Evaluating Library Spaces while Developing a "Culture of Assessment"

BackgroundSince 2012, Singapore Management University’s (SMU) Li Ka Shing Library has been actively responding to three primary drivers of change: The first is the University’s educational initiative to encourage blended learning and project based learning; The second is the need to increase the qua...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: CRIBB, Gulcin, HANKEN, Tamera, GOTTIPATI, Swapna
Format: text
Language:English
Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2015
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/library_research/101
https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1102&context=library_research
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Institution: Singapore Management University
Language: English
id sg-smu-ink.library_research-1102
record_format dspace
institution Singapore Management University
building SMU Libraries
continent Asia
country Singapore
Singapore
content_provider SMU Libraries
collection InK@SMU
language English
topic academic libraries
Singapore Management University
library spaces
evaluation
business improvement
Library and Information Science
spellingShingle academic libraries
Singapore Management University
library spaces
evaluation
business improvement
Library and Information Science
CRIBB, Gulcin
HANKEN, Tamera
GOTTIPATI, Swapna
Evaluating Library Spaces while Developing a "Culture of Assessment"
description BackgroundSince 2012, Singapore Management University’s (SMU) Li Ka Shing Library has been actively responding to three primary drivers of change: The first is the University’s educational initiative to encourage blended learning and project based learning; The second is the need to increase the quality and quantity of Library spaces, to create more quiet spaces, to improve the zoning for teaching and learning activities in support of collaborative, team and project based learning; The third is the Library’s own Culture of Assessment initiative to encourage decision making and continuous improvement based on data and evidence.In late 2013, the Library received funding to begin staged renovations based on a master planning exercise initiated in 2012 which included observational studies, focus groups and interviews to inform space planning. Additional assessment methods included a 2013 LibQual survey, an SMU Student Association survey, student, staff and faculty feedback collected over 3 years.While the master planning for the Library space renovations were underway, librarians and staff were participating in the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training offered through SMU’s Office of Business Improvement. Methods learned in the training informed space planning decisions and now are informing assessment of the space renovation.In November 2013, priority library spaces targeted for immediate implementation were identified with objectives to increase seating, provide more flexible multi-use learning and teaching spaces. In August 2014, the renovations were completed which included a 24/7 Learning Commons area with a separate entrance, with two shareable technology enabled project rooms, a reflective area for quiet study, two ‘phone booths’, study booths and the Hive, a flexible learning space equipped with innovative technology for collaborative, project based learning.PurposeAt the completion of the first term, December 2014, the Library is performing an assessment to measure the outcomes and impact of the new learning spaces. The assessment activities are providing an opportunity for librarians to apply knowledge and methods as learned in the Lean Six Sigma training to build and enforce management competencies related to continuous assessment and improvement. The results of the assessment will be used to inform continuous improvements to the spaces and to demonstrate the extent the Library, as a flexible learning space, contributes to the success of teaching, learning and community activities.The assessment will also contribute to the literature that examines how students and faculty engage with learning spaces designed to encourage discussion, collaboration and project based learning. To fully benefit from the assessment, both quantitative and qualitative evaluations and deeper analysis will be undertaken.Design, methodology or approachThe methodology applied involves both qualitative and quantitative measures to determine the extent the new spaces are meeting the needs of faculty and students; and, to increase the understanding of how the library spaces directly contribute to teaching and learning success.Methods used, within the Six Sigma framework of Design, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control, includes: focus group results; quantitative and textual analysis of suggestion board feedback; observational studies and LibQual surveys. Each of the methods applied in 2015 will be benchmarked against 2013 results to study the impact.The previous works majorly focussed on the quantitative studies to study the various aspects of library spaces. However, the qualitative analysis which comes majorly in the form of free text is not analysed for evaluations. In this work, with support from SMU’s School of Information Systems, we adopt algorithms from text mining research to aid the analysis of the users’ feedback which is expressed in free text. Such analysis aids in the study correlated aspects as well as to discover the users’ opinions or suggestions towards the library spaces.Originality and value of the proposalFindings will be of interest to other libraries embarking on library space transformation projects as well as libraries interested in using space assessment as a professional learning development exercise.
format text
author CRIBB, Gulcin
HANKEN, Tamera
GOTTIPATI, Swapna
author_facet CRIBB, Gulcin
HANKEN, Tamera
GOTTIPATI, Swapna
author_sort CRIBB, Gulcin
title Evaluating Library Spaces while Developing a "Culture of Assessment"
title_short Evaluating Library Spaces while Developing a "Culture of Assessment"
title_full Evaluating Library Spaces while Developing a "Culture of Assessment"
title_fullStr Evaluating Library Spaces while Developing a "Culture of Assessment"
title_full_unstemmed Evaluating Library Spaces while Developing a "Culture of Assessment"
title_sort evaluating library spaces while developing a "culture of assessment"
publisher Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University
publishDate 2015
url https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/library_research/101
https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1102&context=library_research
_version_ 1712301602010824704
spelling sg-smu-ink.library_research-11022017-09-11T08:23:43Z Evaluating Library Spaces while Developing a "Culture of Assessment" CRIBB, Gulcin HANKEN, Tamera GOTTIPATI, Swapna BackgroundSince 2012, Singapore Management University’s (SMU) Li Ka Shing Library has been actively responding to three primary drivers of change: The first is the University’s educational initiative to encourage blended learning and project based learning; The second is the need to increase the quality and quantity of Library spaces, to create more quiet spaces, to improve the zoning for teaching and learning activities in support of collaborative, team and project based learning; The third is the Library’s own Culture of Assessment initiative to encourage decision making and continuous improvement based on data and evidence.In late 2013, the Library received funding to begin staged renovations based on a master planning exercise initiated in 2012 which included observational studies, focus groups and interviews to inform space planning. Additional assessment methods included a 2013 LibQual survey, an SMU Student Association survey, student, staff and faculty feedback collected over 3 years.While the master planning for the Library space renovations were underway, librarians and staff were participating in the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training offered through SMU’s Office of Business Improvement. Methods learned in the training informed space planning decisions and now are informing assessment of the space renovation.In November 2013, priority library spaces targeted for immediate implementation were identified with objectives to increase seating, provide more flexible multi-use learning and teaching spaces. In August 2014, the renovations were completed which included a 24/7 Learning Commons area with a separate entrance, with two shareable technology enabled project rooms, a reflective area for quiet study, two ‘phone booths’, study booths and the Hive, a flexible learning space equipped with innovative technology for collaborative, project based learning.PurposeAt the completion of the first term, December 2014, the Library is performing an assessment to measure the outcomes and impact of the new learning spaces. The assessment activities are providing an opportunity for librarians to apply knowledge and methods as learned in the Lean Six Sigma training to build and enforce management competencies related to continuous assessment and improvement. The results of the assessment will be used to inform continuous improvements to the spaces and to demonstrate the extent the Library, as a flexible learning space, contributes to the success of teaching, learning and community activities.The assessment will also contribute to the literature that examines how students and faculty engage with learning spaces designed to encourage discussion, collaboration and project based learning. To fully benefit from the assessment, both quantitative and qualitative evaluations and deeper analysis will be undertaken.Design, methodology or approachThe methodology applied involves both qualitative and quantitative measures to determine the extent the new spaces are meeting the needs of faculty and students; and, to increase the understanding of how the library spaces directly contribute to teaching and learning success.Methods used, within the Six Sigma framework of Design, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control, includes: focus group results; quantitative and textual analysis of suggestion board feedback; observational studies and LibQual surveys. Each of the methods applied in 2015 will be benchmarked against 2013 results to study the impact.The previous works majorly focussed on the quantitative studies to study the various aspects of library spaces. However, the qualitative analysis which comes majorly in the form of free text is not analysed for evaluations. In this work, with support from SMU’s School of Information Systems, we adopt algorithms from text mining research to aid the analysis of the users’ feedback which is expressed in free text. Such analysis aids in the study correlated aspects as well as to discover the users’ opinions or suggestions towards the library spaces.Originality and value of the proposalFindings will be of interest to other libraries embarking on library space transformation projects as well as libraries interested in using space assessment as a professional learning development exercise. 2015-07-01T07:00:00Z text application/pdf https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/library_research/101 https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1102&context=library_research http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Research Collection Library eng Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University academic libraries Singapore Management University library spaces evaluation business improvement Library and Information Science