Library Space Goals and Assessments
The mission of the Pace Library is to sustain a physically and virtually appealing environment that promotes learning and supports effective teaching and scholarship. To ensure that the Library is able to sustain a physically and virtually appealing environment that promotes learning and supports effective teaching and scholarship, it focuses on these areas:
- Adequate "mixed use" spaces
- Adequate silent study spaces
- Access to computers, printers, and other technology as needed.
- Appropriate and timely access to library services
- Appropriate and timely access to library facility.
Regular assessment and analysis of these goals will be conducted to ensure students' needs are met.
Cost analysis will be applied where feasible.
Space Assessment - study rooms
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Space Assessments - Study Room Usage |
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| Service Outcomes | Regular use of reservable study rooms |
| Type of Assessment |
Reservation statistics |
| Assessment Description | An analysis of reservations semesterly to determine whether study room usage is maxed out or underutilized. Baseline data is currently being collected as these rooms on both campuses are relatively new. Low usage will prompt additional promotion of the spaces, and possibly a loosening of the reservation rules. |
| Responsibility | Library Directors |
| Results Distribution | University Librarian |
| Assessment Schedule | Annual |
| Last Assessment Occurred | January 2025 |
| Action Taken |
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Space Assessment - placement of computers and printers
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Space Assessments - Placement of Computers and Printers |
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| Service Outcomes | Adequate technology availability for students use |
| Type of Assessment |
Item usage, observation |
| Assessment Description | Adequate technology availability for students use. Library staff observe if all desktop computers are frequently in use and respond to feedback about the number of computers, submitted via an online Springshare feedback form. |
| Responsibility | Library Directors, library systems analyst |
| Results Distribution | University Librarian |
| Assessment Schedule | Annual |
| Last Assessment Occurred | June 2024 |
| Action Taken Based on Assessment Data | During the planning for the new NYC library in 15 Beekman, the University Librarian, library Director, and library Desktop Systems Specialist met with the representatives from the university's ITS department to discuss the number of student printers required for the new building. ITS collects data on the printer usage that showed a clear decline in the number of pages printed over the last several years (excepting the large dip during COVID). The library staff and ITS representatives discussed this data and decided to reduce the number of printers in the library. The current number of printers has proven to be more than sufficient. |
Space Assessment - access to library facility
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Space Assessments - Access to Library Facility |
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| Service Outcomes | Appropriate Library hours |
| Type of Assessment |
Gate counts, requests for additional hours |
| Assessment Description | To ensure the Library is open at optimal times, we will analyze gate count data showing library usage throughout the day and week. |
| Responsibility | Library Directors |
| Results Distribution | University Librarian |
| Assessment Schedule | Annual |
| Last Assessment Occurred | June 2024 |
| Action Taken Based on Assessment Data |
Library hours have been modified, usually during off-semester occasions, based on usage trends. |
Space Assessment - access to library service desks
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Space Assessments - Access to Library Service Desks |
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| Service Outcomes | Service desks are convenient and accessible |
| Type of Assessment |
Reference Desk transaction data from Springshare, Circulation Desk data from Millenium |
| Assessment Description | Assessing the time, number of transactions, and highly requested items at both Reference and Circulation desks to determine duration of hours at each desk, and item that the library should purchase for wider circulation/use. |
| Responsibility | Heads of Reference and Circulation, Library Directors |
| Results Distribution | University Librarian |
| Assessment Schedule | Annual |
| Last Assessment Occurred | June 2024 |
| Action Taken Based on Assessment Data |
Modification of Library service-desk hours based on low use. |
Space Assessment - silent study areas
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Space Assessments - Silent Study Areas |
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| Service Outcomes | Quiet areas to enhance individual study focus |
| Type of Assessment | Observation: Monitor use of spaces, track noise complaints |
| Assessment Description | Quiet study spaces are essential to students. For many students, quiet is necessary in order to be able to study effectively without distraction. Both libraries have designated quiet study areas. To ensure this policy is adhered to, the use of the quiet spaces will be monitored anecdotally. Patrons can submit noise complaints via on online Springshare feedback form. |
| Responsibility | Library Directors |
| Results Distribution | University Librarian |
| Assessment Schedule | Annual |
| Last Assessment Occurred | February 2025 |
| Action Taken |
Due to noise complaints submitted regarding the 5th floor of the Beekman Library, the administration will install additional "Quiet Study" signage. The signage should be installed Summer 2025. |
Gate counts for the previous semester
These gate counts represent an approximate number of visits to each library location throughout the semester. Please note these gate counts represent a total number of visits to the library, not the number of individuals visiting the library.
The two libraries use two different systems for gate counts, so the data is not directly comparable. The Beekman Library also has multiple entry points through which patrons can access the library. The Mortola Library has only one entrance.
This chart shows the monthly gate counts for the Beekman library during the Fall 2024 semester. The counts range from a low of 34,005 during the month of November, to a high of 55,720 during the month of October.
Gate Counts - Historical
Beekman Library
Please note that the Beekman Library opened in September 2023, so there is no data before that time period.
Mortola Library
Please note the drop in 2020-2022 due to the impact of COVID.
Reservable meeting room usage
Reservable meeting rooms are one of the most valuable and in-demand services that both campus libraries offer our students.
Meeting room usage data from the Birnbaum Library (which closed summer 2023) and Mortola Library prior to 2023 showed very high student demand for reservable meeting rooms for both group and quiet individual study. In the programming and design phases of the new NYC library at 15 Beekman, the library administration worked with two architecture firms - Spatial Discipline and ARO - to try to maximize the balance of student spaces in the Beekman Library. This lead to a final design with 5 reservable meeting rooms of variable sizes.
Frequent requests for student study rooms in Mortola Library led us to construct 4 new reservable rooms in 2022, made possible by the Eva Reiman Endowment Fund.
Usage statistics for the reservable meeting rooms on both campuses show a very high level of use by students.
Beekman (NYC) meeting room usage for Fall 2023 and Spring 2024:
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Mortola Library Pleasantville meeting room usage for Fall 2023 and Spring 2024:
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