This study examines student use of and reaction to study spaces in academic libraries through the lenses of place attachment, including appropriation, affordance, and attention restoration theories. Experimenting with new methods of research (four of six methods were new), researchers identified the walking interview as the best for examining…

Although extensive research has looked at first-generation college students' experiences, little has examined the role of the library in their academic lives. This article reports the results of an exploratory study to better understand the experiences of first-generation college students at three universities. Key findings of this study focus on…

The term 'permeability' has morphed from is primarily technical origins into the lexicon of architecture as architects (and other professionals) sought better language to describe the relationships of spaces to their environments and other spaces and to the interactions of users with spaces. In higher education, permeability incorporates aspects…

In higher education, libraries are facing drastic spatial changes, transforming areas traditionally used for housing books to spaces for interaction and shifting from individual to team-based learning. This study (a) identifies space uses; (b) examines the environmental satisfaction, support for productivity, and perceived productivity depending…

During the spring 2017 semester, the staff at the Boston University School of Theology Library launched a space assessment project aimed at identifying underutilized and inefficiently used sections of the library to better meet the needs of users. Unsatisfied with patron count metrics like "total patron count" and "capacity…

"Student success" and the "user experience" are terms that have gained prominence in conversations around the ways in which academic libraries support and engage with their student populations. Ethnographic methods provide a unique opportunity to incorporate student voices into these conversations. This study reports on a…

What better way to drive home your vision of future ready libraries than to redesign your library spaces? But across a district, too often, school librarians are tackling this task on their own. Creating a district-wide plan for modernizing school libraries helps a district approach the problem strategically. The Eanes (TX) Independent School…

This paper compares the longitudinal results of three LibQUAL+ studies conducted at the University of Idaho Library. In particular, the most recent survey follows a major renovation that prioritized study space and a collaborative learning environment. The impact upon patron satisfaction across categories was examined and the highest satisfaction…

Adopting a demand-oriented perspective helps librarians to understand their users better. Involving them in ongoing changes has the potential to have a lasting positive effect on the satisfaction of existing users and the recruitment of new ones. Three case-studies, which involved creating new learning spaces at the University Library of…

An academic library's single service point, where users can get answers and help with their library needs in one place, is often the first and most popular place used by students. Studies assessing desk design are rare but needed to help guide planning for renovation or service model change. This study investigated an academic library's service…

This study explored students' perceptions of the library's impact on their academic success based on open-ended responses from a 2018 survey assessing student use and satisfaction. The qualitative findings demonstrated differences in the library resources students perceived as contributing to their achievements, based on such demographics as race,…

Arizona State University (ASU) is known for both enormous size and scale, as well as excellence in research and innovation. These attributes are embodied in the ideal of the "New American University." ASU Library, as a partner in the New American University, has reorganized itself, completed a large-scale renovation of its main library…

Multiple data collection or research methods exist for evaluating library spaces. Faced with numerous choices and limited time for gathering data, it becomes challenging for information professionals to determine the best way to proceed with evaluating their libraries' physical spaces. There is a gap in the literature on best practices for…

This article explores the library space needs and wants of graduate and undergraduate students at a medium-size state University in Southwest Florida. The researcher conducted a sequential explanatory mixed methods study in which they administered a survey to all currently enrolled graduate and undergraduate students at the university and followed…

This study explored the experiences of Muslim Arabic-speaking women international students (MASWIS) using a qualitative design method. A phenomenological approach included face-to-face interviews with five MASWIS who live in Chicago and three focus groups with seven additional participants (two groups in person and one online.) The data was…