When Service is Your Top Priority

 
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We spoke with Debra Kolah of Rice University’s Fondren Library about how StackMap helps her deliver on her library's top priority: Service!

We’re a cobbled together library that’s had multiple innovations over time—not all of our elevators go to every floor and not every stairwell goes to every floor. We got StackMap to help alleviate all the navigational issues that come with that.

Our library is very service-driven and I’m with the User Experience Office. We run surveys out of the Access Services desk and every Tuesday we set up another desk to answer questions our users have. We call it guerrilla testing.

Our users give us all the best ideas on how to improve. This is why we love StackMap—we translate what we hear from our users into action because so often their needs are new maps or increased signage.

The best improvement we’ve made was mapping all of our different types of study carrels on StackMap. You can click on a link that allows you to look at available carrels and as you scroll through that list, you can see which are open and locate them on a map. For example, if you were trying to find a study carrel on the third floor, you’d click "Locate on a Map" and see this:

 
 
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We love that our website is now a one-stop-shop: You can make a “reserve-carrel” request, see it on a map, and print out a DIY “Carrel Reserved” sign.

The upcoming projects in our queue are to improve accessibility of our DVD collection, portable DVD players, and music scores, all of which are hard to find. Our Exam Period Map which shows study zones, snacks, quiet areas, and areas conducive to group study we’ll add to StackMap this year. In the past we’ve had to make it and post it ourselves!

Our StackMap implementation continues to grow as we increase our understanding of what our users need. We’re always trying to improve our customer experience so we love that StackMap helps us do that.

 
 
 
 

—Debra Kolah, Rice University’s Fondren Library

Thinking about getting StackMap for your library? Have it already and want to keep improving the experience for your library patrons? Get in touch with us at feedback@stackmap.com. We’d love to hear from you.