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Abstract: Library Physical Space Safari: Storytelling Through UX Design
Physical spaces tell stories. The rooms we enter in libraries reveal their history and the people they were designed for through their names and the figures they honor. These naming choices reflect the values of the institutions behind them. Through our design and decor choices, we communicate information about intended audiences and who may or may not feel welcome in a space.
The Library Physical Space Safari is a research project developed by the Instruction and User Experience Librarian at the University of Montevallo (UM). Utilizing an ethnographic research approach based on the “service safari” user experience practice, this project evaluates how local libraries create welcoming spaces and the narratives conveyed through their design choices. The ultimate goal is to enhance our understanding of current best practices in library design and to improve the user experience for the academic community at UM.
The researcher and her collaborators visited libraries of their choice to identify and analyze up to three intriguing or distinctive spaces in each library. A workbook was created to facilitate this process, and Padlet was used as a digital collaborative space for uploading images and videos. The spaces evaluated varied based on the collaborators' interests, reflecting the diverse departments they represent.
The results of this study are visually demonstrated in the research poster, presenting a vibrant representation of the project’s purpose, process, and preliminary results, along with images to engage the audience. The poster includes a scannable QR code, allowing participants to view the workbook created for the project.
The Library Physical Space Safari is a research project developed by the Instruction and User Experience Librarian at the University of Montevallo (UM). Utilizing an ethnographic research approach based on the “service safari” user experience practice, this project evaluates how local libraries create welcoming spaces and the narratives conveyed through their design choices. The ultimate goal is to enhance our understanding of current best practices in library design and to improve the user experience for the academic community at UM.
The researcher and her collaborators visited libraries of their choice to identify and analyze up to three intriguing or distinctive spaces in each library. A workbook was created to facilitate this process, and Padlet was used as a digital collaborative space for uploading images and videos. The spaces evaluated varied based on the collaborators' interests, reflecting the diverse departments they represent.
The results of this study are visually demonstrated in the research poster, presenting a vibrant representation of the project’s purpose, process, and preliminary results, along with images to engage the audience. The poster includes a scannable QR code, allowing participants to view the workbook created for the project.