… that law students want spaces, furnishings, and amenities that facilitate and encourage studying, research, and collaboration consistent with UCI Law’s open, collegial atmosphere.
Overview
Here’s a brief overview of the results of the Law Library’s three-part study comprising: 1) survey responses from 125 law students 2) interviews with 6 law students and 3) a 1-week “detailed headcount,” a 3-times-per-day tally of where library patrons sit.
Survey results – chart
Three-part study summary – themes
- Noise. Law students want effective soundproofing between quiet spaces and spaces where people talk. They also want clear communication about appropriate noise levels, in the form of signs or other design elements. Having plenty of space for collaborative work is important to survey respondents, and patron counts show that study rooms are very popular in the current law library. However, noise from noisier areas (e.g. study rooms, collaborative space outside study rooms, and service counter and reference desk areas) shouldn’t disturb students in quiet-study spaces.
- Light and openness. Lighting is tremendously important. Survey respondents and interviewees say they want a space with lots of natural light, as well as adequate light for studying at night. Survey respondents and interviewees also say they want as much window seating as possible, and patron counts demonstrate that people in the current Law Library prefer to sit in open areas near windows with indirect light.
- Physical and psychological comfort. Law students want a variety of furniture options. They want to be able to spread out at big tables that can easily hold lots of study materials, with chairs that are comfortable for sitting in for long stretches of time. They also want soft seating options, including footstools. Survey respondents and interviewees want standing options—although these options were not used as much as other seating during our patron-count week. Students want individual study spaces of some kind, because they serve an important role in improving focus. But these individual spaces and furniture (like study carrels) should be designed to be consonant with UCI Law’s open, collegial atmosphere.
- About 75% of study respondents said that “private individual study spaces” are important, but only 42% of respondents chose study carrels when asked “What kinds of furniture would you like to use in a law library?” Some respondents left very positive comments about the sample photo of study carrels, e.g., “These study carrels look awesome!” But other respondents called carrels “claustrophobic,” “depressing,” and “not very UCI.”
- Research and study functionality. Students also voiced opinions on other issues: ensuring the reference office is visible, but has the option for privacy and noise reduction; providing plentiful access to power to charge devices; providing access to technology for group collaboration and work on multiple screens; and extending the hours that the library’s open.
More opportunities for feedback
- In case you haven’t seen it yet: you can leave a note for the designers! Post-its are right outside the doors of the Law Library. Let everybody know what you want to see in a new building.
- The library-specific survey is also still available. Note that we’ve already given away the $20 gift cards. See: goo.gl/forms/jIv0suLtyE (@lawnet ID required)
- The Law Library always welcomes your feedback: Library > About > Feedback.
Thank you!
Many thanks again to all of the law students who answered our survey and who came in for interviews. Your feedback has been so helpful, and we are grateful for your time.