INTERVIEW ‘‘
UX work in essence is about researching what users think and feel about your services and also how they actually use them.
Rob Green is Editor for Information Professional.
User experience research and design in libraries today
UX (User Experience) methods have been employed in libraries for around ten years now, becoming ever more prevalent and familiar. Recently we caught up with UX consultant and trainer, and former librarian, Andy Priestner and asked him to reflect on the relevance and value of UX work to libraries today.
Information Professional (IP) – Can you give us a brief introduction of yourself and your work?
Andy Priestner (AP) – I used to be a librarian, first in a public library, then at both Oxford and Cambridge University. It was while at Cambridge that I was first introduced to ethnographic research methods – the study of people’s behaviours. I started using these techniques in order to improve my library service and quickly realised that I was on to something that needed to be shared and celebrated more widely. I subsequently initiated the first international UX (User Experience) in Libraries conference in 2015, choosing to focus on the term ‘User Experience’ as part of the event title rather than ethnography, or service design, as had also been suggested, as it felt more relevant to libraries. After all, what in libraries is not about our users and their experience? Since 2017 I have been travelling the world, pandemic-permitting, consulting and training in UX methods.
IP – For anyone who is vaguely aware, or who has not encountered the concept of UX – what does it mean and why is important in a library setting? AP – UX work in essence is about researching what users think and feel about your services and also how they actually use them. Crucially, UX Research goes beyond superficial methods such as surveys and focus groups and gathers richer more honest data via techniques such as behavioural mapping, 1-2-1 interviews, user journey mapping, usability testing,
Summer 2025 Andy Priestner.
cognitive mapping, to name just a few. While these methods have become popular, unfortunately, very few librarians and libraries progress from UX Research to UX Design, which is when you respond to the user data you have gathered by generating ideas for new prototype services or spaces. These prototypes – which might be, for example, a new space layout, wayfinding system, or web page – should be cheaply and rapidly tested on and with
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