Research and development methods - ethnography study of library employees

1. Researchanddevelopmentmethods
Ethnographyoflibraryemployees
Done by: Sarah, Luna, Jennifer, Chloe

2. Background
● Topic: work in the library
● Location: The New School University
Center 6th Fl Library
● Research goals
○ Identify what responsibilities
student employees have and their
satisfaction levels
○ Discover interactions between
library users and library staff
○ Understand how the library is
organized
○ Identify improvements that can be
made to the library

3. Methodology
Interviews
● Interview with student worker
Kaara Mary @ Tuesday 1.30pm
● Interview with student worker
Ray @ Tuesday 6.30pm
● Interview with a library user
@ Tuesday 6.30pm
Fly-on-the-wall observations
● Fly-on-the-wall observation @
Friday 10am (morning)
● Fly-on-the wall observation @
Tuesday 6.30pm (evening)
Group meeting
● Skype @ Wednesday 8.30pm

4. Findings-StudentWorkers
● Can work at one place for several years
● Juggle between school, internships and on-campus
employment
● All are part-time
● Maximum of 20 hours per week
● Hours are flexible from 1hr to 6hr shifts
● 3-4 people on duty each day
● Work style is systematic and electronic
● Not much manual or creative work

5. Findings-StudentWorkers
● Skills required
○ Organizing books (decimal system)
○ Tracking books (Aleph system)
○ Computer systems (Mac)
○ Printer operation
○ Talking to strangers to enforce
library rules
Busy 4 of them all work in the front
Normal
2 people or 3 people work in the front,
others sit in the back.
Slow
1 or 2 people are sitting in the front.
Others organize books in the library or
they sit in the office.

6. Findings-LibraryUsers
● Users usually work on their laptops
● Users tend to spread out on different tables
● Usually work independently, meeting rooms were mostly empty
● Users know what they are looking for and go straight to
their desired station (collaboration room, printers, etc.)
● Users ask library employees when they have questions or
issues
● Not a lot of interaction between users and staff
● Students sometimes don’t follow rules (no food & drinks and
no craft projects)

7. Findings-LibraryOrganization
● Open 24 hours on Mondays-Thursdays, 12am-8pm on
Fridays, 10am-8pm on Saturdays, and 1pm-3am on Sundays
● Library is most busy on weekdays around lunchtime
● Library is most busy during mid-term and finals
periods
● Many seats available during non-peak hours
● All computers were taken
● Quiet environment with bright lighting
● Services include book, laptop checkout, printing,
online resource assistance

8. Reflection
● Student workers seem satisfied with their jobs
● Training seems to be effective and straightforward
● Experience helps to build employees’ communication skills
● Flexible schedule helps student workers greatly
● School provides a platform for students to work freely
● Useful operating hours (24 hrs on most weekdays)
● Library is well organized and efficient (technology)
● Library is well designed with good use of space
● Improvements: more desktops, printers and more individual
tables, more obvious notices on rules

9. Library Circulation
Appendix

13. end