A. Miller
Middle Tennessee State University, USA
(a.miller@mtsu.edu)
Background. College and university users have varying needs and preferences regarding learning space usage. One such public space is the academic library, which also needs to re-evaluate services and spaces to accommodate the growing and changing user population.
Objectives. For learning spaces to enhance the user experience (UX) of their users, spaces need to be evaluated from time to time. Before evaluating a specific learning space, a broader look at the topic can help understand the problem, learn about trends, and help design research questions and goals for the next steps.
This paper covers the first step, a review of the topic—wayfinding and the UX of space selection in academic libraries.
Methods. This investigation highlights methods used in similar studies, helps identify gaps and lessons in the literature, and its recommendations can guide library space design practice for future implementation.
Results. The findings culminate in three themes: method varieties as beneficial with an important lesson that purely quantitative studies or a single method alone was a limitation to understanding true user and space assessment data. The themes of user perception and change and flexibility are also important to understanding why space assessments do not transfer from place to place as paradigm shifts continue to fluctuate as users, norms, and characteristics of spaces. These behavioral characteristics and attitudes can impact how spaces are considered and used. The synthesis and findings, including a template of recommended next steps of this review, can help colleges, universities, and libraries jump-start their next steps for site evaluation.
Contributions. The results of this study will be informative to academic institutions with plans or goals for a learning space redesign.
Cite: Miller A. (2025). Wayfinding and the User Experience of Space Selection in Learning and Community Spaces: A Review and Guide for Next Steps. LIBRES, 35(1), 56-73. https://doi.org/10.32655/LIBRES.2025.1.3