Participatory Design in Redesigning an Academic Library: Asking Students about Their Favorite Study Spaces

Abstract

In 2011 a library-led project team gathered user-based information for a total redesign of McKeldin Library, the central library serving the University of Maryland, College Park. In addition, graduate classes in anthropology and architecture provided other elements of user input. All of the above were provided to an Architecture Studio course to create actual designs for a reprogrammed library. This poster focues on data from one of the three sets of library-led activities. In on-the-spot interviews in four outdoor spaces on campus, 33 undergraudate students were asked open-ended questions about where they do their academic work (projects, research papers, studying for exams) and why. This poster presents the results of those interviews.