The document discusses a project at a university library called "Every Seat Counts" which aimed to address the problem of students reserving library seats by leaving personal items on desks when not in use. Observational studies found that a third of students who entered the library in the mornings left within an hour, while many seats remained occupied by unattended belongings. The library implemented patrols by student monitors to remove unattended items after 45 minutes, placing them in a collection box. Surveys found students supported the new policy as it increased seat availability during peak periods. The project helped enforce an existing rule while maintaining a welcoming environment.

1. Making every seat count:
space management at peak times in
a University Library
May 2017

2. Aims of Every Seat Counts project:
1. To address the student practice of reserving seats by
placing coats, bags, notes or computers at or on a desk
or study chair to save it for later use.
2. To ensure that seats are available for students that need
them throughout the day during peak study periods
approaching exams.

5. This is an international problem (South China Morning post, 2017)

6. Everyone wants a
library seat at exam time
GlasgowGlasgow
GalwayGalway

7. On an average day in the period
approaching exams,
approximately 800 people
entered the library when it
opened at 8am and by 9am over a
third of these had departed.
Observational patrols of study
desks at the same time suggested
that a significant number of study
spaces were occupied by
belongings rather than people.

8. People tend to come in early in the morning and take
the good seats and go off to their lectures/ or for the
whole day, which annoys me as someone could've
actually used that seat at the meantime and get some
work done, instead of a bag, coat or laptops taking
over a valuable seat where a student could finish
his/her assignments or do some well needed revisions.
LibQual 2014 comment

9. We could NOT just take
our seats, doing
NOTHING was not an
option

13. Student desk monitors
did patrols in a highly
visible, strongly branded
campaign.

15. Challenges:
•Enforcing a long standing policy, applying rules
•Trying to stem the tide on a cultural practice
•At odds with:
• A library’s core ethos of providing excellent
customer service
• A welcoming, relaxed library environment
that is not punitive

16. All contents, including
electronic devices
are moved to an
adjacent box for the
student to retrieve
and move to another
available seat.

17. ““I think the 45 minute rule is working well. II think the 45 minute rule is working well. I
use the library a lot and haven’t had to waituse the library a lot and haven’t had to wait
for a seat yet”.for a seat yet”.
““It’s an efficient way to manage seating inIt’s an efficient way to manage seating in
the library and I applaud the library for thisthe library and I applaud the library for this
undertaking”.undertaking”.
““I come to the library almost every day, soI come to the library almost every day, so
glad I know I can still come in week 12 andglad I know I can still come in week 12 and
get a seat. 45mins is enough time to go getget a seat. 45mins is enough time to go get
food if people need to leave”.food if people need to leave”.
• Students were
surveyed
• Social channels were
monitored

18. Outcomes of Every Seat Count
• Reduced the practice of seat reserving.
• Increased the availability of seats for use.
• Verified the library’s commitment to student experience.
• Demonstrates to other libraries that intractable problems can be
tackled.

19. This paper is available online at
slideshare.net/GlucksmanLibraryUL
Thank you for your time.

20. Presenters:
Michelle Breen, Librarian, Administration.
Ciara McCaffrey, Deputy Librarian.
Mary Dundon, Head, Reader Services.
May 2017