As more and more libraries create new spaces and revamp old spaces, the opportunity for wider changes as a consequence of new or updated spaces is significant. A physical change in environment is a natural instigator for service change whether planned or unplanned at the design stage. RCSI Library used the opportunity of a completely new library project to re-imagine our approach to interaction with users at our primary service point. This focused on the physical space with openness, flexibility of use and the removal of the traditional ‘service desk’ as a barrier as key drivers of the change. Our Service Design also considered the types of interactions we were having in our old library, those that we wanted to have, and how we could maximise the impact of these interactions for the benefit of our users. After almost two years of service at this new Information Point, what has emerged through ‘activating’ this space, is an understanding of how service point interactions can be significant ‘Teaching Moments’ between library staff and our users. This paper will tease out how we have developed ‘Teaching Moments’, starting with the space design, and covering developments for different cohorts of users, particularly those who are returning to education or those requiring additional supports. Staff training, incremental improvements, and relationship development across the organization will all be discussed in the presentation to provide useful areas for consideration for other libraries planning space and service changes.

1. Service Design with
Education in Mind
Teaching Moments at
Library Service Points
Dr Johanna Archbold
Customer Service & Communications
Coordinator
RCSI Library

2. Service Design with
Education in Mind
Teaching Moments at
Library Service Points

3. €80mInvested in RCSI’s 26 York
Street, home to Europe’s most
advanced clinical simulation
facility
€11mInvested in extension of RCSI’s
Smurfit Building at Beaumont
Hospital
INVESTMENT
WORLD RANKINGS
Times Higher Education
World University
Rankings 2018
To
p
2
%
No.1Highest research
paper impact
(citation
rate) in Ireland
Double
RCSI field-weighted
citation compared
to world average
RESEARCH
INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK
International campuses:
4Bahrain, Dubai, and Malaysia (2)
Alumni:
17,000in 97 countries
STUDENTS IN IRELAND
3,781 Registered Students
2,259 Undergraduate students (Medicine,
Physiotherapy and Pharmacy)
1,041 Postgraduate students (Masters,
MD, PhD)
457 Surgical and emergency medicine
trainees
STAFF
1,12
International student profile:
Students from over
60 countries
RCSI in numbers

4. 26 York Street
26 York Street is a
state-of-the-art
building that puts
Ireland at the forefront
of pioneering
developments in the
delivery of healthcare
education.

5. Building Elements
National Surgical & Clinical Training
Centre including clinical simulation
suite
540-seat Auditorium
Sports Hall & Gym
Specialist healthcare Library
Social spaces & outdoor patio
Designed for energy efficiency

6. Building Design
• Borderless – No Boundaries
• Transparent Spaces
• Holistic Educational Experience
• Shared Learning Environments
• Specialist Training Suites
>>> Informed Library Design

7. Borderless

8. Transparent spaces

9. Holistic Educational Experience

10. Shared Learning Environments

11. Specialist Training Suites

12. Thornburg, David (2004) Campfires in Cyberspace: Primordial
Metaphors for Learning in the 21st Century. International Journal of
Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 1(10).
• Part of Student Learning Ecosystem
• Design to support a variety of learning
styles and needs
• Reassert the core value of the library
as a ‘service’
• Opportunity to re-design service
• Space as relationship-builder within
organisation & externally
WATERING HOLES
Peer-to-Peer
CAMPFIRES
Hear from Experts
CAVES
Solitary
Library Design > Influencers

13. > Influencers
Pockets of Excellence Pockets of Excellence
Nordquist, Jonas et al. (2013)
Future learning environments:
the advent of a “spatial turn”?
Journal of Interprofessional
Care, 27(S2):77-81.
Libraries occupy physical & intellectual
space between formal & informal.
Libraries are connectors.

14. Library Design > Internal Drivers
• Articulate & promote library professional expertise
• Enhance visibility of services
• UX to inform service development & improvement
• Development of online and onsite services
• Underpin service model with standards, quality and
benchmarking
• Direct engagement with users through service and
learning supports
• Continue to nurture and develop a CSE ethos and
practice

15. Service Design with Education in Mind
What is Service Design? Designing to improve quality and interactions
What was our current ‘Service Design’? Transaction > Teaching
What were we good at? How do we make space to be better at this?
Adaptability Welcome Second Home Friendliness
Customer
Satisfaction
Composure under
pressure
Responding to
technology
Change
Management
Always deliver Approachability Adapting to change Extra Mile
Customer
Confidence & Trust
Consistency of
service delivery
Innovative
Technology
Remaining at the
cutting edge
Collegiality Expansion Expertise Reputation
Expertise Library Online
presence
Collections Good relationship
with our users

16. User Engagement experimenting/test-bedding
Introduced UX Methodologies Began ‘pop-ups’ outside Library
spaces
Got more involved in student
society activity onsite in Library lobby
Increased visibility via College
channels & Campaigns
Collaborative campaigns with
different user groups
Collaborative skills clinic at Service Desk
Relationship development with
Student Representatives
Starting
conversation
s

17. Our users are completely knowable…it is
our responsibility to get to know them
Particular users are particularly struggling
with demands of info
literacy skills they need
‘Clinic-style’/Bespoke sessions work
really well from CS Team
Our users are multidimensional and
sometimes abstract (organisation/depts)
We already have great relationships at
Service Desk…how will new
space/services optimise this?
What we learned

18. Informed design of space:
Set down/Quick Fix
Detailed Consult 1:1 & Small Group
Informed the design of service:
PG Nursing Students
PG Ethics & Leadership Students
UG Research Projects
UG International Students
Space for Interaction

19. Service Design with Education in Mind
Design Elements to promote ideal interactions – conversation moments
Transactional > Teaching – adding self-service

20. Activate the Space >> more learning

22. Activate the Space >> Teaching Moments
Teaching Moments took on a new life as part of actually ‘activating’ the space
Consultation space at Information Point Area >> Physical area greatly enhanced
interactions to the point that we could see our own value as CS Team
Understood the value of 20-30 mins sessions, informal, not booked in but at the
moment of need >> Somewhat unexpected from the student…surprise & delight
Transactional – Teaching >> We knew this was coming but flow of space really
valuable
All about the approach >> Reference interview re-invented
Teaching Moment is all about the context of the start of the users interaction
I’m looking for a book on ulcers ………. Cat search; wound care…

23. Service Design with Education in Mind
Staff Training
Reference Interview skills in Context of assignment, exam, learning needs…
Recognising how to ask around a question, not just know how to do or demonstrate
Appreciating that CS Team are ‘The Librarian’
Power to reassure students when they are under pressure i.e. advice on what to focus on
How to assess each interaction against ‘ideas’ of excellence?
• Would that student recommend coming to the Info Point to a friend?
• Would that student come back with another question?

24. Teaching Moments from Customer Service Team
Changing Lives before Students even meet our back-of-house
Expertise!
I cannot thank you enough for your time, help, patience
and guidance…I’ve gone form feeling extremely stressed
and worried all weekend not being able to locate articles on
the assignment, and also being uneducated on APA
referencing, to now feeing so relieved and positive after
spending approx. 1 hour with you.

25. Visibility & Proximity
Library anchor tenant
Library atrium feature
Transparency but zoned
Corridors as linked spaces
Anatomy of building
Add photo of
simulation
Building Design >> Surprises

26. Range of Users
Openness to consultation
Just-In-Time
Lack of awareness of
what can be asked at
Info Point
Building anchor tenant
Knowledge required
Relationship-building
activated by CS
Library Design >> Surprises

27. Teaching Moments
bottom line…vzxcvxz
As well as your physical
design ideas, having a
tangible realistic concept like
Teaching Moments is key to
activating the space with your
users in mind and to help
your staff manage big
changes.

28. Service Design with
Education in Mind
Teaching Moments at
Library Service Points

29. Leading theLeading the
worldworld
to better healthto better health

30. Service Design with
Education in Mind
Thank you
Johanna Archbold
JohannaArchbold@rcsi.com
@Johanna_speaks