Visintini Sarah, McEwan Jessica
Berkman Librarian, University of Ottawa Heart Institute and University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON.
User Experience Librarian, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON.
J Can Health Libr Assoc. 2024 Dec 1;45(3):161-175. doi: 10.29173/jchla29774. eCollection 2024 Dec.
The University of Ottawa Heart Institute's Berkman Library space is outdated. Budget constraints and tiny square footage leave little room for error. A needs assessment using user experience (UX) research methods was conducted from 2022 to 2023 to inform strategic decisions on updating and reorganizing furnishings to better support library patrons and their needs.
Data was collected via an electronic survey, "guerilla" interviews, observations of library patrons, and a physical survey of communal spaces in the building. Resulting qualitative data were compiled and examined for common themes. Low fidelity mockups of furnishings and space arrangements were prototyped and presented to patrons for feedback.
Quiet was one of the most valued attributes of the library space and showed itself to be a unique quality of the library when compared to communal spaces within the hospital. Survey and interview responses consistently cited soft, comfortable furnishings as desirable additions. Observed behaviours support the continued need for desks with a deep surface area to accommodate multiple devices used in tandem. Flexible use of computer hardware, better access to power outlets, and adjustable lighting were identified as additional gaps.
Methods showcase light-weight space assessment strategies that are of particular interest to solo librarians or small library teams working in a hospital environment. Results identify library qualities that address institutional gaps and provide insight into the motivators, needs, and behaviours of hospital staff. Centering patron behaviours and preferences in the project's methodology provides data to support decision-making for near term upgrades and long-term library policy.
渥太华大学心脏研究所的伯克曼图书馆空间过时。预算限制和狭小的面积几乎没有犯错的空间。2022年至2023年，采用用户体验（UX）研究方法进行了需求评估，以指导关于更新和重新布置家具的战略决策，从而更好地支持图书馆读者及其需求。
通过电子调查、“游击式”访谈、观察图书馆读者以及对大楼公共空间进行实地调查来收集数据。对所得定性数据进行整理并检查共同主题。制作了家具和空间布置的低保真原型并向读者展示以获取反馈。
安静是图书馆空间最受重视的属性之一，与医院内的公共空间相比，它是图书馆的独特品质。调查和访谈回复一致认为柔软、舒适的家具是理想的增添物。观察到的行为表明仍需要有深桌面的书桌来容纳同时使用的多种设备。灵活使用计算机硬件、更好地接入电源插座以及可调节照明被确定为其他差距。
这些方法展示了轻量级空间评估策略，对于在医院环境中工作的单人图书馆员或小型图书馆团队特别有吸引力。结果确定了图书馆中能够弥补机构差距的特质，并深入了解医院工作人员的动机、需求和行为。在项目方法中以读者行为和偏好为中心提供了数据，以支持近期升级和长期图书馆政策的决策。
