Library Design Influences on User Behavior and Satisfaction

Abstract

Previous studies of student behavior in university libraries have focused on specific behaviors in selected subsettings. This study takes a more holistic approach by examining a campus library as a total system of interconnected subsettings in which a variety of user behaviors occur. The objective was to evaluate a typical university library so as to highlight the influences of library design on student behavior and satisfaction. Three overlapping methods were used. A random sample of seventy-five students was interviewed regarding their use of and feelings toward the library. A second sample of twenty-four students kept diary records of routine trips to the library. The third method involved direct observation of all public areas of the library to produce detailed behavioral maps of library use. These three methods provided a rich picture of the distribution of activities within the library, the sequential nature of typical activities, satisfaction levels in different library locations, and satisfaction with different aspects of the total library system. It was concluded that the physical design may influence student behavior and satisfaction. Discussion covers the value of normative data and the place for methods such as those used in this study.

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