Library User Seating Relative to Undergraduate Student Population

Abstract

Planning for the first phase of Olin Library renovation is underway. Following site visits to a number of other university campuses where major library renovation or construction has been recently undertaken, or is underway, questions have been raised as to whether Cornell Libraries provides adequate seating for its student population. Interim University Librarian Anne Kenney requested a small survey of the libraries visited to determine their student population relative to library seating. These figures are then compared to that for Cornell. Results suggest that Cornell fares well when compared to several ARL libraries that have recently undertaken renovation projects, but the data has some significant limitations.