up to 2 am) and librarian research appointments.

2007 – faculty members’ ongoing concern for students’ knowledge of research processes; marketing of good will.

2008 – citation concerns; increase in student/faculty collaborations.

2009 – sciences demand online journal access and SciFinder Scholar; LibQUAL survey currently.

Average number about 50 – 60 per semester (out of 200+). There is enough turnover among faculty, so that about 30% of their contacts is with new faculty.

Observations:
-Their focus is on quality vs. quantity. They know they are not going to you get 100% involvement. The process can’t be a numbers game, it’s about building relationships
-You have to be sensitive to office space dynamics and human nature – you are entering their space and should be sensitive to that; the interpersonal interaction is everything
-They have been considering inclusion of computing services, but are not sure how to do that
-They are building their mission statements and goals
-This service can be adapted to university library settings (with college focus); special libraries; public libraries (legislators? constituents?)

Future?
-Possibly including members of library staff or computing services (if have good interpersonal skills), pros and cons
-Understanding budgets and finding ways the library can best support the College mission
(time of opportunity?)
-Get the most out of what you have, despite library budget cuts; faculty are not often aware (let them know something about library budget)

-Q & A Period – Renate and Andy answered our questions
-Do try to get librarians to go to other depts. outside their areas
-Liaisons tend stick to own areas, but good to get them to branch out
-Do visit admissions, and other offices; but visiting some depts. wasn’t so productive, so they do tend to focus on academic depts. However, they’ve had productive meetings with Advancement/Development offices, International Students, Admissions, Career Services, Writing Center

What Net Generation Students Really Want From the Library: Determining Help-Seeking Preferences of Undergraduates
Lizah Ismail, Assistant Professor/Coordinator of Public Services, Marywood University

Lizah began by showing a ideo from YouTube called “Digital World: Kids Today”, which made the message that the ‘Net generation’ are social networkers, builders of a digital culture, multi-taskers.

Many librarians are trying to take up the challenge, and meeting students ‘on their own turf’ – in dorms (Nims, 1998). Marywood librarians tried that, but it was not really successful, as students preferred to do homework in library, not in dorm.

She read studies that showed that (some) students preferred ‘face-to-face interactions’ (Oblinger & Oblinger, 2005; Johnson, 2004), and had only a moderate preference for technology.

Myths debunked in CIBER 2008 study
1) all young people are interested in social networking
2) young people are more competent with computers
3) it is important to be where users are in a social network environment

Important point: Before doing outreach, know your users. “User studies.. are a necessary component of any student-centered academic library” – Foster & Gibbons (2007)

Char Booth (2009) – on ACRL page also talks about importance of user studies

Marywood University Library history of ‘Reference Services’ to millennials:
-Began chat reference 2006-2007 – not many takers, but may have been due to short staffing
-Ask Here Roadshow – Spring 2008 – in residence halls – wireless laptop in residence halls, but not many takers; they did in other buildings too, but results were not very encouraging
-Library Forum in Moodle (Fall 2008 – present) – Moodle is their CMS, embedded into 2 courses, Ismail follows course syllabus and posts links and tips; more moderate success

Completed a survey in 2009, and question remains of ‘where to go from here?’ Methodology of survey:
They used Survey Monkey for easy online access; they had an instutitional annual pro account, good for analysis and downloadable formats for data.

Collaborated with their MIS dept as they wanted to contact only undergrads. So MIS created a listserv of current undgrads, and survey was sent to listserv via email. They posted it 4 times in 3 weeks (IRB approved)

Asked the following demographic info:
1) full-time/part-time?
2) incoming, returning, transfer?
3) age group: 18-22, 23-29, 30-39, 40 & over
4) if they had attended a library instruction session or not

Help-seeking behavior and preferences (used Likert scales)
1) library website visit frequency
2) how often had they asked a librarian for help
3) where did they prefer to get research help
4) resarch help preference
5) confident without librarian help?

Survey
-low response – 245 ~10%, 88% of respondents were Net Generation
-limitations: not generalizable
-possible trend, basis for further studies

Most students were confident without librarian help (3.44 mean)

When they looked at 18-22 age group, new and returning students, they found even more discouraging results. Of other locations besides library, most preferred student center. Most surpising, however, was that most preferred email for help rather than chat/im/texting or CMS or Facebook/MySpace. Appear to prefer to use social networking tools for socializing.

Further studies:
Aim: to obtain statistically significant results. Possibly use focus groups, another survey, collaborations with student activities/IT.

Char Booth 2009 study found that older respondents were more receptive to library technologies than younger ones!

Open Source and Pennsylvania Public Libraries

I met up with a fellow PASSHE librarian, Jane Hutton, and we both headed to the Open Source session, figuring we would learn something of interest to academic libraries.

First up was Ann Lee, Free Library of Philadelphia
Wish list for catalog, currently unable to do:
Customer tagging
FRBR (1 record for all different formats, editions of a title)

IMLS grant for Kings County, Maryland (?) will be creating a knowledge base for libraries considering open source

FLP, during recent budget crisis, used a ‘staff forum’ to keep everyone up to date and scotch any false rumors

Also used a staff wiki, for 53 different agencies within FLP, for Programming Directory

Borrowed code frokm NYPL for popup window that everyone visiting their page saw

They use Cold Fusion and Javascript and really like open source. Some favority sites:
http://www.riaforge.org/index.cfm?event=page.category&id=1
Authority for open source Cold Fusion projects

http://galleon.riaforge.org
Site for staff forum application we are using

http://www.cflib.org
Repository of Cold Fusion functions

Betsey Allen, Schlow Centre Region Library
-provided her handout, they are located in central PA, main library is in State College
-all libraries in district have different catalogs, worked with Liblime to create DPAC (their opac), DCAT (cataloging) and DILL (interlibrary loan)
-Use Open Office and Google Apps and Drupal for library web page, and Dim Dim for conferencing

ILS systems in district:
Horizon (Sirsi, end of life)
AmLibs (now owned by OCLC)
TLC
Millennium (though HSLSC)
Exploring Koha and Evergreen – test versions

Planning:
-district plan was needed, got library directors together and brainstormed and decided they wanted an open source, common ILS (and not too costly)
-merging systems of 2 libraries has shown a real benefit to end users

Outstanding questions:
-functionality requirements
-consortium granularity vs. high-level demands
-acquisitions – vendor integration, SIP
-autonomy vs. standard rules
-time-frame

State has been interested in working on a statewide open source project, and the district wants to make sure they are in step with the project

John Brice, Crawford County Library System – 9 libraries, Meadville Public Library
-using open source (Koha)
-operating system doesn’t really matter, browser is more important as that’s the way the user accesses the info
-programming is an easily taught skill (in community colleges)
-has a full-time programmer, but are not paying any license fees

Koha
-started in New Zealand, built with open source programs and tools, Uses MySQL, Apache, written with Perl, full international MARC support, Z39.50 compliant
-installed all over the world, strong support on foreign library market
-uses FRBR to begin with
– 17 countries worldwide, go to http://koha.org/support/pay-for-support
-Invest money to get exact system you want – they always buy the absolute best hardrives they can
-Their programmer developed their own interface for staff side of Koha
-They use LibraryThing for their pictures, which are free
-His presentation is at http://www.meadvillelibrary.org/os

Had to leave early so was unable to catch the rest of the session…