The thesis explores the space attributes of Orkanen library in relation to the students’ preferences when choosing a place to study and their effect on study and non-study activities. Based on their perceived importance the following space attributes were identified to be of high value: privacy, noise level, window view, natural light and comfort of furnishing. The quiet zone of Orkanen library had successfully accumulated all of the above mentioned attributes. There, students could study without being disturbed or disturbing others. The sound privacy and the collective concentration were particularly motivating for the students. Despite the positive qualities that the quiet zone possessed specific internal and external disturbances were identified. The low noise level amplified intermittent sounds and had the potential to disturb students. Furthermore, due to its open, unconfined environment, the quiet zone was vulnerable to noises penetrating from outside the area. Certain space attributes such as crowdedness and noise level diminished or changed in quality towards the end of the day. Nevertheless the quiet zone was the preferred place for studies compared to other spaces in the library which possessed some but not all of the space attributes required by the students. Restricted Access/Limited Control theory and the concept of exoinformation helped to identify that the students acknowledged the library as a public place to study while having some degree of control over their privacy. Natural barriers in the library were used to increase concentration and motivation during studying and in the few cases when privacy was required during non-study activities. In general, the leaked exoinformation was not considered to be sensitive or useful for the observer or the person being observed.

University libraries struggle to keep up with rapidly changing technology and the associated change in teaching strategy. Most administrators and librarians are often not trained to assess space needs and struggle to reassign library spaces for non-traditional library use. As such, they often embark on expensive and time-consuming feasibility studies, using (typically) hard-earned monies to complete the research or to pilot a new space. What academic research library administrators and staff lack is an analysis tool for discovering and planning needed renovations and improvements in aging library facilities. The purpose of this research project was to determine how students use library spaces for learning in this new high-tech, hands-on education experience (i.e. synthesis of previous research); develop a tool that can be used by library staff to self-analyze existing academic library spaces, identifying areas that could be improved for student benefit (e.g. provide a checklist of potential learning spaces that institutions should carefully consider adding to their facilities); and provide some examples/case studies of potential facility improvements. The end result is a hierarchical self-analysis tool that merges space options, Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, and an example of library-user personas. It also provides some general cost guidelines, helpful construction tips, and a synthesis of exploratory questions related to strategy and space. The tool uses evidence-based design to facilitate important conversations, provide an organized checklist of various considerations, and be a quick reference for library administrators and facility managers as they navigate the world of twenty-first century pedagogy and student learning.