Journal of Information and Knowledge (Formerly SRELS Journal of Information Management)

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Re-Purposing the Library Space in the Digital Era: A study


Affiliations
1 Assistant Librarian, Central Library, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi – 110067, India
     

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Purpose: The round the clock availability of information sources, high speed internet in the 4G era, low cost of data download, cheaper cost of laptops and smart phones are factors impacting the purpose users’ visit to libraries. Library users visit less for the purposes of issue/return, browsing and searching information in the print holdings of the library. The users are rather spending more time in study, accessing e-resources, socialize with friends, discuss with peer group, etc. in the library building. The libraries in the developed countries have already recognized the need of the hour and re-designed their space to create a variety of reading space, creative space, Makers space, quiet space, etc. in the existing library buildings. But libraries in higher education institutions in India are yet to seriously consider the users’ need with respect to library space use. The present study has been conducted to find the users’ opinion and views to re-purpose the library space to meet their need. Research Methodology: Survey method has been used gather the views and opinion of library users. Printed questionnaires were distributed to the users present in the reading halls of the library. Due to paucity of time the research was limited to Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and Delhi University, New Delhi. Online questionnaires were distributed to faculty members as they visit the library less frequently. The collected data was analyzed with MS-EXCEL and hypothesis tested using Kruskal Wallis test. Findings: Students and Research Scholars visit daily and spend more than four hours in the library building. They use their time in study, accessing e-resources in the reading hall of the library than any other place. The views of the all the users suggest that the library should have wi-fi facilities, power point for plug laptops and mobile phones, washroom near reading hall, quiet space, and clean ambient environment for longer hour study in the library building. Originality: The study is useful for Librarians for designing and refurbishing their library space.

Keywords

Interior Design of Library, Library Architecture, Library Building, Library Space Management, Re-Purpose Library Space.
User
About The Author

Sushant Panigrahi
Assistant Librarian, Central Library, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi – 110067
India


Notifications

  • Musoke, M. G. N. (2008). Strategies for addressing the university library users’ changing needs and practices in Sub- Saharan Africa. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 34(6): 532-538. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2008.10.002.

  • Stewart, C. (2009). The Academic Library Building in the Digital Age: A Study of Construction, Planning, and Design of New Library Space. Chicago: ACRL; p. 116.

  • Applegate, R. (2009). The library is for studying: Student preferences for study space. The Journal of Academic Librarianship. 35: 341-346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. acalib.2009.04.004.

  • Norton, H. F., Butson, L. C., Tennant, M. R. and Botero, C. E. (2013). Space planning: A renovation saga involving library users. Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 32(2): 133-150. https://doi.org/10.1080/02763869.2013.776879.

  • Hall, K. and Kapa, D. (2015). Silent and independent: Student use of academic library study space. Partnership. The Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research, 10(1): https://doi.org/10.21083/partnership. v10i1.3338.

  • Choy, F. C. and Goh, S. N. (2016). A framework for planning academic library spaces. Library Management, 37: 13-28. https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-01-2016-0001.

  • Nichols, J., Melo, M. and Dewland, J. (2017). Unifying space and service for makers, entrepreneurs, and digital scholars. Portal: Libraries and the Academy, 17(2): 363-374. https:// doi.org/10.1353/pla.2017.0022.

  • Hillman, C., Blackburn, K., Shamp, K. and Nunez, C. (2017). User-focused, user-led: space assessment to transform a small academic library. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice. 12(4): 41-61. https://doi. org/10.18438/B83X00.

  • Spencer, M. E. and Watstein, S. B. (2017). Academic library spaces: Advancing student success and helping students thrive. Portal: Libraries and the Academy, 17(2): 389-402. https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2017.0024.

  • Miller, K, Champion, E., Summers, L., Lugmayr, A. and Clarke, M. (2018). The role of responsive library makerspaces in supporting informal learning in the digital humanities. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102023- 4.00007-0.

  • Hegde, A. L., Boucher, T. M. and Lavelle, A. D. (2018). How do you work? Understanding user needs for responsive study space design. College and Research Libraries, 895-915. https://crl.acrl.org/index.php/crl/article/view/16852. https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.79.7.895.

  • Hin, L., Fan, L. and Boysu, W. (2018). Impacts of library space on learning satisfaction - An empirical study of university library design in Guangzhou, China. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 44(6): 724-737. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.acalib.2018.10.003.

  • Stemmer, J. and Strawser, M. G. (2019). Silence in a noisy world: Using student feedback to enhance library silent study space. evidence based library and information practice, 14(3): 128-134. https://doi.org/10.18438/eblip29581.

  • Lindsay, O., Kirk, J. and Eastman, T. (2020). Creating collaborative library spaces through partnerships with campus organizations. Journal of Library Administration, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2020.1748432.


Abstract Views: 279

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  • Re-Purposing the Library Space in the Digital Era: A study

Abstract Views: 279  |  PDF Views: 4

Authors

Sushant Panigrahi
Assistant Librarian, Central Library, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi – 110067, India

Abstract


Purpose: The round the clock availability of information sources, high speed internet in the 4G era, low cost of data download, cheaper cost of laptops and smart phones are factors impacting the purpose users’ visit to libraries. Library users visit less for the purposes of issue/return, browsing and searching information in the print holdings of the library. The users are rather spending more time in study, accessing e-resources, socialize with friends, discuss with peer group, etc. in the library building. The libraries in the developed countries have already recognized the need of the hour and re-designed their space to create a variety of reading space, creative space, Makers space, quiet space, etc. in the existing library buildings. But libraries in higher education institutions in India are yet to seriously consider the users’ need with respect to library space use. The present study has been conducted to find the users’ opinion and views to re-purpose the library space to meet their need. Research Methodology: Survey method has been used gather the views and opinion of library users. Printed questionnaires were distributed to the users present in the reading halls of the library. Due to paucity of time the research was limited to Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and Delhi University, New Delhi. Online questionnaires were distributed to faculty members as they visit the library less frequently. The collected data was analyzed with MS-EXCEL and hypothesis tested using Kruskal Wallis test. Findings: Students and Research Scholars visit daily and spend more than four hours in the library building. They use their time in study, accessing e-resources in the reading hall of the library than any other place. The views of the all the users suggest that the library should have wi-fi facilities, power point for plug laptops and mobile phones, washroom near reading hall, quiet space, and clean ambient environment for longer hour study in the library building. Originality: The study is useful for Librarians for designing and refurbishing their library space.

Keywords


Interior Design of Library, Library Architecture, Library Building, Library Space Management, Re-Purpose Library Space.

References