Delivered at 9th International Evidence Based Library and Information Practice Conference. June 21, 2017 Objective: In preparation for a planned expansion, and renovation transitioning a traditional news and microforms library at Penn State University into a collaboration commons estimated to cost approximately $20,000,000, researchers were charged with investigating the physical workspace needs of students and to assess the need for soft seating to inform final design recommendations. Methods: The multiple methodologies utilized included student focus groups informed by local results of the Ithaka Survey of Undergraduates, interviews with library personnel and students, an observational study of soft seating usage within existing Knowledge Commons, flip chart prompts, and results of recent space studies. Results: The majority of Penn State students come to the Libraries to be productive, often working on multiple assignments in one sitting. They desire a variety of spaces and select workspaces based on a number of factors including variety of work, convenience, food availability, and workspaces equipped to meet their needs. Personal work surfaces were described as “spread out,” having multiple devices, snacks, and their cell phone out. Observation data showed an average of 2.28 devices out per observee (n=480). Soft seating was noted as comfortable with aesthetic appeal but little productive value. Observation data showed soft seating used for productive activities at a rate of 2 to 1 over non-productive activities and utilized by individuals over groups at a rate of 15 to 1. Conclusion: Findings were determined using a process of corroboration across employed methodologies and integrated into final design recommendations. Students come to the Libraries to be productive, but report a general lack of seating to meet productivity needs. Participants want large tables as work surfaces. Facility enhancements for the collaboration commons should include well-designed and equipped spaces for productivity over comfort and the design and furnishings should communicate the types of intended activities and expected behaviors.

1. Planning a Collaboration Commons: a mixed-methods
approach to inform design
Steve Borrelli ■ Chao Su ■ Zoe Chao
Penn State University

3. Catalyst for the Study
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pennstatelive/4948439110/sizes/l

4. Research Questions
1. What are the workspace needs for students today?
2. Should additional soft seating areas be integrated
into the design?

5. Mixed-Methods Employed
1. Student focus groups
2. Observation of use of soft-seating areas (living rooms)
in Knowledge Commons
3. Conversations with students in living rooms
4. Interviews with Knowledge Commons personnel
5. Flip charts
6. UX Cafe
7. Existing data (cognitive mapping, Ithaka survey data)

6. “I come and conquer.” – Female
undergraduate student
“I come here specifically when I
have to get a lot of work
done.” – Undergraduate student
“If I come I’m coming to do
three separate assignments.”
– Undergraduate student
Students Come to the Library to be Productive
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pennstatelive/6461600235/sizes/l

7. The Library as Motivator
“It all comes back to
motivation for me, honestly
when I see people studying I
study because I get distracted
a lot. If I’m alone I just want
to leave the table, but here I
want everyone studying. And
it’s called “THE LIBRARY.”
– International undergraduate student
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pennstatelive/6803097323/sizes/l

8. Aesthetics of a Space Impact Choice
“I’m all about how the room
feels. If it feels like I should be
studying, I’ll study a lot more.
…With all the books around its
just classy. I walk in and I feel
guilty and like I need to be
studying.” - Undergraduate student
describing the Paterno Family Humanities
Reading Room
Zoe Chao

9. A Lack of Seating Impacts Choice
“Oh my god, I avoid the library
during finals week.”
– Undergraduate student
“Literally have to wake up early
and claim your territory.”
– Undergraduate student
“As semester goes on you just like
you have to come here at 6 am to
get a table.” – Undergraduate student http://sites.psu.edu/gableighc/wp-content/uploads/sites/15010/2014/10/8232539769.jpg

10. Students Want Large Tables and Lots of Them
“Spread out, it looks like a
disaster zone.” – Undergraduate
student, describing what her workspace
typically looks like
“Planner open over here, book
open over here, laptop, snacks,
cell phone.” –Undergraduate student,
describing what her workspace typically
looks likehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/pennstatelive/5684172633/

11. Immense Desire for Increased Outlet Availability
“The 3rd floor business, where we
like to study, I don’t think there
were outlets at every cubby, but
now I’m a Junior and there’s
outlets there now. You can see
that they’re trying to do things like
that.”– Undergraduate student, describing
what she needs while studying in the library
“Not enough outlets in the stacks.”
– Undergraduate student, describing what
he needs while studying in the library
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pennstatelive/4946561701/

12. Desire for a Larger Café With Increased Hours
Chao Su
Desires in a café:
• Open hours reflective of open
library hours as possible
• When café is closed students
want convenient vending with
healthy and affordable options

13. Soft Seating Valued for Comfort but with Limited Use
“I’ve never seen anyone
successfully study there.” –
Undergraduate student, describing her
experience with the soft seating areas in
the KC
“The desks that they have
there are not convenient to
have your computer on.” –
Undergraduate student, describing
furnishings in the KC ‘living room’ areas
Chao Su

14. Recommendations
1. Focus design to maximize available seating and workspaces
for productivity over comfort
2. Integrate large tables into the design
3. Design spaces such that the intended activities and noise
levels are communicated through a combination of furniture
and other design elements
4. Limit integration of soft-seating to near entrances and Cafés
5. Configure soft-seating areas as much for productivity as
comfort
6. Integrate outlets wherever possible, particularly in the
furniture users are sitting in

15. Questions?
Steve Borrelli
sborrelli@psu.edu