STUDENT AND STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF UNIVERSITY LIBRARY USAGE- COMPAR

The University of Southern Mississippi The Aquila Digital Community Higher Education Doctoral Projects School of Education Spring 5-2-2019 STUDENT AND STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF UNIVERSITY LIBRARY USAGE: COMPARING REALITY TO INTERPRETATION OF SPACE USAGE Sarah R Mangrum Follow this and additional works at: https://aquila.usm.edu/highereddoctoralprojects Part of the Higher Education Commons STUDENT AND STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF UNIVERSITY LIBRARY USAGE: COMPARING REALITY TO INTERPRETATION OF SPACE USAGE by Sarah R Mangrum A Doctoral Project Submitted to, the College of Education and Human Sciences and the School of Education at The University of Southern Mississippi in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education May 2019 This Doctoral Project was approved by: Dr Holly Foster Advisor Dr Sandra Nichols Director COPYRIGHT BY Sarah R Mangrum 2019 Published by the School of Education ii ABSTRACT The role of the academic library, student library usage, and faculty perceptions of student learning have been separate ongoing discussions in higher education for many years The purpose of this study was to bring those conversations together and illustrate how students at The University of Southern Mississippi are currently using Cook Library, their preferences for library space usage, and the faculty/staff perceptions of student usage This study was conducted to address the problem of how to effectively bring the expectations of students and library faculty/staff together so that library spaces and environments can be updated or created to fit the needs of the campus community This study used a cross-sectional survey design to illustrate the usage of students and perceptions of faculty/staff at The University of Southern Mississippi Data results show that library faculty/staff perceptions of student usage did not always align with the actual student usage data, especially concerning traditional library services and resources, such as the importance of the availability of library assistance, access to books, and access to computers/printing The researcher concluded the study by making data driven recommendations to library administration concerning building layout, atmosphere, and library services iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to give special thanks to Dr Holly Foster for her guidance and encouragement throughout this journey The road to the end was long, but you were always right there beside me Thank you for being one of my biggest cheerleaders and harshest critics I am a better researcher and writer because of you The time and dedication that you give to each one of your students means the world You are a boss and I’m privileged to have worked with you! I would also like to thank Zita Tiamuh for her help with all things quantitative Your patience and knowledge of statistics saved me when I was drowning in data You went above and beyond to help and this project would have no results without you! iv DEDICATION Thank you to my family for genuinely supporting me throughout this process To my husband, Jamie, for holding things together at home during the many night classes and weekends of writing From day one you’ve been my biggest supporter I am so grateful for your continued support throughout not only my collegiate career, but life in general To my parents, thank you for everything There are not enough words to thank you for putting up with me for all these years To my mama, a special thank you for always knowing when I needed a few extra words of encouragement To my little sister and best friend, you were the one that had to listen to it all! Thank you for being there through everything and always being down for brunch when I needed to procrastinate just a little longer Thank you to my “cohort”; Courtney, Cristin, Donavan, Ryan, and Zack Each one of you are a special surprise bonus that I didn’t know I needed in my life Thank you for all the late night meals, study sessions, and the best GroupMe chat ever The past three years have been full of ups and downs We held onto each other through the toughest of the tough and I can’t wait to cheer each of you on as we all finish this journey This accomplishment is not just mine I dedicate it to each one of you because without you this would have never been possible v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iv DEDICATION v LIST OF TABLES vii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS viii CHAPTER I - INTRODUCTION CHAPTER II – LITERATURE REVIEW CHAPTER III - METHODOLOGY 20 CHAPTER IV – FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 25 APPENDIX A – Cook Library Space Usage Survey 48 APPENDIX B – IRB Approval Letter 73 APPENDIX C – Student Recruitment Announcement 74 APPENDIX D – Faculty/Staff Recruitment Letter 75 REFERENCES 77 vi LIST OF TABLES Table Race/Ethnic diversity by classification 26 Table Ranking of student library usage by classification 29 Table Ranking of space enhancements by classification 35 Table Frequencies of faculty/staff perceptions of student library usage 36 Table Library usage cross tabulation………………………………………… …… 40 Table Library usage cross tabulation………………………………………… …… 41 Table Cook Library enhancements cross tabulation 41 vii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Gender demographics grouped by classificatiton 27 Participant’s campus affiliation by university college or service area 28 Figure Undergraduate student usage by percentage 30 Figure Graduate student usage by percentage 31 Figure Perceptions of overall climate by undergraduate and graduate students 32 Figure Criteria for choosing spaces cross tabulation 37 Figure Faculty/staff perceptions of student preferences for enhancements 39 viii CHAPTER I - INTRODUCTION Academic libraries have been providing library and information services to campus communities for many years Librarians, library collections, and resources aid students and faculty in their research Academic libraries also provide the tools that students need to be successful in their coursework, such as access to computers, printing, and scanning Academic libraries today are evolving from the idea of a traditional library atmosphere to a place where student socialization is an important part of the library landscape This student led change in atmosphere has been happening slowly over the past 10-15 years The Millennial generation is made up of individuals born between 1982 and 2004 (Strauss & Howe, 1991) This generation has led the shift from traditional academic library spaces to the information commons models that are often seen today There are several characteristics of the Millennial generation that have affected the way that they view and use academic libraries, such as wanting more personalization, a variety of choices, and instant access to services at all hours (Sweeney, 2005) As students adapt to new technologies, their learning styles also adapt These changes are directly related to the type of learning atmospheres that help Millennial students thrive There are many challenges that come with this shift including challenging the culture and expectations of librarians and other faculty/staff across the campuses Student populations have been quick to adapt library spaces to their personal needs while faculty/staff often take longer to adapt to change (Sweeney, 2005) While students are adept at adapting outdated library spaces to their needs, many librarians and library staff often have other perceptions of acceptable space usage and Display This Question: If What is your classification? = Faculty Or What is your classification? = Staff Q26 Do you feel that students prefer a silent study environment? o Yes (1) o No (2) Display This Question: If What is your classification? = Faculty Or What is your classification? = Staff 66 Q27 Please check the following criteria by perceived level of importance of how you believe students are deciding which space to use in Cook Library? Very Important (1) Important (2) Low noise level (1) o o Printing (2) o Books and/or journals (3) Moderately Important (3) Slightly Important (4) Not Important (5) o o o o o o o o o o o o Immediate availability of library computers (4) o o o o o Areas for group study (5) o o o o o Ability to receive assistance from library personnel (6) o o o o o Ability to use cell phone (7) o o o o o Comfortable seating (8) o o o o o Individual study areas (9) o o o o o Group study rooms (10) o o o o o Other (please specify) (11) o o o o o 67 Display This Question: If What is your classification? = Faculty Or What is your classification? = Staff Q28 How often you think students use the following? Monthly (3) 1-2 times per semester (4) Once a year (5) Daily (1) Weekly (2) Large tables (1) o o o o o o Individual study carrels (2) o o o o o o Group study rooms (3) o o o o o o Soft chairs (4) o o o o o o Wooden chairs (5) o o o o o o Library computers (6) o o o o o o Quiet study areas (7) o o o o o o Scanners (8) o o o o o o Printers (9) o o o o o o 68 Never (6) Display This Question: If What is your classification? = Faculty Or What is your classification? = Staff Q29 Which of the following kinds of spaces you feel students would prefer to enhance their use of Cook Library? (please check all that apply) ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ ▢ Additional group study spaces (1) Additional quiet study spaces (2) Soundproofed group study rooms (3) Spaces for collaborative learning (4) Additional spaces for socializing (5) Spaces to explore and use new technologies (6) Other (please specify) (7) Display This Question: If What is your classification? = Faculty Or What is your classification? = Staff 69 Q30 Please rate your perception of the general climate in Cook Library Strongly Agree (1) Agree (2) Somewhat agree (3) Neither agree nor disagree (4) Somewhat disagree (5) Disagree (6) Strongly disagree (7) Embraces Diversity (1) o o o o o o o Safe (2) o o o o o o o Supportive of collaboration (3) o o o o o o o Friendly (4) o o o o o o o Confusing (5) o o o o o o o Facilitates student/faculty interaction (6) o o o o o o o Beneficial to overall wellness (7) o o o o o o o Noisy (8) o o o o o o o Unwelcoming (9) o o o o o o o Accepting (10) o o o o o o o 70 Display This Question: If What is your classification? = Faculty Or What is your classification? = Staff Q31 When students are working or studying in Cook Library, how often you perceive they need: Always (1) Most of the time (2) About half the time (3) Sometimes (4) Never (5) Absolute silence (1) o o o o o Quiet (whispers) (2) o o o o o Background noise/white noise (3) o o o o o Social environment (4) o o o o o Display This Question: If What is your classification? = Faculty Or What is your classification? = Staff Q32 What you perceive to be the favorite area for students in Cook Library and why? Display This Question: If What is your classification? = Faculty Or What is your classification? = Staff 71 Q33 What you think students perceive as the strengths of Cook Library's physical spaces? Display This Question: If What is your classification? = Faculty Or What is your classification? = Staff Q34 What you think students perceive as the weaknesses of Cook Library's physical spaces? Display This Question: If What is your classification? = Faculty Or What is your classification? = Staff Q35 What you think students believe should be improvements for Cook Library's physical spaces? 72 APPENDIX B – IRB Approval Letter 73 APPENDIX C – Student Recruitment Announcement Cook Library Space Usage Survey A student in a doctoral level research course is seeking participants for a quick survey regarding physical space usage in Cook Library The survey will take approximately 5-10 minutes and can be taken by any undergraduate or graduate student at USM who has used the physical spaces within Cook Library Thank you so much for taking the time to complete the survey, it is greatly appreciated! Click here to take the survey This project has been reviewed by the Institutional Review Board, which ensures that research projects involving human subjects follow federal regulations Any questions or concerns about rights as a research participant should be directed to the Chair of the Institutional Review Board, The University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5147, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, 601-266-5997 If you have questions concerning this research, please contact Sarah Mangrum at sarah.rials@usm.edu This research is being conducted under the supervision of Lilian Hill, Ph.D Thank you for your consideration Sincerely, Sarah Mangrum, MLIS 74 APPENDIX D – Faculty/Staff Recruitment Letter Good Morning! My name is Sarah Mangrum, and I am a doctoral student at The University of Southern Mississippi For my capstone project, I am studying how students use the physical spaces in Cook Library and comparing actual use to the student usage perceptions of faculty and staff housed in the same spaces Therefore, I am conducting a survey of faculty and staff whose offices are located within Cook Library at The University of Southern Mississippi This survey will ask about your perceptions of how students use library spaces, preferences for individual and group work spaces, and your understanding of how students would like to use the spaces You were selected to be part of this project because you currently are employed by The University of Southern Mississippi There is no compensation for responding If you choose to participate in this study, you will be asked to complete a short questionnaire consisting of demographic questions and questions relating to your perception of how students use the physical spaces in Cook Library There is no risk involved, and your answers will be completely confidential Moreover, the results of the survey will be reported in a summary format, so no one will be able to associate you with your responses on this survey If you choose to participate in this project, please answer all questions as honestly as possible Text responses will be reported word for word, so please not include your name or provide any identifying information in your comments Participation is strictly voluntary, and you may refuse to participate or discontinue participation at any time 75 This project has been reviewed by the Institutional Review board, which ensures that research projects involving human subjects follow federal regulations Any questions or concerns about rights as a research participant should be directed to the Chair of the Institutional Review Board, The University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5147, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001, (601) 266-6820 Completed survey submission will indicate your willingness to participate in this study Thank you in advance for taking the time to assist me in my research The data collected will provide useful information regarding how space is being utilized in Cook Library If you have any questions about the administration of this survey, please contact me at Sarah.Rials@usm.edu To complete the survey online, please click the following link: https://tinyurl.com/ycokuczn Sincerely, Sarah Mangrum, MLIS Sarah.Rials@usm.edu Doctoral Student, Higher Education Administration, The University of Southern Mississippi 76 REFERENCES Andrews, C., & Wright, S E (2015) Library learning spaces: Investigating libraries and investing in student feedback In Association of Colleges and Research Libraries Conference Proceedings Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/conferences/confsandpreco nfs/2015/Andrews_Wright.pdf Applegate, R (2009) The library is for studying: Student 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Gillespie, B (2016) The practice of survey research theory and applications Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc Seal, R.A (2015) Library spaces in the 21st century: Meeting the challenges of user needs for information technology and expertise Library Management, 36(8/9), 558-569 http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/LM-11-2014-0136 Seaman, S (2006) The library as learning environment: Space planning in an academic library Colorado Libraries, 32(1), 5-7 Retrieved from http://lynx.lib.usm.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=tr ue&db=lls&AN=502898261&site=ehost-live Sornam, A., Dr., Priya, K., & Prakash, M (2013) Faculty perceptions on library facilities: A survey on NAAC accredited autonomous arts and science colleges in Coimbatore City Library Philosophy & Practice, 1-13 Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/ 79 Strauss, W., & Howe, N (1991) Generations: The history of America’s future, 1584 – 2069 New York: Morrow Sweeney, R T (2005) Reinventing library buildings and services for the millennial generation Library Administration & Management, 19(4), 165-175 Retrieved from https://journals.tdl.org/llm/index.php/llm/issue/view/100 University Libraries (2014-2018) Spring user survey results University of Southern Mississippi (2018) Institutional research fact book Retrieved from https://www.usm.edu/institutional-research 80 ... spaces play in research and learning, faculty perceptions of student library usage, and studies of actual student library usage Academic library staff are seeing fewer of their physical spaces... usage, and the faculty /staff perceptions of student usage This study was conducted to address the problem of how to effectively bring the expectations of students and library faculty /staff together... level of noise is another aspect where the views of library users and library staff are not congruent Analyzing perceptions between the main library user groups and the faculty /staff in the library