Learn how to design and conduct a kindness audit, a low-cost and high-reward assessment method that helps librarians examine barriers to library services and spaces through a user experience lens. Varying methods for kindness audits, lessons learned, and suggestions for identifying and implementing low-cost improvements for library spaces and services, will all be discussed.

1. Killing It with Kindness:
Incorporating Sustainable
Assessment through Kindness
Audits
Jessica Olin and Joe Hardenbrook
Virtual Conference Webcast
March 26, 2015
Association of College and Research Libraries Conference, Portland, Oregon
Twitter: @olinj and @mrlibrarydude #acrlkindness
Email: librarykindnessaudit@gmail.com

2. Speakers
Joe Hardenbrook Jessica Olin

3. A. My favorite movie is Legally Blonde.
B. I am a certified storm chaser.
C.Winner of an airport code trivia contest.
Joe’s Statements:

4. Jessica’s Statements:
A. I was in a made for tv mini series when I was
a kid.
B. I have lived in 10 different states.
C.I am a descendent of someone who signed
the Declaration of Independence.

5. Kindness Audit
What is it, anyway?

6. Carroll University

7. Todd Wehr Memorial Library

8. Librarian Audit

9. Library Lobby
Commendable: Library Info

10. Library Lobby
Commendable: Technology

11. Commendable: Library Coffee Shop

12. Needs Improvement: Signage

13. Needs Improvement: Services

14. Changes Implemented: Library Classroom
Changes Implemented

15. Changes Implemented: Library Classroom
Changes Implemented

16. Changes Implemented: Single Occupancy Restrooms

17. Changes Implemented: Librarians’ Offices

18. Changes Implemented: Group Study Rooms

19. Changes Implemented: Outlets

20. ● Easy fixes
● More to like than not to like
● Marketing/Branding and Info Lit
What surprised us

21. Wesley College

22. Robert H. Parker Memorial Library

23. Student Audits

24. “Things I Like”: Friendly Staff

25. “Things I Like”: Displays & Polls

26. “Things I Like”: Consortium

27. “Things I Don’t Like”: Study Areas

28. “Things I Don’t Like” Furniture

29. “Things I Don’t Like”: Signs

30. “Things I Don’t Like”: Noise

31. “Things I Don’t Like”: Computers

32. “Things I Don’t Like”: Pay for Print

33. “Things I Don’t Like”: Librarian
Offices

34. Changes Made: Basement Study
Room

35. Changes Made: Second Floor
Alcove

36. Changes Made: New Printers

37. Changes Made: Reference Desk

38. What surprised us:
● Overlap with librarian audits
● Consortium
● Easy fixes

39. Context Based Differences
Image credit: Medical College of Wisconsin

40. Your Turn

41. Caveats
● ADA
● International
● Cultural
● Shared Spaces
● Need States
● Campus Regulations
● Improvement Cycle

42. Audience Participation
Ways to connect today:
● Chat window;
● #acrlkindness or @mrlibrarydude or @olinj;
● librarykindnessaudit@gmail.com.

43. Audience Participation
Picture from Alia Moore at The
University of Arizona University
Libraries.

44. Audience Participation
Picture from
Megan Brooks at
Wellesley College.

45. Audience Participation
Picture from
Andrew Whitis at
University of
Findlay.

46. Further Questions:
Jessica: librarianjessica@gmail.com or @olinj
Joe: joehardenbrook@outlook.com or
@mrlibrarydude