Students in action:
An observation study of the Oslo University College Learning Centre

Ana Maria Arango, Clara Escobar Jurado, Molnár András

Background

The three of us are library students.

In the spring 2009 we were Erasmus students together at Oslo University College. During this period we participated in a course on Learning and teaching in a digital world (LATINA). We also investigated how students at the college were using their physical facilities, as a special project for the OUC Learning Centre - an organizational unit that combines the college library and the audio-visual support section. 

Our study covered  the library facilities in the main library building in Pilestredet 48 (P48). We also included some open areas near the library that were used for individual study and group work. For a full week - with a total of fiftyfour opening hours - we went through the whole area once an hour and observed what the users were doing in the different parts of the library.

The total number of observations was about 9.500. The material allows us to study both the traffic as such (amount of use) and the pattern of activities in the various parts of the library day by day and hour by hour.

On this web site we present

• the method and the way we adapted it to local conditions

• some main findings
• the full data set

To avoid delays in communication, we have made these documents available in draft form (beta versions). All materials are published under a CC license. We encourage, in particular, reuse of the data set.

Resources

For a quick introduction to the study, we recommend the SlideShare presentation slides.

For more information about the authors, see our LATINA blogs:

• Librarians in Troubles and Bibliotecarios en Apuros (Clara)
• Library 3.0 (Andras)
• Tanama (Ana Maria)

AVAILABLE DOCUMENTS:

Slide show

• Presentation slides (SlideShare)

Report

• Introduction
• Methodology 
• OUC Learning Center
• Conclusions
• Research 2.0

Activities

• Guidelines with pictures
• Time table for observations
  

• Description with pictures
  
• Brief list of zones and codes

 
Data analysis

• Graphics
• Data set. Google docs spread sheet

COMPLETE OUTLINE:

Introduction

• Evidence-based librarianship
• Why observation?
• CTT and shadowing
• Time & cost analysis
• Ad hoc vs. repetition

The OUC Learning Centre

• Description 
• The Norwegian library context

Methodology 

• Case study
• Mapping
• Management
• Advocacy
  

Activities

• Guidelines with pictures

Time

• Time table

Maps

1. 1st floor
2. 2nd floor
3. 3rd floor
4. 4th floor
5. 5th floor
   

Zones

 
Analysis

• Data
• Graphics

Research 2.0 - web-based 

• web site
• Data
• Graphics
• presentation slides
• report

Conclusions

Edit this page (if you have permission) |

Google Docs -- Web word processing, presentations and spreadsheets.