W.E.B. Du Bois Library Assessing the Learning Commons Rachel Lewellen, Assessment Librarian...

W.E.B. Du Bois Library

Assessing the Learning Commons

Rachel Lewellen, Assessment LibrarianUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst, USA

5th AMICAL Conference May 25-28, 2008

2W.E.B. Du Bois Library

About the Learning Commons

Facilities• Located in the Library, 25,000+ square feet, 17 group

study rooms, 250+ seats, 200+ computers, quiet study spaces

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


Quiet Study


Quiet Study


Procrastination Station Cafe



Assessment Approaches

Needs Assessment• Focus groups• Placemat exercise• Site visits

Early Assessment• Surveys

Ongoing Assessment• Observational Study

• Focus Group• LibQUAL+• Comments

Future Assessment


Focus Group Questions and Procedure

Introduce the Learning Commons Concept Brainstorm about what services and technologies you want in a

learning commons space ?• Assign a priority - Important, Somewhat Important, or Not Very

Important. Which of these services and technologies would you actually visit

the Learning Commons to use? Comment on desired social environment

• Assign apriority - Important, Somewhat Important, or Not Very Important.

Have you visited a student learning commons space at another institution?

• Describe what was desirable or memorable about the space, social environment, services, and/or technology provided there.

16

SERVICES, TECHNOLOGIES, ENVIRONMENT ImportantSomewhat Important

Not VeryImportant

Worth a visit to the LC?

Multiple Sessions

Human Kiosk (financial aid, registration, barsars, etc.)-circular X XX

Open PCs & MACs; Wireless X XX

Food, Student lounge--snacks, coffee, room with vending machines; study and eat at tables; room could be set aside; Ucard 17 0 0 X XX

Quiet, comfortable study space (includes single person seating) 17 0 0

Group meeting and study rooms 17 0 0

Comfortable chairs, desks, tables with outlets and ethernet 17 0 0

Computer labs: scanners, cd, dvd burners, headphones 16 1 0 X XX

Printing: inexpensive, include some free prints per semester, dedicated stations; color; transparencies 15 0 1 X XX

Hours: as long as possible, 24/7 room for computers, food, librarian, printers, technology help 14 2 0 X XX

OIT help: PC repair; software support; access to Internet after virus (combine with SPIRE) 11 5 1 X XX

Student artwork and plants 9 0 0

TV for announcements, events, campus news 9 0 0

Improved signage (particularly entrance floor) 9 0 0

Textbooks from courses on reserve; on this floor; reserves needs more space for materials; more copies of materials; check-out for longer periods 8 0 0 X X

Place to relax and take a break; take a short nap (doesn't have to be on this floor) 8 0 0

Help with SPIRE; representative on site; never open when you need them; evenings and weekends; special dedicated area during registration 7 7 3 X XX

Someone to assist with finding books 7 2 0

Writing Center support (would use it here and don't while it is in Bartlett) 6 7 4 X

Reference and information assistance; one stop desk 5 3 0 X


17

SERVICES, TECHNOLOGIES, ENVIRONMENT ImportantSomewhat Important

Not VeryImportant

Worth a visit to the LC?

Multiple Sessions

Multimedia production/service point (advice and support) 5 2 1

Periodical reading room: most recent month's magazines 5 X 3

Media Viewing rooms: DVDs, VHS on Reserve (Amherst College has nice set-up); editing (Open all the hours of the library); lectures on tape, cassette, DVD 4 4 0 X XX

Check out laptops with wireless cards 4 4 0 X XX

Tas and faculty--spaces to interact with them; offices; office hours 4 4 0 X

Someone to retrieve books from the stacks for us (email call numbers to library, they would pull them, and we would pick them up at Circ) 4 3 1

Mini campus store: paper, zip disks, presentation materials 3 5 1

Microfiche reader/printer 3 4 1

Faxing, scanning, copying 2 6 0 X

Statistical software: SAS, SPSS; MathCAD 2 6 0

Help desk for all levels of computer literacy 2 4 2

Getting notes from a class: put notes on web or in hard copy (reserves?) 1 1 7

Projectors to view finished work; projection room 0 8 0 X X

Review sessions for exams with Tas 0 2 6

More online databases X

Improved lighting





Site Visits

Site Visits to• University of Arizona• Indiana University Bloomington

Questions:• Structure Organization and Management• Staff Services and Policies• Spaces and Furnishings• Technology

Questions identified by Library Staff


TopicDefinition, Mission, Philosophy

why did you create this space?

demographics of campus?

Planning processinvolvement by students and faculty? lessons learned?

Fund-raising

Costs/Budget staff start-up on-going

Lessons learned what worked? what didn't work? What didn't you anticpate?changes implemented or planned?

Services provided# of service points? which services offered?

which services provided elsewhere on campus?

what should have been included that wasn't?

What has been added or dropped? Any svcs moved here permanently?

Collaborations? between service desks?

how did relationships change?

what should have been included that wasn't?

what budget/staffing was needed to come into the facility?

Hours

Management

Staffing use of students back-up

all new positions? Re-writing vacant positions? How did staff adjust to the changes?

did staff embrace or fight changes?

Training staff, students initial and on-going how accomplished? Philosophy? lessons learned

Events who coordinates? software? how info disseminated?IC only or campus activities?

Floorplan what worked? what didn't work?

Traffic flow and capacity

Traffic patterns, queues, etc.

Staff work spaces on the commons or where? at the service point?

Furniture types and numbers of configurations student preferences vendors lessons learned

Outsourcing

Topic

Food and beverage

Security

Custodial

Signage

Quiet/Noisy spaces

Cell phone

Networking

Hardware

Equipment peripherals? laptop lending?

Software scheduling events licensed images

Web site serve IC; virtual IC who responsible? software?

Pedagogy, teaching

Assessment/evaluation types of data collected? surveys? traffic counts

Learning Commons' Visit Issues and Questions

Areas of Interest

Specific Questions

Specific Questions


DEFINED SPACES (Functional) - REVISED 061704

PRIORITY TOPIC

A-1Flexible, open spaces with computers on tables, student computer and library research space; no doors; low noise

A-1Electronic computer classrooms with computers on tables with teacher's station & projector; door; noisy

A-1 Quiet, individual study space

A-1 Disability services (adaptive technology)

A-2

Projection/practice spaces for collaboration, breakout rooms, portable classrooms, supplemental instruction spaces, schedulable subject-specific pods, spaces for students, TA's, and faculty to interact, group work spaces; mix of door/open spaces for groups of 1-10; 11-25; and 25-50; quiet if 1 & noisy if more than 1 person; flexible

A-2 Lecture rooms (50-100 people) with chairs and teacher's station & projector; door; noisy

A-2 Media viewing rooms / Multimedia for film viewing or music listening

A-2 Improved newspaper / magazine / journal display and browsing area

A-2 Mini campus store (sells headphones, diskettes, CD-R, etc.) (pay with UCard)

A-3 Portable classrooms with laptops and projectors

A-3 Human kiosk: one-stop service desk (for seasonal/satellite services)

A-3 Break area / lounge

A-3 Coffee bar

A-3 Vending machines

A-3 Café


UMass Amherst Learning Commons W.E.B. Du Bois Main Floor

Room/Space Data Sheet

DEPARTMENT: Learning Commons COMPONENT: Office of Information Technology AREA/ROOM: Consultation Rooms (2) USE: Consultation rooms for:

OIT Help Desk Software Support OCCUPANTS: 4 (2 people in each of 2 enclosures) SIZE: 2 @ 75 square feet each RELATIONSHIPS: Next to Technology Service Desk FURNITURE: In each room: Glass walled enclosure (walls not to ceiling) Pull-down shades or blinds or frosted glass 1 table 42”D x 72”W table (not necessarily

rectangular)-holds workstation 2 chairs on wheels Dry erase board Locking storage shelf/cabinet above desk FIXTURES/EQPT: In each room: Workstation with dedicated printer Wireless and Ethernet FINISHES: M.E.P. REQ’S.:


November 2005 Survey

Demographics including ALANA - ALANA at UMass Amherst includes those students who are: American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, African American, Cape Verdean, and Hispanic/Latino

What part of the LC are you using? Where are you sitting today? Are you alone or with others? Computer ownership 10 questions plus comments


March 2006 Survey

23 questions on a paper survey Mix of open-ended and forced choice Demographic questions Time, location and frequency of use Preferred forms of interaction (face-to-face, chat,

email, instant messaging, phone etc.)


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• Sept 06 – April 07• Sept 07 – April 08


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?

28

29

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. 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 wired 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.


Web Comment Form


Learning Commons Blog

Responses to “Why do YOU use the Learning Commons?”

Andrea Says: I use the tables because I often use the

wireless printing to the LC B/W printer, and if I have to be there to pick it up, I might as well spend the 20 minutes prior (during which I am frantically finishing my paper) there too. I would actually like if the wifi printing were available elsewhere on campus, too, tbh…sometimes the LC is really out of the way. :-\



Michel Says:

As a commuter student, having available computers on campus makes it easier to get any extra work done before and/or in between classes. Also, there is an atmosphere of being a part of a learning community that helps foster productivity.



Sarah Says:

I use the LC mostly for printing, and I have to admit how frustrating it is to stand in line for a computer just so I can print something out. I don’t live on campus, though, so the Remote Printing isn’t an option. It would be really cool if the library could start up something like a few “printing only” computers, so people could just log on, print something, and get out.


Learning Commons Blog Responses

Thanks for all the great comments. Just to respond to a few…

Andrea, I’ll pass on your comment about making remote printing available elsewhere on campus to OIT.

Sarah, you’ll be glad to hear that we are actively discussing creating some express workstations just for people to use for printing. Stay tuned…hope to have more news on that soon.

Thank you again to everyone who has commented! Keep ‘em coming…


LibQUAL+Comparing 2004 and 2007

Undergraduates - Library as Place2004 & 2007

5

6

7

8

9

2004 2007

5

6

7

8

9

Graduate Students - Library as Place2004 & 2007

5

6

7

8

9

2004 2007

5

6

7

8

9

Faculty - Library as Place2004 & 2007

5

6

7

8

9

2004 2007

5

6

7

8

9

DesiredPerceivedMinimum


LibQUAL+ Comments

595 Comments

Undergraduates comments focused primarily on the Learning Commons• High traffic and noise• More resources – especially computers• More group study rooms

“I absolutely LOVE the learning commons. The only problem is that everyone else loves it too”

-Quote from an undergraduate -


Concrete Outcomes of Assessment

Quick print stations Copiers on upper stack floors – contract

negotiations Furniture decisions Quiet study areas Cell zones More circulating laptops Increased hours for reserves User policies Campus commitment to the Learning Commons


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?


UMass Assessment 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• Survey presentation and results• Other LC assessment activities and data

• Reference transactions, Café sales, Writing Center consultations, LC survey etc.

LibQUAL+ Data http://www.library.umass.edu/assessment/libqual.html


Contact

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

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