Student Usage of Library Resources at One Academic Library

by Brown, Hazel L.

Previous studies suggest that the library environment may influence patron usage. This study addresses the question of whether the environment in one library, the Walter Royal Davis Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, influences whether and how students will use the library. Thirty students, two staff members, and two library design experts were interviewed. Students were asked about their usage and opinions of the library environment, staff members were asked about their knowledge of design decisions and their opinion on the success of the design, and library design experts were asked about optimal environmental conditions. Results suggest that the environment plays only a minor role in student usage of the library's resources, and that role is more likely to be positive than negative.