1. All the things we wanted to know: assessing spaces and services at Milner Library
Magdalena Casper-Shipp, PR Librarian
Milner Library, Illinois State University
The Collective | March 2016

2. How to ask all the questions you’re going to have:  @isumilnerlib @magda1020 macaspe@ilstu.edu

3. A little bit about ISU and Milner
20,807 students
(18,427 undergrad)
1.5m items
36 librarians
Weekly gate counts:
13,349-28,431

4. Why? How?

5. The beginning: weeks 1-3
What do you think about the charging stations? Do you use them in Milner Library? If not, and you could charge your devices a different way, what would it be?
Why did you come to Milner Library today? What other things bring you to Milner Library?
Where is your favorite place to study? What one thing could Milner Library change or add to make the space better?

6. Just in case you thought they were coming to the library for fun….

7. The middle: weeks 4-6
When do you wish Milner Library was open on the weekend? Would you come earlier on Saturday and Sunday if you could? Would you stay later Friday and Saturday?
What could the library and library staff do to help you prepare for midterms?
When you come to study and work on group projects, how many students are in your group? What could improve your study experience in the library?

9. Running out of questions: weeks 7-9
What do you wish you had known about the library sooner?
When you need help with assignments or research, who do you ask? Why?
What one thing would you do to improve the library? We’ll be back next semester with more ways to make your opinions heard.

10. Therapy cats and free coffee or, all the things we cannot do

11. All the things we CAN do Now we know what services we need to promote
Loanable tech display
What students say they want is not what we think they ought to want

12. coming fall 2016 to a quad near you!
pop-up library cart
coming fall 2016 to a quad near you!

13. All the things we’ve already done
More outlets
Circulating chargers
More whiteboards
Not cut back on study breaks
Sound barriers on quiet floor
More therapy dog days

14. “Bad” questions? Started with highly specific service
Then lots about facilities
Ended with ways to be more critical

15. All the problems we cannot solve

16. the elephant in the room

17. All the things to do a little differently
Plan all the questions ahead of time
Ask more varied questions
Think carefully about WHERE to put the feedback boards

18. All the things that worked really well
Share it on social media – we made Fake Library Statistics!
3 weeks on, one week off (but on purpose!)
Ask questions about services that might be approaching legacy status

19. All the things we wanted to know

20. All the things YOU want to know?