This is a presentation at the International Academic Forum (IAFOR) Library and Literature - Librasia 2016 Conference in Kobe, Japan

1. Library Café as a Place for
Collaborative Learning -
Measuring the Educational,
Social and Recreational
Functions of University
Library Cafes
A
Comparative Study between the
University of Tsukuba,
University of Hong Kong, and
the University of British
Columbia
Allan Cho, University of British Columbia
Toycie Deng, University of Tsukuba

2. Overview
I. Study Introduction
II. Research Background
III. Review of the Literature
IV.Aims of research
V. Significance of Research
VI.Method
VII.Discussion and Recommendations
VIII.Bibliography
2

3. Study Introduction
• A café was once a place for refreshments, relaxation, and other
recreational purposes, but there is now a trend towards
collaborative learning amongst university students in academic
spaces, including libraries. In fact, an increasing number of both
formal and informal learning activities are being carried out at the
café, instead of inside the library building.
• Since a libraries and café’s are popular among users, it’s a natural
starting point for the study of this academic subject and our
exploring how space is used recreationally by young people (i.e.
students).
3

4. Research Background①
• Libraries are installing cafés in their
buildings. (new buildings or carved out
of existing space in present buildings)
Robinson, Charles W
(2004)
• A great place for friends to meet for
wonderful coffee drinks, sandwiches
and salads has been the Library Café.
“Library Café Space
Soon to Be
Available”(2012)
• Library Cafe is one of the system of
food and beverage services of the
library, which is not in the library but
in the same building as the library.
Koli Chen, Jun-Lang
Tseng (2011)
Library café is a coffee shop which installed in the same building in
the library or near the library, and the place where people can take
reading or conversation while enjoying the food and drink 。
The definition of library cafe
4

5. Before the library cafe appears
• Traditional bans on food and drink consumption in
academic libraries are gradually giving way , Davis, M.
and Boyer, J. (1996) promote to change a less
restrictive food and drink policy.
• George, J. S. (1998) investigated the percentage of
food and drink banned in library, he proposed food
permited to the library.
People determined that library should provide a place for
users to enjoy food and drink.
Research Background②
5

6. Research Background③
Classification and Development of Library café
Since the 1990s, the
National Libraries
began to set up
library cafe
•The National Library of
France (BnF)
•The National Library of
Czech Republic
•The British Library
•The Royal Library in
Denmark
•The Greater Victoria
Public Library (GVPL)
•Lackawanna Public Library
(USA)
University Library
was trying to
explore new spatial
features for Library
in the 2000s
•Yale University Library
•University of California
Libraries (USA)
•Victoria University
Library (Canada)
•Nanyang Technological
University Library
(Singapore)
•Moravian University
Library
library cafe users
were increasing in
the 2000s
•According to my
Preliminary investigation,
college students who use
the library cafe for
cooperation learning and
self-study are increasing.
6

7. • Not deeply consider the
establishment of a library
cafe。
Challenged the traditional
concept of "library" in the
problem of food and drink ,
Submit a concept of the library
café .（William,1997)
• Not tied a library and a
café toghter.
Analyzed each of the functions
of the library and a café.
(Zheng,2010.Peng,2013)
• Only considered the function
of the learning space, it does
not reveal other functions。
Analyzed the function of the
library café’s learning space. (Yu,
2010)
Review of the Literature
It didn’t analyze the educational, social ,recreational roles
of the library café together. 7

8. Aims of Research
•Identify the similarities and differences in the usage
of library café amongst the students at these three
different universities.
•Explore the educational, social and recreational roles
of the library café.
•Analyze student perceptions and learning
opportunities for emerging practicing academic
librarians, café managers, and library and information
science scholars.
8

9. To present the framework of the library cafe
function。
To raise a good example to other university
libraries, provide support on the theory in the
construction of the library café .
By increasing the number of users of the library
cafe, an increase in the spread between the library
users and the library space can be expected.
Significance of Research
9

10. Method
Preliminary
investigation
Object
•University of Hong
Kong(HKU)
•University of
Tsukuba(TKU)
Why chose the object
of this investigation?
Method
•Interviews (10
people from TKU)
•Survey(11 people
from two universities)
① similarities .
•Store - Starbucks
•Location: located on the
first floor of the university
library buliding.
•Similar situation of
university libraries.
②Cooperation with
these universities.
Purpose
Examine the usage of
students of the library
cafe, in order to create
a questionnaire of the
survey later.
10

11. Investigation
Object
•The University of Tsukuba,
•The University of Hong Kong
• The University of British
Columbia
Method
•Face-to-Face Interviews
•Questionnaire Survey
11

12. University of Tsukuba Library Cafe (Starbucks)
Opening Year: 2008
Location: the first floor of the Central Library
business hours:
- Monday to Friday 8:00 to 20:00
- Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays 10:00 to 18:00
Subject of research
12

13. Library cafe of the University of Hong Kong (Starbucks)
Opening Year: 2012
Location: next to the Central Library , the first floor of the Old Wing
business hours:
-Monday to Friday: 7:. 30 - 22:00
- Saturday: 7:30 to 19:00
-Sunday and public holidays: 10:00 to 19:00
Old
Wing
New
Wing
13

14. ① Due to the presence of the library
cafe, students have improved the
willingness to go to the library.
② library cafe is a special and necessary
existence for the library user.
③ library café have some social merit.
It can provide place for relax, rest,
entertainment and surface, also
including eating ,drinking and waiting.
Results of the preliminary investigation ①- interviews
14

15. University of
Tsukuba
University of
Hong Kong
Gender Male 3 3
Female 8 8
Age Under 30 11 11
Status Bachelor’s student/Research students 5 9
Master’s student 6 2
Major Library, Information and Media Studies 11 11
eg: When you need to do collaborative learning/group discussions with other
students for assignments or research, where do you usually like to go?
 University Central Library or other branch libraries
 University Library Café
 Learning Commons inside the University Library
 Group discussion room inside the University Library
 No preference
Others
Results of the preliminary investigation ②- questionnaire survey
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1lyzQQON7pvFO3j9ybDJ6mxRojfe4uoXXUx8UyAjFah4/viewform
Basic Information
15

16. Functions Questions (purpose)
University of
Tsukuba
(TSU)―11
University of
Hong Kong
(HKU)―11
Educational
aspects
Study/prepare for tests/exams 0% 9.1%
Do assignments 0% 0%
Read essays or other scholarly
literature
0% 9.1%
Collaborative learning/group
discussions with other students
for assignments or research
18.2% 9.1%
Prepare a PowerPoint
presentation for a seminar
0% 0%
The percentage that students
chose library café .
16

17. Recreation
al
aspects
Relax or take a break between studies 18.2% 63.6%
Use the Internet for entertainment
purposes (e.g., online games, watch TV
drama or YouTube)
9.1% 18.2%
Use online social networking tools (Face
book, Apps, LINE, Twitter)
27.3% 9.1%
Do recreational reading (e.g.,
newspapers/magazines/novels/comic books,
etc.
27.3% 44%
Social
aspects
Meet/hangout with classmates or friends 18.2% 63.6%
Want to wait for someone near central
campus
36．3% 18.2%
Go out on a date with your
girlfriend/boyfriend
9.1% 18.2%
17

18. For years, Starbucks saw itself as a
“third place,” a social space between
work and home
Food and Drink policies are lax in
North American academic libraries
• “The Library permits food and
drink, within reason, to be
consumed at study tables and
carrels.” –
UBC Library, Food & Drink Policy
Canadian Context – University of British Columbia, Canada
18Reference: http://about.library.ubc.ca/policies/food-and-drink-policy/

19. Canadian Context – University of British Columbia, Canada
19
Questions (purpose)
University of
British Columbia
Recreational
Study/prepare for tests/exams 1%
Do assignments 0%
Collaborative learning/group discussions with other
students for assignments or research
1%
Educational
aspects
Read essays or other scholarly literature 2%
Study/prepare for tests/exams 1%
Social Meet/hangout with classmates or friends 1%
Want to wait for someone near central campus 3%

20. ①There is a trend towards collaborative learning amongst university
students; students prefer to create their own space for learning. An
increasing number of formal/informal learning activities are being
carried out inside the cafe ,instead of the wide Library - what can we
librarians learn from the library cafe, in order to attract more students to
come to use the library?
②Is it necessary to put the library café inside of the library or put it near
the library (as in the same building)? How should librarians to deal with
the drink and food problem ?
③Are there cross-cultural implications between North American and
Asian understanding and perception of the library café and learning
spaces in libraries? Can we learn from each other?
Discussion and Recommendations
20

21. Bibliography
1. Anonymous (2012). Library Café Space Soon to Be Available. Library
Administrator’s Digest, No. 47,8, p.59.
2. Anonymous (2014). Library cafés. Library Administrator’s Digest, No. 49, p. 6.
3. Boone, M. (2004). Architectural The way ahead: learning cafés in the
academic marketplace. Library Hi Tech, Vol. 22, No. 3, pp. 323-327.
4. Davis, M. and Boyer, J. (1996). The Endless Picnic: Changing Food and Drink
Policies in Academic Libraries. ERIC, pp. 1-14.
5. George J. S. (1998). Managing Food and Drink in ARL Libraries. Association
of Research Libraries, pp. 1-49.
6. Ilene F. R. (2002). Establishing successful partnerships with university support
units. Library Management, Vol. 23 No. 4,5, pp. 192-198.
7. Jacobs, M. (2001). Speakeasy Studio and Café : Information Literacy ,Web-
Based Library Instruction, and Technology. Information Technology and
Libraries, No. 2,20, pp.66-71.
8. Koli, C. and Jun, L. T. (2012). A Study of Food and Drink Service in Libraries.
University Library, No.15,2, pp.62-77.
21

22. 9. LaPointe, L. M. (2006). Coffee anyone? How marketing classes helped
develop a business plan for a college library café. C&RL News, pp. 97-99.
10. Li, Y. (2010). 高校图书馆咖啡厅功能定位分析. Tushuguanxuekan, No. 3, pp.
60-62.
11. Peng , J. (2013). 论当代新图书馆的特色与发展. Art China, pp. 133-135.
12. Primary Research Group, 2012, The survey of library cafés, Primary Research
Group, Inc..
13. Robinson, C. W. (2004). Library cafés. Library Administrator’s Digest, No.
39,6, p. 47.
14. William, P. (1997). Library Cafes: Next Logical Step (Salian Public Library,
Kansas). Library and Information Science Electronic Journal, Vol. 7, Issue.1.
15. Zheng, F. (2009). 论图书馆与咖啡馆的多元化发展. Library and Information
Services Supplement, pp. 21-23.
Bibliography
22

23. Thank you!
23