W.E.B. Du Bois Library Combining Quantitative and Qualitative Assessment of an Information Commons or Two Heads are Better than One – How Qualitative and.

W.E.B. Du Bois Library

Combining Quantitative and Qualitative Assessment of an Information Commons

orTwo Heads are Better than One – How Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment are Better Together

Rachel Lewellen and Gordon FretwellSeptember 26, 2006

Library Assessment ConferenceBuilding Effective, Sustainable,

Practical Assessment

2W.E.B. Du Bois Library

Overview

About the Learning Commons (LC)

About the observational study

About the focus groups

Conclusions based on combined data

Need for future assessment


About the Learning Commons

Facilities• Located in the Library, 23,000+ square feet, 17 group

study rooms, 250+ seats, 169+ computers

Services• Reference, Writing Center, Advising, Career Services,

Technology Assistance, Peer Tutoring, Coffee/Snack Café

Access to • Software, hardware, library print and electronic

resources, wired and wireless network access, multimedia tools, etc.


The Tower and the Courtyard


Lounge Seating


Public Computer Area


Study Pod Area


Group Study Room


Tall Café Style Table with View of Courtyard


Study Tables each with a Computer

11

Learning Commons Floor Plan


The Observational Study - Questions

What services are being used? When are services being used? Under what conditions are services used? Do we have enough workstations during peak

periods of use? How does use of the same space compare before

and after the implementation of the Learning Commons?


Observational Study

Revision of a similar counting survey done in 2001 For each survey period

• Once every hour that the LC was open a staff member walked around counting the individuals and activities in each of the predefined locations.

• 61 locations, service points or activities were defined and counted (group study rooms, tables, reference desk, computers used, cell phone users, sleepers etc.).

• Data was entered into Excel from tally sheets and analyzed. Six one-week surveys were completed (Oct 05-May 06)

• One shortly after opening (before 24/5 hours)• One during exam period

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Learning Commons Usage Survey Tally SheetSpring Semester 2006

Survey Date : WEDNESDAY 5/17 Nominal Time____________Collector Time started countTime finished count

# Fixed UserSeats Count

Elevator LobbyElevator Lobby Phone & queue

Assistive Technologies services workstations - 6 total6High tables (beneath east stairs)(2@2 each) - 4 total4Tables wired for elec. but not data (12@ 2 each)24Main lounge seating area - 20 total20"Dark" seating (beneath west stairs) - 10 total10Dictionary Stands 2 total 2

Reference Workstations - 58 total58Reference Wkstn queueRef. Wkstns lounge seating along windows - 6 total6Reference Consultation OfficeReference Desk 2Reference Desk queueTunnel corridor/NW corner tables - 42 total42Reference Book Stacks

ILL Service WindowILL services window - high table - 3 total2ILL services window - low table (3@4 seats) - 12 total12

Microform/CPR entrance tables (3@4 seats) - 12 total12CPR Browsing area 2Microform storage area tables (15@6 seats) - 90 total90Atlas & Consultation casesInformation table at wall

Duplicated Sleepers tally (entire floor)

Duplicated Lap Top & PDA Users (entire floor)


Observational Study Results

Building traffic increased 53% between 2001 and 2006. Use of the main floor (Learning Commons floor) increased

190% between 2001 and 2006. Overnight hours are popular all semester and especially so

at exam time. Students use of a variety of seating configurations and

locations. High-use times across a day and throughout the week were

identified with implications for staffing service points. Laptop use is substantial (10% of LC users). Cell phone use is ubiquitous but not overwhelming. 1.2%

of LC clientele were using cell phones. Use was distributed proportionally during the open hours.


Daily Use of the Library BuildingTypical Week in March

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Users FY2001

FY2006

Use Increased


New Questions Raised

We wanted to know more about the areas that were most heavily used

Were the areas that were used at equal levels liked equally?

What attributes made areas heavily/lightly used?• Was noise a factor?

We wanted to know if users cared about the requirement to log in to some of the computers

We wanted information about future development• What changes would students like to see?• What would users like in a separate quiet study area?


About the Focus Group Study

Follow-up to observational study Times and locations for invitations to participate

were randomly generated LC staff members/assessment librarian issued

invitations Free beverage coupons offered as incentive Three focus group meetings and an individual

interview – April 2006 Diverse mix of students


Discussion Topics

Favorite and least favorite areas of the LC and their attributes

Discussion of specific areas including: study pods, study rooms, public stations, tables, and lounge chairs

Development of quiet areas Development of the courtyard


Focus Group Results

Students liked the study pods area best

They liked the public station area least

They want more electrical and Ethernet connectivity

Additional feedback about remaining locations


Study Pod Area


Another Study Pod Picture


Public Station Area


Findings from Combined Data

The public stations and study pod areas were used equally but the public stations were the least favorite of all LC locations and the study pods were the favorite location for students.

Students wanted more computers with larger work surfaces.

Choice of seating location was at times driven by proximity to electrical or wired Ethernet access.

Cell phone use is common and fairly steady but students generally feel that individuals are attuned to noise and courtesy issues themselves

One set of lounge chairs had extremely low use - the location was too sunny and/or chairs were too close to computer stations –some students didn’t even know lounge chairs were there at all.


Need for Future Assessment

How does the space contribute to learning? Does the LC foster a sense of community and support

diversity? What are students doing in the space - is it many different

things? Are the right services provided? Are more/others needed? Do the students feel their needs and/or expectations are

being met? What is lacking? Are faculty teaching differently or seeing changes they

attribute to the LC – what impact has this had on teaching and faculty perception of the impact on student learning?

What kind of innovation is born here? How do we know?


Complete Observational Study & Focus Group Information Learning Commons Assessment

http://www.library.umass.edu/assessment/learningcommons.html

Observational Study Data• Summary data• Raw data by week• Comparative charts

Focus Group Report

Other LC assessment activities and data• Reference transactions, Café sales, Writing Center consultations,

LC survey etc.


Contact Us

Gordon Fretwell Statistics ConsultantUniversity of Massachusetts [email protected]

Rachel LewellenAssessment LibrarianUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst413 545-3343 [email protected]

W.E.B. Du Bois Library Combining Quantitative and Qualitative Assessment of an Information Commons or Two Heads are Better than One – How Qualitative and.

Documents

bois library study tables

bois library findings

bois library overview

bois library group study

increased slide

library print

bois library new questions

study pod picture slide