Measuring (the value of) Space: A Case Study of a Collaborative Assessment of an Academic Library’s Physical Collections

Abstract

The Ekstrom Library at the University of Louisville decided it would be valuable to obtain a detailed picture of the space usage in the Library’s physical collections, in order to help resolve ongoing space problems, to create a working document for continued maintenance of the Library’s physical collections and to provide data for library administration to use in support of future space planning. To this end, the Physical Collections Task Force (Task Force) was formed. The Task Force’s charge was as follows: “To determine present and future space needs for the Ekstrom Library collections; produce a written statement describing the current collections with recommendations for the future, both short and long-term outlooks.” This case study provides the background and context for our project, describes the methods used for evaluation, and reports the recommendations made based on findings.