Are we leaving them lost in the woods with no breadcrumbs to follow? Assessing signage systems in school libraries

Abstract

In order to successfully navigate space in seeking information, students need to develop their spatial thinking, or the ability to visualize and interpret location, distance, direction, relationships, movement, and change through space. Learning to think spatially has been defined as a vital skill for students to be equipped properly for their future (National Research Council, 2006; National Science Foundation, 2010). Wayfinding refers to the ability of users of the built environment (i.e., a facility) to navigate through that environment to find specific destinations (Mandel, 2010). In the school library environment this means that student users can find and access the information they need for school related tasks and assignments.