Space Invaders: Measuring Use and Satisfaction through Mixed Methods

How can libraries gather evidence to see which spaces and what resources students find engaging? What is the role of the information commons space in students’ academic life? This poster will explore different aspects from a mixed methods research study of the Information Commons (IC) at a medium-sized academic library. 

 

The poster will provide an overview of recent space assessment studies in academic libraries, as well as characteristics of “generation Z” and “millenials” preferences.  Additionally, the poster will demonstrate the three research methods used to collect data: observation, surveys, and whiteboard polls. The first data collection method consisted of 2,443 “direct observations” made on subjects who were physically present in the IC during a two-week period. Each person’s activity and use of library resources was recorded through a Qualtrics form using iPads.  The second data collection method consisted of 248 patrons who voluntarily completed a survey about their activities and preferences. In the third method, questions about the IC were placed on mobile whiteboards along with markers for anonymous responses.