The Patron Experience

Valley Library classrooms are requested through our website using a Qualtrics survey form manged by Uta Hussong-Christian (Unlicensed) . The survey has answer logic that allows branching based upon the patron responses. Patrons can find information about the classrooms under the "Meet & Study Here" section of the ribbon. This section includes information about multiple reservable spaces in the library including partner spaces such as the Grad Commons.

Patrons can request a classroom through our classroom reservation form found here. This is also where they will find links for the classroom calendars, guidelines and the request form.

Classroom Calendars

By clicking on the names of each classroom, they can find links to the public facing calendars (Autzen and the Willamette Seminar Rooms). These pubic-facing calendars display using Microsoft 365 Outlook calendar.

• Each calendar must be clicked on individually. They cannot all be displayed on one page. This means patrons may need to click between multiple tabs when looking for calendar availability. It's not ideal.
• Patrons cannot add events to the public-facing calendars.
• Currently, whatever we add to the event subject line is displayed on the public-facing calendar. Names are not masked.

Reservation Request form

As stated earlier, the form uses answer logic. This allows the patron to be directed to the best resource based upon their answers. The first page of this form includes links to the calendar and classroom guidelines. Below is an outline of the survey questions for reference.

1. Are you a student scheduling a defense, oral/comprehensive exams, or final project presentation?
   1. If the student answers yes, the survey immediately ends and directs the patron to contact Student Multimedia Studios, one of our building partners.
   2. They have information on their page about reserving Willamette West for these presentations.
   3. Students go through SMS to make the reservation, and SMS makes the reservation for the classroom with us. More about that later.
2. Requestor information: Name, Dept/Group, phone number, and email address.
   1. We track department information because departments are allowed one reservation per term.
3. Is the person checking out the key the same as the requestor
   1. This is important because anyone who might check out the key card must have their name attached to the reservation. 
   2. If the answer is no, the survey will ask for the information of the person checking out the key card
   3. Sometimes someone will later email us and ask to add additional names to the request which we will gladly do.
4. What is your affiliation? (OSU Libraries & Press, Valley Library Partners, OSU Faculty/Staff, OSU Student)
   1. This affiliation impacts how often someone may request a room and which rooms they may request.
   2. The affiliation also determines if they are able to request a repeating event.
5. Request details-the next three questions ask for date, time, event information including number of participants, which classroom, etc.
   1. Sometimes someone will request a room that is too small or too large for their event.
   2. TED librarians can put events on the calendar themselves, but should they choose to use the Qulatrics form, they are encouraged to email Autzen classroom directly with more information.
6. Patrons are asked if they need any additional support such as extra laptops, tech training, or special software installed.
   1. Training requests are emailed to staff to manage those trainings.
7. Survey ends with a reminder that a response will be received within 2 business days and a link to the classroom technology guide. They are emailed a copy of their reservation request.

Managing Reservation Requests

Currently we use Microsoft Outlook calendar to maintain the classroom calendars for:

• Autzen Classroom
• 2nd Floor West
• Willamette Seminar Rooms

Checking Classroom Inboxes

Note: Although we have two business days to respond, try to check email inboxes twice a day. 

Check Availability

Make sure you are in the "File Folder" view before  you begin. Go through each classroom inbox and make a list. For each request, write down:

• The date and time of the request
• Room requested and time.

For the most part, requests are honored first come, first served. With your list in hand, check each classroom calendar for availability.

Conflict with the request

We do our best to honor requests but sometimes there is a conflict with policy or availability. The most common policy conflicts are requests for a room multiple days per term or a request for Autzen during the first two weeks of term. When there is a policy request, email the patron explaining why the request cannot be fulfilled and the policy behind this decision.

If there is a scheduling conflict, see if another classroom is available that you can offer. If there is, email the requestor to see if that is acceptable. If there are not any alternatives, email the patron letting them know the room is not available.

Note: Standard request wording can be found in the shared drive (S:>LEAD>Classrooms). The document is also attached to this page and can be downloaded. When replying, be sure to change the "To:" field. The reply will default to Library Web. You must delete that address and add in the requestor email address.

No Conflict with the request

• Drag the request from the inbox into the calendar (be sure you are dragging it into the correct calendar (room request and room calendar match)). A new email window will pop-up. 
• Change the Subject of the email to the Title of the Event from the room request AND the person who is requesting the key AND any other people named authorized to pick up the key. 
• Change the date and time to match the request. (If it's a recurring request from library personnel or someone on the exception list, enter the recurring information).
• Click on "Invite" Copy email of requestor in the Send line. 
• Check calendar for accuracy. 
• If reservation was for both East and West, enter in the East calendar and invite West along with the organizer. After you have sent the invite, copy the subject line, open the West calendar, and paste in the subject line to match there as well. 
• Drag the email into "Scheduled." 
• From your personal "Sent" box, move the sent email to the Classroom "Sent" box. 

Always check the "Deleted Folder." Sometimes replies to our emails will end up there. 

• If there is a "declined meeting" in the "Deleted" folder, email the requestor to see if they want to officially cancel the meeting. 
• If someone asks to cancel a meeting, copy and paste and paste that email into the cancellation of the meeting before sending. 

Recurring Requests

Some departments are allowed to make recurring requests. The details are outlined in the Classrooms page but are also outlined here. If there is a conflict between the two pages, defer to the Classrooms page as the authority.

Departments that can book more than one meeting per term:

• Library. It's important to note that Library has priority over all other groups (except University Administration on occasion).
• Some Library partners
  • URWS: Autzen & Willamette Seminar rooms
  • Ecampus: Willamette Seminar Rooms
• University Administration: All classrooms

Making Exceptions

The goal is to have the classrooms in use as much as possible. Things to consider when making an exception:

• Is the request for after 5 or on a weekend? If so, consider making an exception since those are times when the classrooms are underused.
• Is the request from Executive Administration (such as a Vice Provost office)? Probably want to make the exception.
• Is the request for an event that is in less than a week? Chances are the room will not be booked in that time period, so we will frequently make an exception.
• Is 2nd floor West available? If the request is for a classroom that is already booked but the event is for a group within the library, like a building partner, reach out to TED and ask if an exception can be made.

Regularly Occurring Events

There are some Library events we have in the classroom that we schedule every year. These include:

• Open Study at the end of each term
  • Add these to the calendar at the beginning of each academic year.
  • Dead Week: Sun-Thurs, 5-11 pm
  • Finals Week: Sun-Wed, 5-11 pm
• Admin Briefings
  • Every June we meet with the Executive Assistant to the Dean to schedule the Admin briefings for the year.
  • Typically they are once per month, alternating between Thursday afternoons and Friday mornings.
  • During Covid we have had them twice/month over Zoom. They will continue to be broadcast over Zoom with an option to attend in-person once conditions allow.
• Library Faculty Association Meetings
  • Typically the third Friday of the month.
  • During Covid they have been scheduled via Zoom. We discovered this opens the possibility of scheduling conflicts with the Admin briefings. Post Covid we will likely go back to having LFA submit a request to the classrooms.