The document summarizes the results of a longitudinal study conducted by Katie Burn and Matt Cunningham on why students use university libraries and what they use them for. They surveyed students at Loughborough University and the University of York in 2015 and 2016. Some key findings were that students primarily use libraries for individual study and to access resources, with undergraduates using libraries more frequently than postgraduates. Differences between the universities included York students prioritizing individual study more and using libraries for social purposes. The collaboration provided insights to inform space planning and demonstrated the value of libraries.

1. WHY STUDENTS USE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARIES AND WHAT THEY USE THEM
FOR: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY
Katie Burn (University of York) and Matt Cunningham (Loughborough University)

2. Introduction
• Shared interests in how Library buildings are being used
• Based on approach developed by York they called ‘grab
and go’ using iPad
• Using two universities made the results more powerful
than a single institution
• If university libraries do not develop insight and
awareness into why and how staff/ students use their
buildings, there is a real risk that spaces will not be fit for
purpose

3. Similarities and differences between Loughborough
and York Universities and their Libraries
Loughborough
University and its
Library
York University and its
Library
Year founded 1966 1963
Number of students c. 15,000 c. 16, 500
Size of campus 438 acres 200 acres
Size of Library 9161 sq. m. 19,998 sq. m
Book stock 500,000 1,000,000
Number of study space
in Library
1370 1321
Date of refurbishment
and cost
2013 (£4.7 million) 2012 (£20 million)
Opening hours Varies between 24/7 at
exam and revision times
and 8.5 hours in some
vacations
24/7 362 days per year

4. Questions asked (after course and year)
• What is the purpose of your visit today? (people can select multiple answers)
Finding an individual study space Finding a group study space
Using resources to study Meet friends/eat/socialise
Getting help from staff – Library Getting help from staff – IT
Borrow or return items Use a PC
Photocopy/print/scan To attend class or workshop
Use the Library cafe Other
• How often do you visit the Library (Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly. Other)
• Do you use other spaces on campus to study/work?
• Have you brought a laptop or tablet to use today?

5. 2015 survey results
• Users interviewed as they entered or left Library in
February 2015
• 495 responses at Loughborough and 238 from York
• Analysed using Tableau software
• Report created using Googledocs

6. Breakdown by user groups 2015

7. Purposes of visits (similarities and differences)
Overall the undergraduate results for Loughborough and York are very similar.
Differences include:
• higher proportion of York students (30.19%) are using the Library for individual
study (18.71% at Loughborough)
• printing and photocopying feature in the results for UGs at Loughborough
(11.72%) but not highly at York (5.3%)
• meeting friends whilst listed at York (8.75%) is not strongly featured at
Loughborough (3.86%)
• PGs again use for individual study is much higher at York (30.19%) than at
Loughborough (18.71%).

8. Example of results by academic discipline 2015

9. Frequency of Library visits 2015
Weekly
usage
Loughborough % York %
UG 1 73.58 64.44
UG 2 66.17 47.76
UG 3 60.22 34.6
UG 4 60.34 50.00

10. 1-1 interview held with 25 Loughborough University
students
• WHY USE THE LIBRARY?
• WHY DO STUDENTS NOT USE THE LIBRARY?
• WHICH PARTS OF THE LIBRARY BUILDING DO YOU MOST USE?
• HOW OFTEN DO YOU USE THE LIBRARY?
• WHAT MAKES THE LIBRARY DIFFERENT?
• WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE LIBRARY?
• WHAT DO YOU THINK OF ONLINE RESOURCES?

11. Why do students not use the Library?
• Most common themes
• Too far away
• Library is too full
• Library is too crowded and noise
• Too stressful at examination times
• Other themes
• Better software/ pcs elsewhere
• Knowing that copies of textbooks required will not be there
• Library seen as boring
• Online information is accessible so don’t need to use Library building

12. What is the purpose of the Library?
Most common themes
• Provide welcoming and stimulating environment
• Make available everything in one place
• Give access to different learning spaces
• Deliver collection of books

13. 2016 Survey
• Survey repeated in Feb 2016
• 880 responses (715 from Lboro – 81%)
• An additional question was added to this survey
regarding user perceptions about silent study areas as
Lboro wanted info on this
• Different software used “Qualtrics” – easier to export
results and gave both institutions access to raw data
• Data below is for UGs, but we have info on all segments
available

14. Breakdown by user groups 2016
# Answer Response %
1
Undergraduate
Year 1
181 20%
2
Undergraduate
Year 2
192 21%
3
Undergraduate
Year 3
217 24%
4
Undergraduate
Year 4
114 13%
5
Taught
Postgraduate
82 9%
6
Research
Postgradute
50 6%
7 Academic Staff 20 2%
8
Support/Admin
Staff
28 3%
9 Other 13 1%
Total 897 100%

15. Purpose of visit 2016
• The top two reasons were the same in both institutions:
finding an individual study space and using library
resources to study
• York outscored Lboro (53% v 42%) as they had for the
top purpose last year and the second category was
roughly equal (32% York v 33% Lboro)
• Third result was different – Using a PC at Lboro and
Borrowing/returning items at York

16. Frequency of usage 2016
Daily usage
Lboro % York %
UG1 24 40
UG2 25 61
UG3 28 63
UG4 43 100
Weekly usage
Lboro % York %
UG1 60 52
UG2 66 32
UG3 60 33
UG4 45 0

17. Lessons learnt -1
• Don’t get Lboro involved in a competition – our sporty
ethos means the students want to “win”
• It is possible to work collaboratively across different
institutions using tools such as Googledocs and Skype
• Libraries play an integral role in the informal learning
strategies of higher education
• Paper surveys are a thing of the past – new software
gives instant access to results
• Snapshot surveys are a good tool for focusing on
specific issues

18. Lessons learnt - 2
• Know where to stop – a relatively large data set is generated
even from a few questions. When should you stop analysing
and start doing?
• Having said that, sometimes you have to “go big” to start with
to know where to stop
• Gathering data is the easy part – the analysis is what takes
the time, especially if no extra resources are allocated to the
survey. It is much easier the second time round.
• There is an obvious gap in the data – we only surveyed
people in the library – what about the people who don’t use
our service?

19. Next actions?
• The collaboration has provided the libraries with further insight
into how people use the building, which will be used to inform
space management decisions at both universities
• Surveys like ours help prove the impact and value of investing
in Library space: e.g. York has already increased silent study
spaces in Burton library as direct result of feedback.
• Future surveys at Loughborough will take place in a variety of
spaces across campus, not just in the Library to give a wider
picture of usage patterns

20. Inspiring Winners Since 1909
Thank you! Any questions?
Matt Cunningham M.S.Cunningham@lboro.ac.uk
Katie Burn katie.burn@york.ac.uk