Bird Library Floor Plan

Find your location

Bird Library is the largest library on campus(see Figure 1). There are over one million visitors each year. Bird Library is home to learning materials, the Learning Commons, the Special Collections Research Center, the Blackstone Launchpad, and other information or technology services. Bird Library offers a convenient place for students to meet and study, to provide expertise, information, and tools for students’ coursework and research, and to assist students in using their resources most productively. However, because the Bird Library basically meets all the needs of students by its various functions, It sometimes makes students feel confused. The “Help Desk” is playing a key role to help students understand the library and use the library.

Every student needs to use library functions, but most students may only go to the library for a specific purpose, so they may feel helpless when facing the hundreds of things they can do in the library. As a result, they have to go to find some support from the “Help Desk”, and it brings some problems to the “Help Desk” staff.

Figure 1 First floor in Bird Library

My team

Kun Zhao, Guo Xiang & me

This project is aiming to design a way-finding kiosk to promote users’ (especially for SU students) experience of finding services and books in Bird Library, together with some basic information about these services and books. We are hoping to support the “help desk” of Bird Library to create a better library experience for library users.

During the project, I was mainly responsible for conducting preliminary research and developing UI design prototypes for the way-finding kiosks.

Problem Statement

Confused about the basic information in the bird library

According to our research at Bird Library, we finally focused on the most common questions asked by "help desk" personnel. The common feature of these questions is basic questions about the bird library.

• Printing: How to print colors? /Where can they print colors?
• Location: Where is Peter Graham/Toilet etc.？
• Find: Find books/find study room and key
• Technology: Computer System
• Opening hours: Bird Library

Our design

Bird's Floor Plan 

The design aims to provide guidance for users who enter the library to help them quickly find their destination and basic needs. The first prototype was designed based on the floor plan provided by the bird library. It was found that all the information was too mixed and difficult for visitors to understand(see Figure 2).

After completing the first prototype, we made the second modification based on user feedback and determined the final plan.

Figure 2 Bird Library 1st floor plan

Solution 

"Orange" floor plan

We summarized the following design schemes based on the problem:

• Modified based on the original floor plan of the library.
• Clarify the critical information of each floor, and label and introduce the information.
• Add destination navigation to provide instructions to visitors.
• Increase the search function, which allows visitors to find their destination quickly.
• Set up the learning room reservation function, which enables visitors to book immediately.
  

Way-finding kiosk design

First Prototype 

To effectively obtain feedback about the design, we used wood and Foamboard to make a prototype of the kiosk; besides, we used a Computer Monitor as the kiosk's touch screen. Finally, we placed this prototype on the first floor of the library to provide a user experience(see Figure 2).

Figure 2 First Prototype of Way-finding kiosk

Floor Plan

Second Prototype

We reviewed the feedback from the first prototype and improved the features based on it. A second prototype design has been finalized:

• Increased visual impact and flattened floor plan.
• Spatial classifications are clearer, and labels offer more guidance.
• Increased the availability of study rooms and computers.
• A subject classification feature allows users to quickly locate floors and areas of interest.
  
  
  

Figure 3 Second Prototype