The community college library sits at the intersection of a public and academic library space, a crossover that affords expansive potential for participatory service. Emerging from the pandemic, I have seen clearly how the community college library has become a place “for people, not books,” a concept emphasized by Michael Stephens in the lecture, Hyperlinked Library Participatory Service & Transparency. Certainly, circulation of physical books is down year after year, and we lost a lot of shelf space in a recent library remodel, but this is not something to fear or lament. Instead, the change is an opportunity to consider deeply what students and the broader community want and need from the library.
Many students at our community college utilize the library as a space. A space for both quiet and collaborative study, a space for rest and napping, somewhere to refuel and eat a snack, a place for students who are parents to bring their kids while they study, somewhere to have a Zoom call, somewhere to be alone or with others, a place that will offer snacks, AC or heat, phone chargers, and above all a sense of belonging on campus. Some students need a free and quiet space outside of a possibly busy home to study. They might be seeking a space that allows them to work with a group, to discuss, to debate, to tutor or be tutored, and to motivate each other. Montgomery and Miller (2011) in, The Third Place: The Library as Collaborative and Community Space in a Time of Fiscal Restraint, write “The core role of the library as a place, the new normal for library buildings, is as a place of collaborative learning and community interaction.” They expound that as more resources are accessible digitally and more students complete courses fully online the need for a physical space for study and gathering is not diminished but enhanced.
I notice some students or community members enter the space with some timidity, as if they are not sure they are allowed to be there. There are so few free, public spaces in most communities, I can empathize with their hesitation. What can be done to help them enter and use the space confidently and with a sense of co-ownership? Encouraging a sense of co-ownership can be achieved through various strategies, such as hosting community events, creating welcoming signage, and offering programs that invite student and community input.
One effective approach is to involve students in the decision-making processes regarding library services and space utilization. This could include forming a student advisory board or conducting regular surveys to gather feedback. Recently, our library surveyed students and worked with the student government to redesign a food policy to create more flexibility and expand the use of the space. As emphasized by Casey and Savastinuk (2007), in Library 2.0, “ It is imperative that your organization provide a way for your users and staff to give their feedback so that you can better understand the needs of your users.” User and staff feedback allows for the co-creation of the library as a space.
By supporting students in the ways they need, the community college library can instill dignity in their educational journey. Reassessing the role of the community college library as we emerge from the pandemic and embracing participatory service models can greatly enhance the library’s role as a community space. The creation of community that can occur in a shared physical space has the power to positively impact the holistic success and well being of students and the broader community.
References
Casey, M. E., & Savastinuk, L. C. (2007). Library 2.0: A guide to participatory library service. Medford, N.J: Information Today.
Montgomery, S. E., & Miller, J. (2011). The Third Place: The Library as Collaborative and Community Space in a Time of Fiscal Restraint. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 18(2–3), 228–238. https://doi-org.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/10.1080/10691316.2011.577683
Stephens, M. (2019). Participatory Service & Transparency. [Lecture Video]. San Jose State University.
Hello Elle,
I love this post. I work at a community college library and we also went through a renovation recently (that also reduced some shelving space). We tried to focus student social space and less rules in general. We no longer enforce silence, we now allow food almost anywhere, and we even installed a “micro market” vending machine with snacks and drinks that can be purchased right next to the circulation desk.
We too see students who have children, or who are caregiving, students that need to study and students that want to just sit somewhere between classes. Our staff is a pretty diverse group so some students have adopted the space as one that may feel safer to exist within – which is the best compliment ever. I love when students stay all afternoon and use the spaces without even interacting with the front desk – it’s just theirs.
My favorite part of your post was the idea that, ” … supporting students in the ways they need, the community college library can instill dignity in their educational journey.”
Thanks!
@jcwest Thank you! Great to hear of another community college library making changes to make students feel at home!