How One Library Struck the Perfect Balance with LibCal

What started as a necessary change to seat reservations during the pandemic led to more inclusive spaces for everyone at Université de Liège. Discover how ULiège Library analyzed survey responses and designed a two-tiered system that responds directly to user demand!

We came across the chapter Using LibCal Seats to Better Serve Students and knew we had to learn more! Fortunately, we were able to connect with one of the authors, François Renaville, who was happy to share more details in an interview.

Why Their Dynamic System Works

ULiège Library already used LibCal Spaces for room reservations but began using LibCal Seats in 2020, largely due to public health concerns. As conditions improved, they were given more flexibility to customize their system – and came up with a brilliant configuration! After evaluating student surveys, they decided to selectively turn on LibCal Seats during peak times, such as near examinations.

“The primary purpose of seat reservations is to help students better plan their library visits during busy periods and to ensure they will have a place to study when demand is high. In doing so, the service helps reduce uncertainty and stress at times of the year when academic pressure is already significant, while also allowing the library to manage space usage more smoothly and equitably,” explained François. 

And the Survey Says...

ULiège library periodically sends satisfaction surveys to students. An overwhelming majority of respondents – almost 82%! – appreciated the convenience of using seat reservations at the library’s largest locations during peak periods. And over 86% reported that the process was easy or fairly easy, to boot! Additionally, surveys helped the library identify policy adjustments and tweaks to enhance the experience for everyone. They've made changes to reservation lengths, enabled geofencing for check-ins, and created an interactive map (using LibMaps' predecessor) to help students locate their seats! 

LibCal is a robust calendaring tool that provides everything you need to coordinate event calendars, room bookings, Library of Things lending, Museum Passes, appointments, and more! Reach out to set up a demo, request pricing, or see more examples of LibCal in action.