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Article
Publication date: 9 May 2016

Gricel Dominguez

The purpose of this paper is to propose a method for the assessment of library space use and user experience by combining seating studies, surveys and observational data.

2052

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a method for the assessment of library space use and user experience by combining seating studies, surveys and observational data.

Design/methodology/approach

Seating usage studies (called seating sweeps), technology-assisted face-to-face surveys and observational data were used to assess library space usage and identify user behaviors.

Findings

Results from the study revealed higher library use than expected and provided insight into user behaviors and patterns.

Practical implications

The methods and study described aid in raising awareness of user experience within library spaces and provide valuable data for space redesign efforts.

Originality/value

The study builds upon methods described by Linn (2013) and combines traditional user experience methodologies to gain insight into library space use and user needs.

Details

New Library World, vol. 117 no. 5/6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0307-4803

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 1997

Qun G. Jiao and Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie

Reports on a study of 522 university students, undertaken to determine how often they used their library and why, as well as to develop a general profile of college student library

2339

Abstract

Reports on a study of 522 university students, undertaken to determine how often they used their library and why, as well as to develop a general profile of college student library users. Descriptive statistics revealed that the majority of students used the library at least once a week. Obtaining a book or an article for a course paper was the most common reason cited for library use, followed by studying for a test, and then using the computerized indexes and online facilities. A setwise multiple regression analysis reveals that students who used the libraries most tended to be older, male, those who did not speak English as their native language, who lived the nearest to the academic library, who preferred to study alone, and who had the lowest levels of library anxiety. In addition, these students tended to visit the library to study for a test, to read current newspapers, to read their own textbook, to use computerized indexes and online facilities, or to meet friends. Discusses the implications of these findings and makes recommendations for future research.

Details

Library Review, vol. 46 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0024-2535

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 July 2006

Niels Ole Pors

The paper analyses students' use of public libraries for study purposes and discusses the public library as a substitute or a complement for educational or academic libraries. The…

3699

Abstract

Purpose

The paper analyses students' use of public libraries for study purposes and discusses the public library as a substitute or a complement for educational or academic libraries. The paper also investigates which segments of students rely heavily on public libraries as services for study purposes.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is based on a comprehensive survey of Danish students from both universities and other higher institutions of education. The data collection was carried out by an online survey and the sample consists of students from all over the country covering a multitude of different institutions and subject areas.

Findings

It is evident from the research that students do not bypass the physical library and it is also evident that the use of physical libraries and digital resources complement each other. The place of Google in the students' information behaviour is prominent and positively correlated to use of traditional library resources. Nearly 60 per cent of all students use the local public library for study purposes. A small group consisting of 7 per cent of the students uses the public library as their only library for study purposes. One of the more striking findings is that the service level of public libraries in relation to study topics appears to be very uneven, which means that different groups of students have very varied probabilities of success using the public library. The data also indicates that students tend to look at libraries as a whole and do not make clear distinctions between different types of libraries, expecting the whole system to be seamless. The paper also relates the findings to the general body of literature on students' information seeking behaviour.

Research limitations/implications

The research raises questions concerning the detailed behaviour of students' information behaviour, for example, how they combine formalised resources with more general resources. The paper also indicates that it is probably counter‐productive to evaluate students as one group. Different segments of students have very different and varied information behaviour patterns depending on study topic, study year, psychological dispositions and other demographic factors.

Practical implications

The paper raises important managerial questions and concerns in relation to both the mission of public libraries and the service level given to different segments of students.

Originality/value

The research supports existing international research on students' information behaviour. The research is based on a comprehensive and nation‐wide sample and it emphasises students' information behaviour in relation to several important demographic factors, and it also asserts that it is important to investigate further the differing modes of behaviour. The paper points to the interplay between formalised information resources and search engines.

Details

New Library World, vol. 107 no. 7/8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0307-4803

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 December 2023

Asad Ullah Khan, Zhiqiang Ma, Mingxing Li, Liangze Zhi, Weijun Hu and Xia Yang

The evolution from emerging technologies to smart libraries is thoroughly analyzed thematically and bibliometrically in this research study, spanning 2013 through 2022. Finding…

Abstract

Purpose

The evolution from emerging technologies to smart libraries is thoroughly analyzed thematically and bibliometrically in this research study, spanning 2013 through 2022. Finding and analyzing the significant changes, patterns and trends in the subject as they are represented in academic papers is the goal of this research.

Design/methodology/approach

Using bibliometric methodologies, this study gathered and examined a large corpus of research papers, conference papers and related material from several academic databases.

Findings

Starting with Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data (BD), Augmentation Reality/Virtual Reality and Blockchain Technology (BT), the study discusses the advent of new technologies and their effects on libraries. Using bibliometric analysis, this study looks at the evolution of publications over time, the geographic distribution of research and the most active institutions and writers in the area. A thematic analysis is also carried out to pinpoint the critical areas of study and trends in emerging technologies and smart libraries. Some emerging themes are information retrieval, personalized recommendations, intelligent data analytics, connected library spaces, real-time information access, augmented reality/virtual reality applications in libraries and strategies, digital literacy and inclusivity.

Originality/value

This study offers a thorough overview of the research environment by combining bibliometric and thematic analysis, illustrating the development of theories and concepts during the last ten years. The results of this study helps in understanding the trends and future research directions in emerging technologies and smart libraries. This study is an excellent source of information for academics, practitioners and policymakers involved in developing and applying cutting-edge technology in library environments.

Article
Publication date: 1 March 2001

Qun G. Jiao and Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie

This study was conducted to identify graduate students’ predominant study habit strengths and weaknesses as well as to examine empirically the relationship between specific study

3503

Abstract

This study was conducted to identify graduate students’ predominant study habit strengths and weaknesses as well as to examine empirically the relationship between specific study habits and library anxiety. Participants were 133 graduate students in the field of education at a university in the southeast of the USA. These individuals were administered the study habits inventory (SHI) and the library anxiety scale (LAS). Findings revealed that students’ responses to 62.9 per cent of the 63 study habit statements in the SHI were indicative of appropriate study habits. Study habit weaknesses were identified in the areas of note‐taking and reading skills. An all possible subsets multiple regression analysis led to the identification of eight specific study behaviours that predicted levels of library anxiety. These study habits explained 45.8 per cent of the variance in library anxiety, which, using Cohen’s criteria, represents a large effect size. Implications for library anxiety reduction as a study habits intervention are discussed.

Details

Library Review, vol. 50 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0024-2535

Keywords

Abstract

Details

Inside Major East Asian Library Collections in North America, Volume 1
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80262-234-8

Abstract

Details

Looking for Information
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80382-424-6

Book part
Publication date: 21 November 2005

Gloria J. Leckie and Lisa M. Given

The history of the public library is long and rich, and continues to reflect this institution's initial mission: to respond to the needs of an evolving democratic society. From…

Abstract

The history of the public library is long and rich, and continues to reflect this institution's initial mission: to respond to the needs of an evolving democratic society. From its early days as a subscription service for the middle-class, through its evolution to become an educational site for the lower-classes and new immigrants, the public library has served as a touch-stone for urban industrial society in North America (Lerner, 1998, p. 138; Shera, 1974). Over the past century, public libraries have evolved to respond to the growing needs of the communities they serve and continue to do so with recent advances in technologies (such as DVDs, electronic books, the Internet, etc.), and with a more global outlook on the ways that people seek and share information. Indeed, the public library's constituents today are exceedingly diverse, including children and adults from a broad range of socio-economic, cultural, and educational backgrounds, all of whom seek information for a variety of personal and work-related purposes. The fact that public libraries have been fulfilling patrons' information needs for well over a century is a testament to their enduring success and versatility as information providers, and also points to the overall effectiveness of public librarians as intermediaries in the provision process.

Details

Advances in Librarianship
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-0-12024-629-8

Article
Publication date: 27 April 2018

Jason M. Vance

This case study provides a new methodology for examining patron-initiated noise complaints in academic libraries by mining virtual reference chat transcript logs. The purpose of…

Abstract

Purpose

This case study provides a new methodology for examining patron-initiated noise complaints in academic libraries by mining virtual reference chat transcript logs. The purpose of this study is to illustrate how noise complaints can be identified, analyzed and mapped to create a visual representation of the library’s soundscape.

Design/methodology/approach

This study reviewed 4,494 reference chat logs taken over four semesters at a large public university between August 2015 and May 2017. From these transcripts, the author identified 330 unique noise complaints and analyzed them by content, time of day, day of week, week of semester and floor of library. Complaints were also plotted on a library map to determine noise complaint hot spots.

Findings

Analysis of the noise complaints showed that 82 per cent of the reported incidents originated in designated quiet study zones and 55 per cent of the complaints occurred in the evenings when the library was more lightly staffed. Mapping the noise complaints revealed that most infractions were reported in areas where public computing areas and group study rooms were situated directly adjacent to designated quiet study areas.

Originality/value

Although there are numerous studies on noise in libraries and many published analyses of reference chat transcripts, this paper is the first to analyze chat transcripts for the purpose of studying noise complaints in the library. This paper is an expansion of a preliminary study presented at the 2016 Library Assessment Conference in Arlington, VA.

Details

Reference Services Review, vol. 46 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0090-7324

Keywords

Abstract

Details

Looking for Information
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80382-424-6

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