Beyond the Shelves: Navigating the spatiality of Ashoka’s Library
By Satvik Dev (UG25), Illustration by Shirin Shakir (UG24)
Ever experienced the turmoil of discovering your cherished library nook claimed by someone else? Curious about what makes you switch up your study style in there? Brace yourself for the revelation, for the truth might just be a bit more puzzling than you think.
Given the continual growth of digital repositories, it is not inaccurate to assert that the role of college libraries, as physical spaces, has evolved beyond their primary function of information retrieval to facilitate efficient learning (Cha & Kim, 2015). In response to this escalating demand, newly constructed and renovated libraries are incorporating non-traditional facilities such as group study spaces and charging stations. The recently established HDFC library at Ashoka serves as a testament to this evolving trend.
In such physical environments, spatial configuration unwittingly exerts a huge influence on the determination of choices and study practices within the confines of the library. This holds true for the student community at Ashoka as well. A sequence of interviews, conducted to discern the preferences of undergraduate students in the library over a span of a couple of days, substantiates this observation, providing insightful perspectives on how the library environment moulds behaviour. Besides its resources, library aesthetics and spatial attributes were pivotal in helping students focus and immerse themselves in the learning process (“IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT — Library and Archives at Ashoka”).
Aligning with the wealth of available research on the internet, interviewees predominantly exhibited a strong preference for factors such as amount of space and quietness in the library setting (Cha and Kim). The majority of participants agreed on utilizing the library primarily for independent study rather than collaborative projects. Some cited congestion in meeting rooms as a potential deterrent. Although the duration of time spent varied among interviewees, the average span hovered around 1–2 hours of daily usage, increasing to 3–4 hours during exam weeks.
Regarding seating preferences, a clear preference emerged for the reading areas adjacent to the faculty-authored and reference book sections on the first floor, as well as the Oxford series book section on the second floor, particularly near the windows facing the AC01 building. Subsequent inquiries revealed how certain individuals favoured these locations due to the opportunity to maintain a connection with the external environment through an outside view while others respondents cited access to natural sunlight as a significant factor, again a preference which has been corroborated by numerous studies in the academic literature. Well, the influence of yellow light on studying behaviour became further apparent when few interviewees indicated their propensity to shift their seating location from the aforementioned area to the Banquette and modular seating area where access to yellow light lamps emerged as a major determinant.
Moreover, considerable emphasis was placed on the overall ambiance and aesthetics of the environment. Many participants highlighted the importance of comfort, expressing a preference for chairs with armrests for tasks requiring concentration and sofas for leisurely reading. However, given that all participants utilized laptops for note-taking and other activities, proximity to charging points for electronic devices emerged as a crucial consideration in determining study locations.
In the course of discussions, more intriguing details surfaced, with certain interviewees underscoring the beneficial impact of being within the library confines, enhancing their focus during independent contemplative study. Interestingly, this perspective contradicts complaints from other individuals who highlighted precisely how the presence of others during busy periods prompted them to study elsewhere in solitude thereby spending less time in the library overall. This discrepancy prompts consideration of a nuanced distinction between a communal library and the concept of a social library, as articulated by Gaton, which appears to be gradually diminishing (Cunningham & Tabur, 2012).
For certain individuals, the underpinning rationale for this phenomenon is rooted in the concept of social learning, a fundamental aspect of human nature. When observing peers deeply engaged in various academic pursuits, a positive peer influence comes into play, eliciting heightened motivation in the subject to engage more earnestly in their studies (Olaleru & Owolabi, 2022).
In social contexts, especially when individuals have an implicit awareness of being observed, there is an amplified sense of significance they attach to their actions. They tend to consider others’ perspectives alongside their own, creating a dual perspective that augments their perceived importance of the task thereby boosting motivation. Consequently, they end up investing more time, energy and effort into the job and derive meaning out of it (Steinmetz, 2021).
During interviews, those who chose not to allocate time in the library, their behaviour can be best understood by considering how solitude offers an increased sense of control over one’s time and work, while concurrently minimizing potential distractions that may occasionally arise within the library environment (Ilako). Additionally, the preferences were also shaped by the level of comfort and convenience that individuals find in their alternative study locations.
Ultimately, there was another noteworthy observation articulated by several interviewees pertaining to the realization upon careful introspection about the profound impact of spatial attributes on their study behaviour. Their daily routines had not only been gradually adapted in terms of the regular duration spent in the library at specific hours but had also fostered an increasing sense of connection to the environment, particularly during specific hours they had designated for study. Henceforth, just remember when you find yourself in the library at the same time, occupying the same spot for studying, that your individual preferences may not be as unique as the personal narrative you may harbour within.
Works Cited
Cha, Seung Hyun, and Tae Wan Kim. “What Matters for Students’ Use of Physical Library Space?” The Journal of Academic Librarianship, vol. 41, no. 3, Elsevier BV, May 2015, pp. 274–79. Crossref, doi:10.1016/j.acalib.2015.03.014.
“IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT — Library and Archives at Ashoka.” www.hdfc.com, May 2023.
Ilako, Caroline. “The Influence of Spatial Attributes on Users’ Information Behaviour in Academic Libraries: A Case Study.” Proceedings of ISIC: The Information Behaviour Conference Pretoria, South Africa, 28th September to 1st October, 2020, University of Borås, Borås, Sweden, Dec. 2020. Crossref, doi:10.47989/irisic2029.
Olaleru, Elizabeth Abosede, and Ruth Onajite Owolabi. “Peer Influence and School Library Use by Students in Public Secondary Schools in Lagos State, Nigeria.” Information Impact: Journal of Information and Knowledge Management, vol. 12, no. 2, African Journals Online (AJOL), Mar. 2022, pp. 87–101. Crossref, doi:10.4314/iijikm.v12i2.7.
Steinmetz, Janina. “We Work Harder When We Know Someone’s Watching.” Harvard Business Review, 1 Feb. 2021, hbr.org/2020/05/we-work-harder-when-we-know-someones-watching.
