Paul Moffett
Permanent URI for this collection
Methodology for Evaluating Library Space
Paul Moffett leads and works alongside the staff who serve at the Service & Information Desk at University Library. Paul works and strives to create the best possible experience for library visitors, to make sure they have easy access to resources, receive reliable information, and have safe and inviting spaces in the library to accomplish whatever it is they need.
In 2017, a mixed-method assessment program was implemented before a major renovation project for IUPUI University Library. A significant portion of space occupied by book stacks was to be converted to informal learning and study spaces for students. Paul and a colleague named Willie Miller, sought to gather student input to determine their preferences for environmental features before renovation began.
Paul Moffett's translation of an assessment program that has since been used by other librarians across the country to similarly transform their library spaces and repurpose existing space for informal learning or other mixed-use purposes is another example of how IUPUI's faculty members are TRANSLATING their RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE.
Browse
Browsing Paul Moffett by Issue Date
Now showing 1 - 10 of 13
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item Adult Literacy in Indiana(H.W. Wilson Company, 2006) Diesman, Julie; Moffett, Paul; Thomas, Amie; Twigg, MichaelMary McLeod Bethune, an African-American educator and adviser to U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt, has been quoted as having said, "The whole world opened to me when I learned to read." Unfortunately for many in Indiana, the "whole world" may be closed to them because of illiteracy. According to the Indiana Adult Literacy Coalition in 1989, 12% to 19% of Hoosiers over age 25 could not read or write at a functional level. As early as 1930, illiteracy was recognized as an issue within the state. An article in the Indinapolis Star dated September 25, 1930, headlined that over 50,000 Hoosiers were illiterate ("52,034 in state," 1939). It is natural to assume that at some point Indiana developed a robust statewide initiative to address the problem of illiteracy amongst its citizens. One might imagine a program that over time slowly but surely reduced the number of Indiana citizens who struggled under the mantle of illiteracy; however, myriad reasons and circumstances have conspired to prevent that from happening. Instead of a forceful statewide program, numerous segmented efforts by local or regional entities with modest support from various federal, state, or non-profit organizations are more apt to be found.Item Making Room for Innovation: Using Systematic Random Sampling to Quickly and Efficiently Obtain Shelf Occupancy Data(2015-03-26) Moffett, Paul; Cooper, John P.; Weare, William H., Jr.Are you preparing to renovate space currently occupied by the stacks to construct a new cafe? A collaborative learning space? A technology-rich environment? If so, data is needed about the collection. How much shelf space is currently occupied by monographs? By serials? How much is empty? How much space would be available if serials were relocated or withdrawn? Find out how to use systematic random sampling to quickly and efficiently obtain shelf occupancy data.Item Preparing for Renovation: Estimating Shelf Occupancy to Inform Decision Making Regarding the Redevelopment of Library Space(Taylor & Francis, 2016-08-05) Weare, William H., Jr.; Moffett, Paul; Cooper, John P.University Library at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis is in the process of repurposing space currently occupied by the print collection. To prepare for further reallocation of library space, reliable estimates of stacks space were needed. Two members of the Access Services Team applied systematic random sampling to estimate existing—and anticipated—empty shelf space. Results indicate that more than 30% of the shelf space is empty, while over 25% is occupied by journals, most of which are available in electronic format. These estimates would be used to inform decision making about shifting and/or withdrawal of library materials in preparation for the renovation of additional library spaces. The data-gathering process as well as data analysis and application used during the project may be applicable in other academic libraries.Item You Talkin’ to Me? Communicating Service Expectations to Users through Service Philosophy Statements(2017-03-23) Weare, William H., Jr.; Moffett, PaulCould customer service at your library be better? Some academic libraries are using a service philosophy statement to strengthen the quality of their service culture. A service philosophy statement communicates to users what they can—and should—expect from your library. This poster will examine these statements and identify themes, trends, and ideas. Discover how a service philosophy statement can support your public services team as they strive to meet and exceed customer expectations.Item Evidence-Based Renovation: How Libraries Can Engage User Behavior to Inform Space Planning(2017-10-17) Miller, Willie; Moffett, PaulIUPUI University Library is planning a renovation project to convert space occupied by book stacks into informal study spaces for individuals and groups. We planned an assessment program to gather data from library users that helped provide insight to staff, architect, and designers on how and why they choose to use the library. What we learned from user feedback was used to intelligently decide the number and variety of seating types and work environments, so that we could enhance an atmosphere conducive to scholarship in the library. In our short presentation, we described our implementation of a mixed method approach to data gathering using three different tools: unobtrusive observation, survey, and open question solicitation. We discussed how our variety of methods served to corroborate the data that we gathered from each, why it was important to garner input from library visitors, and how the information influenced our decisions about seating types and locations. We provided an overview of our observational assessment in which we recorded specific, relevant data such as group size, activities, and type of work surface or seating. We will also describe the adaption of a survey instrument, used to gauge student opinions about services, locations, and furniture available for their study habits and needs. Finally, we detailed how we designed open quantitative and qualitative questions, posted on white boards, for library users to self-report their habits and opinions.Item We See You, We Hear You: Using Mixed-Methods Assessment to Observe Student Activity in Informal Learning Spaces(2017-11-23) Miller, Willie; Moffett, PaulThis presentation describes how a mixed-methods assessment program informed the decision-making process to renovate a significant portion of the IUPUI University Library. The presenters led a team of library staff to ensure that newly renovated library environments would support student learning, address campus needs for more informal learning space, and maximize usability for library visitors. Participants will learn about assessment strategies and evaluation methods for informal learning spaces and libraries. The presenters will also describe how input collected from library users influenced design decisions.Item Suma Space Assessment Protocol(2018) Lowe, M. Sara; Miller, Willie; Moffett, PaulThis is the space assessment protocol complementing the space study described in the “Chapter 2: Commuter Campus in Transition: Meeting the Changing Space Needs of Commuter and Residential Students Through Mixed Methods Assessment” by M. Sara Lowe, Willie Miller, and Paul Moffett in the edited book Serving Commuter Undergraduates in Academic Libraries (2018), edited by Maura Smale and Mariana Regalado.Item Service Philosophy Statements in Academic Libraries: A Qualitative Content Analysis(Taylor & Francis, 2018) Moffett, Paul; Weare, William H., Jr.Some academic libraries use service philosophy statements to strengthen the quality of their service culture. A service philosophy statement communicates directly to users what they can—and should—expect from the library. This article describes a study in which the authors applied qualitative content analysis to service philosophy statements. The objective was to examine the form and content of these statements and identify themes, trends, and ideas in order to determine how and what they communicate about a library’s commitment to service. The results of the study found that statements in the sample varied significantly in strength and purpose.Item Commuter Campus in Transition: Meeting the Changing Needs of Students through Mixed-Methods Assessment(ALA Editions, 2018-06) Lowe, M. Sara; Miller, Willie; Moffett, PaulIndiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis is an urban research university with approximately 30,000 commuter and residential students. This chapter discusses the space assessment done at University Library, the main campus library, which attempts to analyze and quantify the needs of both types of students. Two studies will be outlined, which started separately, but have since merged, both informing student use of library space. While both contain quantitative and qualitative elements, their methodologies are different. One used SMS (texting) in combination with one-on-one de-briefs to track student movement over the course of an entire day. The other uses in-library assessments to gauge student space use and preference. One limitation of in-library assessments is they only tell you about students who already use the library, not those who do not come to the library. The combination of these studies allows University Library to better plan library space, not only for current users, but also to target students who are not in the library (non-users).Item Defining the Value of Libraries: Trends in Academic Library Assessment(2019-10-14) Miller, Willie; Hoffman, Starr; Lowe, Sara; Huisman, Rhonda; Moffett, PaulJust like other academic areas on campus, academic libraries frequently engage in assessment. In this panel, a group of esteemed leaders of library assessment will discuss ways in which libraries are assessing their impact on higher education. Librarians have a long history of evaluating their collections. Yet in the face of seismic change in the technological and educational landscapes, assessment trends in libraries now extend to robust programs of evaluating student learning, assessing the impact of library services and spaces, and demonstrating how libraries are a vital part of achieving institutional goals. Attendees will gain an understanding of assessing beyond direct academic outcomes, learn how library initiatives may be an opportunity to collaborate on common goals, and how libraries demonstrate their value in a campus-wide context.