The Integrated User-centered Design for University LibrariesCase Study: Central Libraries of Comprehensive Universities in Tehran and Ahvaz

Libraries are vital academic facilities. Academic libraries store and provide access to physical books and other sources of information. Though satisfaction and well-being of users is increasingly being considered in relation to academic library, there is little information regarding the productivity and well-being of students within the context of the library building. The libraries’ resources and indoor environment are intended to promote learning. The central library is known for being a source of information, offering services to disseminate that information and provide reference materials to the users. With the advent of the digital age, storing and retrieving reference materials has extended from the physical to the digital realm, reducing the need for visiting the facility in person to retrieve information. However, despite remote access to library services and collections, the physical space occupied by users remains important. The present research was conducted to compare the effective criteria to improve the usersʼ satisfaction of central libraries of comprehensive universities affiliated to the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology in the cities of Tehran and Ahvaz. It also aims to answer the research question, “what indoor environmental factors affect users’ abilities to study in libraries?”  These questions demand further examination of the relationship between academic libraries and their users. In summation, the research focuses primarily on design principles in libraries and their interior environments, and how the design of indoor spaces could be improved to enhance users’ satisfaction.

The methodology employed in the present research covers both qualitative and quantitative approaches. As a methodology, it involves philosophical assumptions that guide the direction of the collection and analysis of data. The use of quantitative and qualitative approaches in combination provides a better understanding of research problem. According to the research purpose, it is an applied research. Additionally, this study is evidence-based, and so relies on information gathered from previously conducted research, case studies, and observations. Some gathered sources report findings on those indoor environmental factors and architectural characteristics of the library that have significant effects on users’ preferences. From the gathered sources, priorities are given to architectural characteristics on a case-by-case basis. In this stage, once all the sources are identified, or as the number of sources continues to increase, classifications, as well as subsequent divisions, are established. These classifications are based on the indoor environmental factors that affect users.The research population has consisted of all users of central libraries of University of Tehran, Shahid Beheshti University and Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz in 2019-2020. Using cluster sampling method, about 370 questionnaires were distributed among the users and 255 completely filled questionnaires were collected and analyzed using SPSS v.22.0 for windows. The required data was collected using the users’ satisfaction on academic library questionnaire. The test results indicated that the reliability and validity of the questionnaire surveys were satisfactory. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to evaluate significant differences in the influential factors among the three-study group.

The result of data analysis showed that students tend to visit academic libraries at a greater frequency if the spaces meet their preferences and needs. The physical components have the highest proportional number of sources that offer how a space can be improved. The majority of the participants indicate that lighting is another important factor in the indoor environment and serves as a visually appealing design and function. Additionally, the flexible furniture can be designed to be easily movable, so that groups of students can create their own designated spot for socializing, studying, and collaborating from the greater space. Also, the brightness and shades of colours are more significant than the choice of colours. It is believed that a colourful environment is more effective in conducing productivity than a colourless one. Mute and cool colour re best because of the control over both colours and brightness. Furthermore, mean and standard deviation of overall score of users’ satisfactions in University of Tehran, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, and Shahid Beheshti University’s Central Libraries were 3.93±1.03, 3.85±0.88, and 3.15±1.18, respectively. Also, the results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference among the overall scores of satisfactions in the three groups of library users (p<0.001).

The current study suggests a means by which the different factors of a library’s physical space could be compared and ranked. Based on the research findings, user-centric design of the academic library’s interior environment can be considered as a means to enhance the environment within which learning takes place. In addition, library design would provide educational spaces, media spaces, group and individual study settings in order to increase access to educational activities, social events, group meetings, and book clubs to enhance the library’s attractiveness and satisfaction. New library building projects, as well as extensions to existing libraries, can use this research to evaluate design principles to determine the benefits with regard to occupancy and use.