As part of the annual American Library Association 2019 Annual Conference, George Washington University Library in Washington, D.C., hosted a preconference workshop to inform librarians about the planning process necessary for a successful library renovation or new building. The workshop offered participants practical advice from architects and…

This paper introduces a Patron Counting and Analysis (PCA) system that leverages Wi-Fi-connection data to monitor space utilization and analyze visitor patterns in academic libraries. The PCA system offers real-time crowding information to the public and a comprehensive visitor analysis dashboard for library administrators. The system's…

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Oklahoma State University Library developed an open-source application to record real-time building capacity. Library student security tracks building entrances and exits via the program, with current visitor numbers appearing on the library's website via an API. This effort helps administrators have a…

During the spring 2017 semester, the staff at the Boston University School of Theology Library launched a space assessment project aimed at identifying underutilized and inefficiently used sections of the library to better meet the needs of users. Unsatisfied with patron count metrics like "total patron count" and "capacity…

Arizona State University (ASU) is known for both enormous size and scale, as well as excellence in research and innovation. These attributes are embodied in the ideal of the "New American University." ASU Library, as a partner in the New American University, has reorganized itself, completed a large-scale renovation of its main library…

Multiple data collection or research methods exist for evaluating library spaces. Faced with numerous choices and limited time for gathering data, it becomes challenging for information professionals to determine the best way to proceed with evaluating their libraries' physical spaces. There is a gap in the literature on best practices for…

The path towards leadership starts with you. But you don't have to go it alone. For this book, the authors sat down with many of the library leaders they most admire for a series of conversations about the aspects of the job that they find the most fascinating (and challenging). Much like the chats you might have over coffee at a conference or…

Are today's academic libraries really designed for learning? Do library spaces impact student learning? Intending to spark broader and more informed dialogue about the relationship between the quality of learning and the quality of academic library spaces in higher education, the authors consider the concept of space as service; student learning…

This paper presents aspects of a space planning project assigned to Library and Information Studies postgraduate students and reflects on six themes that cropped up repeatedly in their design of a 24/7 postgraduate library space, namely: lighting, space and colour; tools and technology; defined zones; re-bootable spaces; furnishings; and respite.…

A sharp decline in the number of reference queries prompted the library administration at Indiana State University to begin a project to combine the circulation, reference, and IT desks to reduce staffing at a new consolidated service point. All faculty and staff in the reference/instruction and circulation units participated in the project. The…

Many universities and colleges focus on student retention and completion as a measure of their success. Publications such as the "Chronicle of Higher Education" carry an increasing number of articles dealing with student retention, success, and completion. Academic libraries support this goal through a wide variety of services, teaching,…

Libraries, long the heart of academic life, nonetheless have been perceived as a passive space for physical resources and quiet study. Changes in the dissemination of information, as well as teaching and learning methods that focus on high-impact practices, have driven library staff to reimagine the physical buildings of libraries. To meet the new…

Remodeling an academic library according to the Learning Commons service model will challenge the library staff. This paper gives insight into four of these challenges: Working with the design team, preserving a scholarly environment, ensuring the most efficient arrangement of the library's service centers, and moving the library's collection. It…

This article describes the planning process and implementation of a single service point at Yale University's Sterling Memorial Library. While much recent scholarship on single service points (SSPs) has focused on the virtues or hazards of eliminating reference desks in libraries nationwide, this essay explores the ways in which single service…

In the spring of 2011, the Penrose Library at the University of Denver began the process of storing all materials, services, and staff to temporary locations in preparation for a building renovation project. The library was faced with the challenge of delivering all materials from an off-site storage facility within two hours of request. A new…