Beatty, Susan2019-04-112019-04-112018-07Beatty, S. (2019). Interviewing students on informal learning in library spaces.http://hdl.handle.net/1880/110155https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/36353Higher Education Research and Development Society (HERDSA) Conference, Adelaide, Australia, July 2-5, 2018, conference presentationThis presentation addresses the sub-theme of places and spaces of teaching and learning by investigating the nature of informal learning in an academic library from the students’ point of view. This qualitative study is an example of effective research practice using semi-structured interviews to discover what students think about their learning and spaces for learning in the library. Twenty-one interviews were analyzed using NVivo software to identify themes related to space, habits, beliefs, values, and thoughts on learning. While a survey, unobtrusive study, and mixed methods approaches are useful to discover habits, behaviour and thoughts, digging deeper in conversation is useful to uncover students’ thoughts. This study prompted students to think of something they never thought about before, specifically, the relationship between their learning preferences (space and activities) and the library. This small study shows that students definitely have space preferences and their preferences vary according to the way they learn, their goals of the day, and the nature of the spaces offered to them. As academics, we are aware that most student learning occurs outside the classroom, yet for the most part we are unaware how their learning happens. Students are introduced to content, context, and activities in the classroom and then they go to their spaces to learn. New considerations from the study speak to the value that students hold in relationship to the library and why those values serve to prompt students to come to the library to learn. The study illuminates the value of libraries as learning spaces, and the value of asking students to describe their learning. Understanding this complex matrix will serve higher educators well. Further consideration should be given to higher education learning spaces based on a deeper understanding of students as active, complex learners.engUnless otherwise indicated, this material is protected by copyright and has been made available with authorization from the copyright owner. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.Library spacesInformal learningacademic librariesstudent learninginformal learning spacesconference paper