This is a very working draft of possible thoughts/questions for studying our space this term. See below - EVERYTHING is up for discussion/debate (even the goals). At the bottom I've gone through the "user needs study ideas" and have listed what I found to be the most asked questions and then another group of questions that were proposed - but not with the regularity of the first group. Depending on how big we want this to get - we can use these questions to find out the questions staff most want to know answers to. Please review and give feedback.
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- count users in all of our spaces on an hourly basis - (possible via gate count)unmigrated-wiki-markup
- count users in the zones of our spaces on an hourly basis \ [24 hr and group study hr and group study spaces, use of LAN computers for MIT and non-MIT\] - _(would just need to define/map zones in each library - and then decide who would count and how the counting would occur)_
- conduct study over multiple sample weeks during semester - (two or three times?)
- compare observational data to Aleph transactions happening during sample weeks and referrals/Ask Us questions or away from desk/Reserch Consultations during those sample weeks - (is this data Lisa S. could gather in her data role?)
- another interesting data question from CQ: is there any hourly data to be gathered from use of our web site, research guides, Barton OPAC, ILLiad or Vera resources that could inform when our users are actively working?
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Question/themes ideas taken from "User Needs study ideas"
Most often asked/mentioned questions:
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- would you be more likely to visit a library if it had a cafe? Would you like to be able to eat/drink in the library?
- what is the best time for you to do work or study?
- what times of day are you the most productive? lazy? curious?
- on average, how much time do you spend in the library?
- what is the earliest hour of the day that you would ever expect to be able to get into a) library study space, b) library print collections ?
- do you do in the library/why do you come to the library? (what are users doing in our spaces @ different times of the day? i.e. how does time of day affect how a library is used?)
- what percentage of your work time/study time is individual and what percentage is groupmakes you choose library space for your work?
- what is the one thing about the libraries at MIT that you would change if you could?
- what level of noise and activity are you willing to tolerate?how is the room temperature?
- Why do you come to the library?
- what makes you choose library space for your work?
- do you feel secure/ safe in the library?
- where is you are your favorite place places to study , - in or out of the libraries?
- what equipment do you have more need for study space or for access to our print collections?
- what would make you come to the library more often?
- what equipment do students usually carry with them? (laptops, smartphones, ebook readers, camera, etc.)
- do you expect the libraries to provide ANY equipment?
- do you need library computers? or do you prefer to do as much work as possible on your own laptop?
- is there special equipment that you would find useful for the libraries to providebring to the library? what equipment do you expect to find in the library? what equipment would you like to find in the library?
- if you don't work regularly (or ever) in a library space, why not?
- what type of spaces do users see us lackingwould make you come more often?
- what % of your work time/study time is individual and what % is group? do you do both in the library?
- what are three positive and three negative words you would use to describe our spaces?
- Do you browse the print collections?
- Do you find the library staff to be approachable? Helpful?
- what hours are the most important to you for the libraries to be open?
- what is lacking in our spaces that require spaces are we lacking? is there something missing that requires you to leave when you'd rather keep working?
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Other questions/themes which emerged:
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- what are three positive and three negative words you would use to describe our spacestimes of day are you the most productive? lazy? curious?
- on average, how much time do you spend in the library?
- how is the room temperature?
- do you have more need for study space or for access to our print collections?
- what is your favorite feature of the library?
- are library hours adequate?
- which part of campus are you in most frequently?
- How spaces are used by activity and by time of day. Which times of day do people use our spaces and for what? How busy are the group study rooms.?How well do we meet people's needs as a mobile workspace? Carrells, lockers, laptop safety, outlets, mobile printing.
- questions about Hayden: is first floor best spot for browseable collections
- is browsing in stacks needed? how many people still want to browse
- do you find the library staff to be approachable? helpful?
- is there anything that you found useful at another library, that MIT Libraries could be doing?
- ways to secure laptops and other belongings... to prevent theft
- what hours are the most important to you for the libraries to be open?
- how would you rate our facilities?
- do you use one of our 24 hour rooms? which one? advantages? do you need more?physical collections vs. study spaces: which is more important to our users?
- if the libraries added more 24 hour study space, where would you want it to be?how do you use library spaces, online tools, or non-library online tools in group settings?
- what is most challenging about studying in Hayden, Rotch... ?
- do users choose different library study spaces (group vs. individual) depending on the type of work, or do they typically use library study spaces for a particular purpose?
- how do users want to access our print materials?
- if print reserves were in only one library would students continue to use them in the same way? which library would be the most conducive to student needs
- who browses?
- what services do people expect at the library service desk
- how many books did you check out of the MIT Libraries last semester?