Book Review: Assessing Library Space for Learning

In Assessing Library Space for Learning, Susan E. Montgomery has assembled a collection of articles from a broad range of practitioners, including educational development, psychology, architecture, user experience, and librarianship generally. The rich mixture of backgrounds delivers more than the promise of its title, offering the reader deep insight into the practical aspects of academic libraries. A welcome contribution in the field, addressing what is largely a dearth in the library literature regarding library space assessment generally—much less, its use for learning. What is available is generally not reflective of the substantial change that has been underway for decades: the “big shift” from a formerly “singular focus on books to a much more dynamic and ever-fluid emphasis on user experience” (53). This book brings together a working understanding of the role of library as place, with practical assessment along multiple learning axes.