Space Design and Tools Projects
Projects on this page represent a selection of the work of multiple departments.
Historical Photographs in the Erdahl-Cloyd West Wing
The goal of this project was to install twelve framed historical images from the NC State University Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center in the Erdahl-Cloyd West Wing of the D. H. Hill Jr. Library. The selected images connect the current student-centered use of the spaces with earlier depictions of student activity, making, gathering, reading, campus life, and the design history of the building.
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Contributing departments: Learning Spaces & Services, Special Collections Research Center, Libraries Communications, Administration, Operations, Logistics, & Environments
Esports + Tiny Café
The NC State Gaming and Esports Lab (GEL) opened in the Hunt Library in January 2024. We conducted two user research studies using the Tiny Café model to learn how patrons were utilizing the new space. We received a highly positive response from participants at both Tiny Cafés, with 94% of students who had visited the space before saying they intended to come back. Participants described the space as welcoming, friendly, and joyful—and the majority said they would bring a friend to the GEL even…
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Contributing departments: Learning Spaces & Services, User Experience
Study Rooms Observational Study
We observed how patrons use the study rooms at the D. H. Hill Jr. Library and the James B. Hunt Jr. Library to inform future choices about technologies and the size of rooms.
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Contributing departments: User Experience
Survey on Libraries furniture and spaces
We surveyed Libraries users to find out what they want and need from library furniture and spaces.
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Contributing departments: , Access Services, User Experience, Acquisitions & Discovery
Visualization Spaces Development Kit for Unity Game Engine
Augmenting an industry-standard creative tool to better suit the needs of our students, instructors, researchers, and other campus creators in a one-of-a-kind Libraries space.
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Contributing departments: Collections & Research Engagement, Learning Spaces & Services
VML Diary Study
A diary study of veterinary medicine students that examined their reasons for doing academic work at the Veterinary Medicine Library or elsewhere.
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Contributing departments: User Experience, William Rand Kenan, Jr. Library of Veterinary Medicine
Creating sensory friendly maps
We designed floor maps for users with sensory sensitivities who are looking for study spaces that fit their needs. These maps highlight spaces in the Hill and Hunt Libraries that have natural or warm lighting, tend to be quiet, or tend to be uncrowded.
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Contributing departments: User Experience, Libraries Communications
Innovation Studio Usability Study
The Innovation Studio is a new type of learning space for the Libraries that focuses on showcasing the innovative work of NC State’s students and faculty and teaching innovation methods to the campus community. We conducted a usability study and, based on the results, found ways to improve the accessibility and usability of the exhibit system and the space as a whole.
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Contributing departments: Learning Spaces & Services, User Experience
Explore Spaces, Version 2: interviews + usability tests
We conducted six combination interviews + usability tests to test an early prototype of a new version of our Explore Spaces website. Participants responded positively to the overall concept of our prototype and helped us refine it.
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Contributing departments: User Experience
In the Writing: Personal Letters of African American Leaders from the Mark E. Mitchell Collection
A pop-up exhibit displaying rare, personal letters of African American historical figures revealing their unknown interconnectedness and conveying that their "revolutions" were catalyzed not in solitude but collaboration.
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Contributing departments: Collections & Research Engagement
StudiosBot: Custom Automation for Studios Service
StudiosBot is an in-house automation suite designed to streamline operations across the Libraries' five staffed experiential learning spaces that comprise The Studios. By layering structured administrative workflows over a low-friction communication hub, the bot leverages Discord to automate elements of personnel scheduling, documentation, and reservation management for a large, collaborative student workforce.
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Contributing departments: Learning Spaces & Services
Touchscreens at the Hunt Library and the Hill Library
An in-house, custom web application for wayfinding, events, and other features is available on multiple touchscreens in the Hunt Library and the Hill Library.
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Contributing departments: Information Technology, User ExperienceCedar: Media Display Management
Cedar is a web application that schedules and runs content for the Hunt Library video walls.
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Contributing departments: Digital Library Initiatives (DLI), Information TechnologyRoom Reservation System
A web-based user interface for viewing availability and reserving student and faculty spaces in the Hill and Hunt Libraries.
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Contributing departments: Information Technology, User Experience
QR Codes in Public Spaces
The QR Codes in Public Spaces project is an effort to improve local awareness of library services and resources.
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Contributing departments: Digital Library Initiatives (DLI)GroupFinder
An application for helping students meet up in groups at the library.
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Contributing departments: Digital Library Initiatives (DLI)Computer Availability Display
Up-to-the-minute status of available computers in the library
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Contributing departments: Digital Library Initiatives (DLI)Suma
A tablet-based toolkit for collecting, managing, and analyzing data about the usage of physical spaces.
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Contributing departments: Digital Library Initiatives (DLI)