Stop lending out VHS tapes via the self-issue machines as 3M cannot guarantee their safety in the system.
Places for group study with PC’s/IT facilities are desired, as well as the Techno Booths, such as circular tables which could seat about 6 people and with clearly defined wi-fi areas with power points. Bournemouth had about 6-7 of these situated immediately as you entered the library and they are apparently very popular.
Docklands constantly notice groups of 4+ students grouping around a PC clearly only intended for one person. It must be very annoying/off-putting for the other individuals trying to do their work nearby and quite often it blocks up aisles. Nevertheless, it clearly demonstrates there is demand for group IT spaces that we are just not catering for at the minute.
Though we are short of space, one solution suggested that in the long term, as we move towards on-line journals, we could store old journals in a container or something and use that space on the second floor to put in some group IT tables, maybe for use with laptops but maybe also something like a PC in the middle that can swivel around 360 degrees, if that’s technically possible?
Again the idea of self-issue reservations was raised. This is a popular idea and was seen in practice at both Durham and Anglia Ruskin. A pilot scheme is to take place in Stratford. More details about this will be added in a future post.
One of the main things to come out of the Staff Development Day ’09 was a need to be very clear on what we want from the new library at Stratford, to ensure that it is fit for purpose. Some ideas discussed:
Concentrate on providing an info service at weekends, staffed by Phd students (6). They could be encouraged to provide detailed reports contributing to analysis of student requirements.
Or a variation thereof.
‘PAL leaders’ trained to assist first years mainly using VLE. Possibly a paid position – step on from our student ambassadors?
JISC funded scheme available? – not much info on website about students’ assessment of its worth but the unit outcomes suggest results are variable.
Further details from Bournemouth Uni - http://pal.bournemouth.ac.uk/session.html
Set up techno-booths: Several clusters of seating around a large-screen digital screen between two special acoustic screens. Special software allowing the screen to be used as a whiteboard/ student’s work able to be downloaded to usb.
They would be highly useful at Docklands – maybe in a slightly different format – either on Hub or ground floor. This would require close coop with IT.
Have signs at Dockland at the top of the stairs pointing to 001 – 302 on the right, 302 – 338.47 on the left, and 228.48 – 999 upstairs.
Increase the fines rates for overdue books that have been reserved. With a top fine of £10 followed by a summons.
