Reblogged from elushika:
My research methods class has posed an interesting challenge, which is to re-think the user experience of the SVA library. Two of the library staff members visited our class to talk about the library’s user experience. They gave us plenty of information and pictures of the library layout. It was interesting to note that we have 2 locations and one of the locations is right across the street from my department floor. Embarrassingly, I had no idea about the library across the street.
The big question that I ask myself is who uses the library? Now before you offer your suggestions, hear me out.
The last time I stepped into library was (sad to say) during my bachelor’s degree. The only reason I did so, was to reference a research journal for a thesis paper. The internet poses the strongest competition to the libraries. Any question that I have, Google always comes to the rescue. Their apps, such as Google Books and Google Scholar can search for books and scholarly journals. For example: If I can find the “Review of micro/nano technologies and theories for electroporation of biological cells” which is an actual paper online, who needs to visit the library. I just found it, wearing my pjs’ and drinking some Port wine.
My perception of a library is very stereotypical. I think about dark corners, dusty books, ornate wooden paneling, multiple small chatters amongst students, that one student who wants to take an entire desk and the occasional shh. Rethinking the library user experience is much more than awareness and free internet. The user experience needs to cater to millennials. Rethinking the entire layout to include collaboration rooms, study rooms, or even a coffee shop. How about an easy way to find books, what about an app that tells you the exact location of a book in the library.
Rather than having a mindset of who needs a library? I am going in to this challenge with a mindset of ‘Let’s have people want to come to the library’.
