1. STUDENTS AND STAFF OF
UMD LIBRARY:
A USER EXPERIENCE STUDY
Stephanie Garberick
UMD Anthropology
Department
May 5, 2016

2. 1 | P a g e
Contents
Executive Summary…………………………………………...…........2
Methodology.………………………………………………………......3
Survey……………………………………….…………...…………………….3
Ethnographic Interview………………………………………………………3
Student Data………………………………………………………………...4-6
Staff Data…………………………...………………………………………….7
Personas………….…………………………………………………7-10
Findings and Recommendations………………………………..11-13
User Impressions………………………………………………….….13
Appendices…………………………………………………………...14

3. 2 | P a g e
Executive Summary
This short study focused on how students and staff use the UMD library for their
work in an attempt to learn more about the tools that benefit them the most. In
this study, the researcher created a student survey, did observational
ethnography, and held ethnographic interviews of staff. She did this study to
determine behavior of both students and staff with the library services and
whether they feel they are using the resources effectively.

4. 3 | P a g e
Methodology
The ethnographic study of the UMD Library was conducted by Stephanie
Garberick in Duluth, MN from April 6th to April 30th, 2016.
During the study, 203 students and 4 staff members were asked to respond to a
variety of questions offered by the researcher. The students answered questions
given to them from the survey. The staff members underwent interviews hosted
by the researcher. The researcher formed questions for the interview based on
the survey responses from students.
Survey
For the survey, the students were asked to respond to questions regarding their
use of the library services. During this survey, students:
 Selected their current year in college and major
 Determined how frequently they stopped by the library and logged onto
its website
 Figured out what resources they use while they are in the library/on the
website
 Selected which resources they used most often, which ones they valued
the most, and which ones they felt were lacking for their studies
Ethnographic Interviews
For the interviews, the researcher asked questions based off the responses in the
student survey. This was to see if there were any disconnects between students
and staff. The interviews took place on April 28th from 12:00pm to 2:15pm.
During this period, participants:
 Explained what their current position in the library is
 Walked the researcher through a “normal” day on the job
 Described how frequently they dealt with students
 Answered questions about overall satisfaction with the library services

5. 4 | P a g e
Student Data
203 UMD students were offered the survey through advertisements and tabling
outside the library entrance. The survey itself had certain questions the students
were asked to respond to, which can be seen in Table 1(below).
# Question
1 What year are you?
2 What is your major?
3 How often do you go to the library?
4 If you do go to the library, what resources do you use? (Select all that apply)
5 Of the resources selected, which resource do you use the most?
6 Which resource do you feel is the most valuable for your needs?
7 Which resources are lacking for you to study effectively?
8 How frequently do you use the library website?
9 What do you use the library website for? (Select all that apply)
10 How satisfied are you with the resources available online for you?
11 Of the resources available to you, do you prefer to go to the library or go on the website?
12 Is there a reason if one is more favorable to you?
Table 1: Survey Questions
From questions 1, 2, 3 and 7, quantitative data analysis was performed to
determine student trends. For question 1, there was a trend amongst who
responded, which is visible in Table 2 (next page). Of the 203 students, 3% were
freshman, 18.7% were sophomores, 43.8% were juniors, 32.5% were seniors, and
2% were other. Other included people in graduate school or attending their fifth
year of their college career.

6. 5 | P a g e
Table 2: Current Year in College Responses
For question 2, students responded with a large variety of majors and minors.
However, through collation a very strong trend formed amongst responses as
seen in Table 3 (below). From 203 students, 1% were Biology/Chemistry majors,
2.4% were Communication majors, .5% were Computer Science majors, 8.3%
were Economics majors, .5% were Engineering majors, 3.9% were Graphic
Design majors, 29.1% were Management majors, 33.5% were Marketing majors,
14.8% were Mathematics majors, .5% were Pharmacy majors, 5% were Social
Science majors, and .5% were undeclared.
Table 3: Current Major Responses

7. 6 | P a g e
Another question that created a significant trend was how often the students
went to the library. Generally, students went to the library 0-4 times a day, with
1-2 being the most frequent selection (Table 4). Of the responses, 24.6%
responded with never/rarely, 36.9% with 1-2 days a week, 25.6% with 3-4 days a
week, 9.9% with 5-6 days a week, 3% with every day.
Table 4: Frequency of attending the library, per week
Question 7 received one of the most unanimous results from the study. When
asked how frequently they go onto the library website, the students tended to
respond either with never or 1-2 days a week (Table 5). Out of the total responses,
46.3% responded with never, 46.3% with 1-2 days a week, 6.4% with 3-4 days a
week, and 1% with every day.
Table 5: Frequency of logging onto the website, per week

8. 7 | P a g e
After analyzing the survey responses, there was an obvious margin of error with
who responded. UMD has a large variety of majors, and to have the majority of
responses come from the Labovits School of Business and Economics means
other schools being left out. However, the responses from the students were
unique enough to elicit more analysis.
Staff Data
Before the interview with a staff member began, each participant was asked to
read and sign a consent form allowing the researcher to record the interview in a
manner that aided her best. The researcher still asked the participant if it was all
right if she recorded the conversation with her tablet. She also set an alarm for
the time so the interview did not overstep other participants’ times. The
interview room was set up by the Director of the UMD Library to make it easier
for the participants to find the researcher. In the end, four staff members were
interviewed by the researcher, with the following profile characteristics:
 Gender: 1 male, 3 female
 Age Group: 2 of the age 26-39, 2 of the age 40-59
 Job Description: 2 were reference librarians, 1 information technology
professional, and 1 assistant director of the library
 Time Spent with Students: 2 very often, 2 rarely
Personas
The following three profiles were created using the qualitative data from the
surveys, interviews, and observations the researcher did. They are no means
actual students, but more of an enigma of the responses current students had.
Any similarity to a student is unintentional and coincidental.

9. 8 | P a g e
Junior UMD Student
Management Major
“I just need to find a nice, quiet
place to study in the library.”
About Junior UMD Student
As a Management major, I really depend on the library to give me the space and quiet I
need to focus on my studying. I usually find myself going to the library at least 3 times
a week looking for open desks or tables. Sometimes, I look for a group study room so I
can chat with my classmates about the upcoming presentation in our class. Most often,
however, I am just working alone at a table in one of the quiet zones so I can focus
better. I also tend to go on the library website about as often as I actually go to the
library, since they provide many articles pertaining to my field. It also lets me book a
study room ahead of time to relieve any pressure of finding a room in my hectic
schedule.
Junior’s Goals
 Studying in a quiet space for ultimate focus
 Nailing that presentation later this week
 Being able to enjoy the weekend a little bit with friends
 Acing that informational interview
 Booking a study room for classmates to prepare their speeches
Junior’s Pain Points
 Not getting a chance to get a group study room when needed
 Dealing with talking students in the quiet zone
 Seeing all the tables with other students using them
 Getting tired while in the middle of creating a project
 Not being able to book a group study room online

10. 9 | P a g e
Sophomore UMD Student
Mathematics Major
“The quietness of the third floor
always really benefits my needs.”
About Sophomore UMD Student
As a Mathematics major, I really need to focus on understanding the homework
problems. I have no difficulty studying in the cubicles on the third floor, so I usually do
not have any issues finding a place to study. I mostly keep to myself, but I do
occasionally get a study room with my classmates if there is a test coming up. I do
spend a lot of time at the library; pretty much every school day. I really appreciate the
space the library gives me to study. I also really appreciate the tutoring center being
here since they offer a large quantity of mathematics tutors. However, I rarely go on the
website since I do not really need to book study rooms or look up scholarly articles.
Sophomore’s Goals
 Passing the upcoming math test through studying on her own
 Doing homework in a quiet, somewhat private area
 Going to the tutoring center if help is needed
 Spending as much time as needed in the library for studying
Sophomore’s Pain-Points
 Getting enough time to do math homework
 Not finding a quiet enough location
 Battery dying on laptop before finishing assignment

11. 10 | P a g e
Senior UMD Student
Marketing Major
“Why can I never find a table
with an outlet nearby?”
About Senior UMD Student
I am finally almost done with my degree, which means a ton of group projects and
presentations. I do not go to the library very often, but when I do it is almost always to
do some sort of group project. I am either on the second floor in the talk zone, or in a
group study room. I prefer to use my laptop outside of the university to do my work,
and I really appreciate what the library website has to offer me. I tend to go on the
website more often than going to the library as a result. I just wish there were more
tables and chairs with access to a power outlet, since my laptop’s battery drains quickly.
Senior’s Goals
 Getting group study rooms to brainstorm with classmates
 Finding a table on floor 2 that has outlets nearby for a laptop
 Meeting up with group to find a good location to talk
Senior’s Pain-Points
 Not being able to find a large enough table for group projects
 Sitting at a table that does not have a power outlet nearby
 Being in a waitlist for group study rooms

12. 11 | P a g e
Findings and Recommendations
Finding 1: Not enough table space/outlets available
Supporting Evidence Recommendations/Comments
“More space for seating on the second floor.”
“There aren't enough tables anymore, since making
the 2nd floor the tutor center.”
“I know this is a library and need to have books and
reference materials available, but for myself and
others I know, space for studying is limited
(especially tables) at times. The library is one of the
only locations on campus to have a quiet,
uninterrupted place to study, and it would be great if
there were more quiet study areas with tables
available for students. All of the resources, articles,
and books I access have been through the
electronic format.”
“There never seems to be enough tables with
outlets on the second floor”
“Only thing I can think of is that sometimes when
looking for places to work with a group the only
available tables are ones with no outlet capabilities
and a lot of people typically need an outlet for their
laptops.”
The latest installation of red/green disks on
the tables should alleviate some of these
concerns.
As for the tutoring center, if there was
communication to the students about when
they can and cannot sit in the tutoring center,
it could make the students more comfortable
sitting in the tutoring center. For example,
putting a sign outside the tutoring center
saying, “We are closed, but you are free to
use our seats!”
While I do not recommend getting rid of all
books, it might help to move books on the
second floor to a new location to allow more
table space. Right now, more tables cannot
be added due to fire safety regulations.
Another problem that was noticed in both the
surveys and observations were tables that
have no outlets nearby. These tables tend to
be left for last, since the majority of students
now have a laptop. Moving the larger tables
near an outlet would benefit the students with
this problem.
Finding 2: Quiet and Talk Zones are great for students
Supporting Evidence Recommendations/Comments
“The separation of quiet and talking areas is nice.”
“Tables and a quiet space to study are important to
me, and I have a hard time studying at the small
desks.”
“Quiet places to study are ideal.”
“How quiet it is on the third floor has always really
benefited my needs.”
“Sometimes [it] can be crowded in the places that
aren’t quiet zones.”
It is great that students feel happy with the
separation between quiet and talking areas,
and the library is obviously making changes
like adding quiet zone signs on the third and
fourth floor.
Most students feel that there is an adequate
amount of quiet space and there are few
complaints about a lack of quiet spaces.
If a student has issues, they can contact a
librarian on duty via the chat box to get
assistance. This allows the students to get
help if needed.

13. 12 | P a g e
Finding 3: Lack of available study rooms
Supporting Evidence Recommendations/Comments
“Current online booking for group study rooms is down.”
“Group study rooms need to be more available.”
“There are not enough study rooms available.”
“Shortage of study rooms to do group projects is not
ideal.”
“More individual study rooms instead of just group
rooms.”
After talking with the library staff, I discovered
the study room-booking website is down due to
a programming error, which is not under the
library’s control. This is just an unfortunate
circumstance that is being fixed.
While there is no way to add study rooms, there
are ways to make sure a student does not
request too much time. Stricter time limits for
students could help remedy this problem.
Finding 4: Reference Librarians are very helpful resources
Supporting Evidence Recommendations/Comments
“Jim Vileta’s Launchpad website is extremely useful
for my studies.”
“Librarians on duty are very helpful.”
“I tend to get around 20 or more scheduled student
appointments per semester.”
“We have hours where our door is open and there is
a sign out saying ‘Come on in’ which I feel helps
students.”
The students all agree that the staff of UMD
Library focus on what they can do to help their
students.
Putting a sign outside the entrance to floor 2
stating there is a librarian available in the
offices may pull more students in to seek help.

14. 13 | P a g e
Finding 5: Navigating around the website can be difficult
Supporting Evidence Recommendations/Comments
“An easier to use layout would me nice. The website
is hard to navigate.”
“There are too many steps to finding the database
and journals page. The format would benefit from
updates visually making it more intuitive and user-
friendly vs the text links on the website. For me it
makes me stop, think, and try to reason where
something would be located and can be frustrating
and a hurdle to finding material I need to research.”
“This is silly, but how to find books in the library. It
might be on there, and I just have not found it... but I
was never taught the congressional system, only
the Dewey Decimal system. I usually just check out
books and pick them up because I do not think I've
ever been able to find a book on my own.”
The first noticeable thing is that most students
do not understand how to look things up
online. Danielle Ostendorf, the electronic
resources librarian explained that the library is
tries to get a librarian out to all the freshman
college writing classes, which is a great idea.
A good idea to help students understand
when to seek help is using the rule of 10,
which Danielle was kind enough to explain. If
it is taking you more than 10 minutes to find
something, it is time for you to seek help.
Perhaps if there was a pop up on the website
that asked if the student needs help, it might
give the student a chance to seek said help.
Another possible change could be to add a
quick link teaching students how to locate
resources using the congressional system.
User Impressions
At the end of the survey, the students had the option to add any additional comments.
This gave students a chance to speak freely about anything regarding the library. Here
are some of their responses:
 “I love the library!”
 “The study rooms should be allowed to be booked during finals week.”
 “The library is a great place to study, and I will continue to take advantage of all
it has to offer as I finish up my college career.”
 “I use the library strictly for studying purposes. I am unsure of the website
content and I have not touched a book in the library. It is a perfect place for
students to get homework done out the house with less distractions.”
 “You all do a great job and have been incredibly helpful anytime I have ever
needed help. Keep up the good work!”
 “I usually use the library's resources when I need something specific or when I
need to study. I wouldn't say I'm a regular weekly user of the library, but I have
used a lot of their resources in my years at UMD.”

15. 14 | P a g e
Appendices
 Survey used was made with Google Forms. If you would like access to the
survey please email Ms. Garberick at garbe039@d.umn.edu
 Informed Consent Form created by Dr. Mitra Emad via Google Documents.
Please email either Dr. Emad at memad@d.umn.edu or Ms. Garberick at
garbe039@d.umn.edu
 Pictures for personas are from the website www.pixabay.com, under the
Creative Commons CC0.