Integrating a creativity, innovation, and design studio within an academic library
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-09-2017-0091 |
| Published date | 11 June 2018 |
| Pages | 172-187 |
| Date | 11 June 2018 |
| Author | Holt Zaugg,Melissa C. Warr |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,HR in libraries,Library strategy,Library promotion |
Integrating a creativity,
innovation, and design studio
within an academic library
Holt Zaugg and Melissa C. Warr
Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to describe the efforts to set up a creativity, innovation, and design
(CID) studio within an academic library. This paper will describe the reasons for creating a CID studio,
assessment of the pilot study, and next steps.
Design/methodology/approach –The assessment us ed surveys, interviews, focus groups and
observations of students and faculty to determine how well the CID fits into the library.
Findings –Initial findings indicate that the CID studio is a good fit within the library space as learning
activities in it support collaboration, discovery, and integration of library services. However, noise issues,
equipment needs, and expansion of space are key future needs.
Research limitations/implications –As libraries move from simple repositories of information to places
of learning and collaboration, a CID studio space provides an opportunity to integrate learning opportunities
with library services.
Originality/value –Through the first iteration, the CID has a unique and purposeful place within an
academic library. It provides the opportunity for greater integration of library services. However, future
iterations need to address key issues of space, equipment, and noise.
Keywords Learning objectives, Innovation, Design, Creativity, Library space, Instruction
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Libraries are no longer simple repositories of books, journals, and items used in academic
research and teaching. Academic libraries are becoming places of collaboration and
knowledge creation. At Brigham Young University (BYU), two of the Lee Library’s three
goals are to “provide spaces that facilitate collaboration, experimentation, creation,
and discovery”and to “foster deep collaboration that produces new knowledge (research)
and facilitates learning”(Paustenbaugh, 2013). These library goals dovetail with the broader
university mission statement to “provide a period of intensive learning in a stimulated
setting”(BYU Mission Statement, 2014) and the aims of a BYU education to foster learning
that is “intellectually enlarging, character building, and leading to lifelong service and
learning”(Aims of a BYU Education, 2014).
To accomplish similar goals other libraries are creating collaboration spaces for small and
large groups. Two examplesinclude media technologytools for recording, mixing, and editing
that students would not be able to otherwise access and Makerspaces for creating models and
prototypes of designs. These spaces assist students in t heir creative and collaborative learning.
Literature review
The Lee Library goals fall in line with national efforts to promote twenty-first century
skills that prepare college graduates to work in collaborative, innovative environments
(Coakes and Smith, 2007; Framework for 21st-century learning, 2014). The collaborative
Library Management
Vol. 39 No. 3/4, 2018
pp. 172-187
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/LM-09-2017-0091
Received 11 September 2017
Revised 6 November 2017
Accepted 15 November 2017
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
This paper formspart of a special section: “Communicating value and leadership: from strategicto micro
assessment”: papers from the 12th International Conference on Performance Measurement in Libraries,
July 31-August 2, 2017, Oxford, UK. Guest Edited by Professor Judith Broady-Preston (Aberystwyth
University) and Dr Frankie Wilson (Bodleian Library).
172
LM
39,3/4
efforts are a response to the educational disruption brought forth by globalization,
environmental and economic sustainability, rapidly changing job markets, and
technological advances (Gupta, 2015). These collaborative efforts often include
members with diverse backgrounds and experience. The backbone of these
collaborationsisskillsthatpromoteinnovation and creativity to serve others by
creating products, services, and ideas that solve some of the world’s most difficult
problems (Banahan and Playfoot, 2004; Ogunleye, 2006). Higher education courses in this
area often include instruction in the four Cs –creativity, communication, critical thinking,
and collaboration (Soulé and Warrick, 2015). A survey of 1,000 working college graduates
indicated that college courses need to place greater emphasis on creativity, creative
thinking, and integration of creativity into university curricula (Berland, 2012).
Faculty need a space where they can draw students from across campus to teach
interdisciplinary courses focused on creativity, innovation, and design (CID).
Often the desire to promote creativity and innovation is manifest through the creation of
spaces that promote the learning these skills through collaborative activities. Such efforts
include Makerspaces that provide the materials and a location for people to work in
collaborativeways to foster creativityand innovation (Curry, 2017).These spaces offer a place
for social collaboration, but the location of the space and the services provided determine how
useful the spacemay become. Bieraugel and Neill (2017)examined the use of such spaces both
within and outside of libraries. Among their findings they discussed a Makerspace that was
established in an engineering building and was well used by engineering students, but not
many other students. The locationof the Makerspace promoted its use bysome, but hindered
its use by others. The location of the space became as important as having a space.
In addition to an appropriate location, this space needs suitable pedagogical methods
(Cennamo and Brandt, 2012). These methodsare somewhat different from traditional classes.
Here faculty work with smaller classes in a student-centered approach (Brocato, 2009;
Cennamo and Brandt, 2012); Broadfoot and Bennett, 2003; Brocato, 2009)with sufficient time
to develop the creative and innovation skills while working on the problem (Brocato, 2009;
Cennamo and Brandt, 2012), and teaching approaches where faculty work “in the trenches”
with the students as a resource and not just a dispenser of knowledge (Brandt et al., 2011).
These factors point to several components needed in a space devoted to teaching
creativity and innovation in a higher education setting. The space needs to have access to
multiple resources and a variety of spaces to accommodate large or small groups and
individual work. It needs to have multiple resources to assist the creativity and innovation
process. It needs to be in a location where one group does not appear to have “ownership”
of the space over another group. Those teaching innovation and design need to approach
instruction in a different way that includes key people who can help students along their
way. An academic library is just such a place.
This case study describes the initial steps used at the Lee Libraryto develop a CID studio
within the library. Similar to other projects, the CID studio provides the space and tools that
facilitatestudents learning how to apply creativeactivities to solve problems. Wherepossible,
the course is interdisciplinaryand centered on a real-world problemoften connected to outside
partners. Unique to the Lee Library’s CID studio is that courses taught there must fully
integratethe skills and abilitiesof librarians as part of courseinstruction. In this waythe space
is not just set upfor collaborative activities,but students and faculty learnwhat services and
resources are readily availablewithin the library to meet their needsand how to access them.
Background
In 2012, a small group of faculty at BYU created a CID group to promote these skills within
university curricula. Over the next two years, these efforts developed into project-centered
courses focused on developing these skills as part of an interdisciplinary collaboration. Often
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Integrating a
CID studio
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