Silence in a Noisy World: Using Student Feedback to Enhance Library Silent Study Space

• Published in: Evidence based library and information practice 2019-01, Vol.14 (3), p.128-134
• Main Authors: Stemmer, John, Strawser, Michael G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic libraries; Collaboration; College students; Feedback; Public spaces
• ISSN: 1715-720X; 1715-720X
• DOI: 10.18438/eblip29581

The student user survey is conducted regularly, so the next step was to review it for data that would support the library's contention that more quiet study space was an outcome desired by students. It was fortunate for us that a number of questions addressed the quiet space concern, and we were even more fortunate that the answers all consistently pointed in the same direction a significant part of the student respondents wanted quiet library space and not just collaborative library space. Realizing that the historical trends also supported the library's point of view was a surprising discovery. Finally, having two complementary data sets, student responses on the survey and student actions from the headcounts collected, contributed to making a compelling case. Taken together, the results reveal necessary truths about library functionality and physical space design. Libraries today are central features on campus (Head, 2016). In some ways the library. has become a cultural icon. It must satisfy several dimensions of campus needs. The ability and necessity of the library to become a chameleon campus service are well known (Oliveira, 2018). As universities attempt to re-design the library to reach all student stakeholders uniquely, an emphasis on space to achieve individual learning mixed with collaborative design techniques is appropriate (Spencer & Watstein, 2017).