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The intent of this paper is to outline a case study that addressed signage issues in a circulating book collection at a four‐year college library. A signage redesign project is detailed, with special attention paid to the challenges of a complex and often confusing layout.

A consistent and comprehensive stack signage system involving the implementation of a color‐coded scheme, along with a variety of new informational and wayfinding signs, was designed. The project also supported the creation of a corresponding digital map linked to library catalog.

The redesigned stack signage system contributed to a dramatic increase in the number of books checked out from the circulating collection. A pattern of positive responses observed during reference services and library instruction sessions also supports the favorable outcome of the project.

The study would benefit from a survey or related data that could quantify the impact of the redesign on patron wayfinding in the circulating stacks.

The unique circular nature of the library discussed presented additional obstacles; however, the measures taken are applicable to libraries of various configurations. The detailed signage strategy could also serve as a framework to develop best practice guidelines for stack signage.

While there is significant literature on library signage, stack signage specific to directing patrons towards locating books on the shelves has not been widely addressed.

Wayfinding efficiency is an extremely influential factor to improve users' library interior experience. However, few research has studied the different functions of various wayfinding signages for university library users through mobile visual experiment. To fill this gap, the purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between university library signage system design and patrons' wayfinding behavior features.

In this article, an eye movement tracking method was introduced to record eye movement data during the wayfinding process of participants in the library interior, targeting the cognition and psychology of library users in the wayfinding signage system. The visual guiding usability of landmarks, informational signages and directional signages were quantitatively tested, and the fixation on the signage system between orientation strategy users and route strategy users was compared. This study also investigated the effects of library users' spatial anxiety and environmental familiarity on their fixation on the area of interest of the wayfinding signage system using the differential test and regression.

This paper observed that informational signage had the best visual navigating competence. The difference of fixation duration and searching duration between patrons used various wayfinding strategies was significant. The informational signage was most attended by the route strategy users, and the orientation strategy users rarely focused on the directional signage. And participants with high anxiety tended to ignore the visually auxiliary function of the landmarks but paid attention to the directional signage. The participants with low anxiety could capture the landmarks that could not be easily found by the route strategy users. And participants less familiar with the environment were more sensitive to the landmarks. Furthermore, this paper offers optimization measures for university library wayfinding signage system, from the perspectives of informational signage understandability improvement, directional signage physical specification design and wayfinding assistant system with automatic landmark technology.

This article adds to the relatively sparse literature on university library user wayfinding experimental study in China. The experimental findings of this paper also have important practical implications for academic libraries' wayfinding system evaluation. The whole process could be seen as a repeatable and standard framework and methodology to inspect university library's wayfinding signage system usability and user wayfinding behavior performance.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the different aspects of language that are present in the signage, handouts and websites of public libraries. It discusses the extent to which this language reflects the varying demographics of library clients.

This paper reports on a qualitative study, which took a document analysis approach and utilised an inductive-coding technique to analyse data collected from four lower North Island libraries in New Zealand.

Five language aspects were identified from the collected data: monolingual, bilingual and multilingual language; language context; welcoming and prohibitive language; language consistency; and jargon. The nature and incidence of these aspects were evaluated for each of the four libraries. In some cases, the libraries achieve an accurate reflection of client demographics through their language. However, each library could make some changes to their use of language to better accommodate their distinct communities.

This paper suggests that modifying library language to better reflect client demographics will contribute to an atmosphere of inclusion, welcome and acceptance. Such an atmosphere will promote information access for all members of the community. Recommendations for change are made, as well as suggestions for future research.

This paper contributes to the body of knowledge on communication and language in libraries, particularly in a New Zealand context where there is a paucity of research on this topic. This paper benefits libraries and clients by identifying patterns, contrasts and potential improvements.

The Macintosh computer, using Mac‐Paint, is a flexible, easy to use and powerful tool for producing informational, instructional and promotional signage. Specific applications at Carnegie‐Mellon University Libraries are illustrated.

This paper aims to describe the approach of using quick response (QR) codes in a large US research university library. It describes the reasoning behind the numerous decisions that were made throughout the process.

This project was carefully planned to keep detailed organized statistics, effective and clear signage and low expenditures. After one year, the patrons were surveyed regarding library QR use and those results were compared with scan statistics.

This preliminary research into the use of QR codes in a large research library validates that the codes effectively demonstrate the Library’s willingness to reach patrons in innovative ways. It also confirmed the need to promote the usefulness of scanning the codes.

Some patrons stated they did not own a smartphone or have an application (app) on their phone that could scan QR codes; therefore, alternate methods of accessing the information should be provided.

The survey established that not all patrons recognize what QR codes are by name and/or by function, and libraries should recognize this need for education when imploring new technologies.

This paper looks at the opportunities provided to libraries through the use of QR codes, including the benefits of using them as a point of need service tool and marketing device.

The author first gained experience with library instruction scheduling at a large research university library as an Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) graduate assistant.

The author would occasionally shadow the faculty librarians as they received instruction requests, which were vetted by an administrative assistant and entered into some mystical technology that would facilitate the reservations and populate a library staff calendar.

The author remembers it as a fairly mundane process that he did not think much of at the time.

The author soon became an instruction librarian who was put in charge of orchestrating the multitudes of course-integrated one-shots at a small, private four-year liberal arts college.

The author thinks back to this experience and marvels at the humble instructional requests (e.g. “just show them JSTOR”) and the primitive tool that their library used for scheduling their sessions: a spreadsheet on our network drive.

Discusses the results of a research project investigating public library compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act, 1995 (DDA). Gives an overview of the DDA and discusses public library responses to Part III of the Act, covering access to services. Describes the results of the research, which took a case study approach, focusing on public library responses in the three key areas of policies and practices, access and communications. Concludes that standards of service for people with disabilities varies considerably between public library authorities and that, although most libraries are beginning to respond to the DDA, progress is slow and concentrated on the needs of certain groups of disabled people.

Library spaces are being reimagined to better fit the needs of today’s and future users. At the Georgia Tech Library, a new library space, currently called the “Library Store,” is being developed as part of the “Library Next” initiative. How can this space best attract users and how can it work to intuit their needs to offer more seamless services? Careful planning and dedicated participation on the part of library management and library staff have set into motion a design for a new space that will meet user needs immediately and will be flexible enough to respond to their ever-changing use patterns.

This chapter explores the relationship between staff needs, user needs, and institutional needs when tasked with creating a library space and services in the 21st century academic library. It explores the development of the “Library Store” as a case study to shed light on the ways in which academic libraries can adapt to the research and learning needs of their users.

The authors provide insight into the complexities of leveraging existing staff skills in order to offer new user services in a space that boasts a new and updated design. They also detail the lessons learned from the initial planning stages of the new space and services.

This chapter considers user and library staff needs from a management perspective when planning a redesign of space and services. This library is one of only a few that has embarked on this specific model of space and service reimagining.

This bibliography covers materials published during 1976, with some 1975 entries omitted from last year's listing. Citations from a number of foreign countries are included if published in English. A few items were not available for annotation. The growing interest in library use instruction is evident from the fact that the number of entries has doubled over those included in the bibliography for 1975.

The postquarantine reopening of public libraries presents an opportunity for resetting the way libraries welcome patrons. Unfortunately, vestiges of inhospitable, white supremacist practices experienced in public libraries may accompany the “return to normal.” In addition to emphasizing policies and practices that are unwelcoming to patrons and staff from historically marginalized backgrounds, this article presents actions to be employed in an effort to transition the library to a place of belonging and hospitality for marginalized staff and community members.

This paper draws on a synthesis of the literature on hospitality in libraries and antiracism as well as the author's experience from professional practice to critique the host-and-guest concept of hospitality, which results in us versus them actions that uphold racism, white supremacy and white privilege.

Barriers and institutional practices that negatively impact patrons and library workers are illuminated. Recommendations for creating an antiracist “new normal” in public libraries are proposed.

In addition to contributing to the literature on hospitality in libraries, this paper expands the capacity and knowledge base of library staff to call attention to and dismantle barriers and uninviting practices in their own libraries. The paper further advances mutual hospitality as a supplement to antiracism principles as libraries work to eradicate white supremacy.