Yesterday at the admin offices, things were really bustling - it was one of those days where I met a ton of people, all of whom were very interested in the direction we are headed with our LRCs. It was very positive and inspiring.
I had the opportunity to reflect on this issue of traffic in the LRCs with a few folks whose mission is to facilitate engagement and foster a culture of completion among students and faculty. I talked about how the block scheduling seems to be interfering with our opportunity to build relationships with the students at our campuses, because when students are done with classes, they are ready to leave - there is no reason or desire for them to hang around. The LRCs are getting much fewer visitors as a result. At my former campus, I was increasingly concerned about this, as were many of my fellow librarians in the north. The conversations I had yesterday really got me thinking, and dreaming, about a space in each LRC that students would want to come to in order to study, work in groups - a place to immerse in learning and contemplation.
This isn't a new conversation, as we've been talking and dreaming about this among ourselves for years, haven't we? But yesterday, I saw some light bulbs going on in the eyes of some folks who could become vested in such a space themselves - which makes them powerful advocates for us.
One of the most important things to do now is to start collecting data to support this - and I would love to get direct feedback from students. So, I have a mission for each of you!
Typically in the past, we would collect feedback statements from those we work with that showed the value of our services. I'd like to continue to do that, but focus on more specific themes each month. This month, for example, in your conversations with students (and maybe even faculty and staff), I'd like you to start asking, "What type of space do you envision as the perfect study space? What things would you like the LRC to have that might draw you there to study or work in groups? What is your vision for a perfect LRC?" I imagine you will get responses that range from furniture and equipment, to rules (like the antiquated food/drink policy we currently have in place), and maybe a few things we haven't thought of. What sort of space would our students like to have for their campus LRC? We've all dreamed about what we would love to have, but what would they love to have?
As you get comments, please compile them and put them in your monthly report. This feedback may just help us get closer to that dream space we'd all like to have for our users.
I'm glad you brought this up :). I've spent a lot of time recently thinking about the big changes that I would make to my campus LRC (emphasis on I), but haven't gone out of my way to solicit feedback from students, whose opinions certainly matter more than mine.
ReplyDeleteBig dreams and big changes do take time. In the mean time, I'm trying to find small ways to add warmth and comfort (My LRC is a bit on the sterile side) to the space and furniture that I do have to work with. So currently trying to dream small as well, at least for now.
Maybe we could start a LRC pinterest board where we can accumulate the different ideas that we come across or are suggested to us by students, faculty, and staff.
There is a book in Admin called Creating the Customer-Driven Academic Library. I have a copy, too. My favorite page is 59, titled "Tired, Hungry, and Needing Help." A working mother who has been at work all day attends evening classes, and she is not allowed to eat or drink while she studies, but she NEEDS to do both at the same time because that time is all she has. I love the sentence that says she views, "..the bureaucratic nightmare that is typical of so many university campuses as the last straw, the one that breaks the camel's back." Visualizing is great, isn't it? She is ready to quit school because she can't handle the long days with no one understanding or working with her to help her get through them. The classes are okay, it is the environment that is inhospitable. I think that is where we come in.
DeleteThank you, Leslie and Linda. And that is so true - sometimes, when a student is stressed, it is the smallest thing that sends them over the edge. These simple things really do affect retention, I firmly believe.
ReplyDeleteMost of our LRCs look exactly like the classroom, and why would a student go from one classroom (where they've been for 4 hours) to another? So, I totally see what you are saying, Leslie. If you come up with some minor things we can implement right away, please share :)