Library Observation

For our observation, we decided to examine the organization and social structures of the University of West Florida Commons area. We made the prediction that the organization in the building would be very relaxed. We based this hypothesis on the idea that the Commons are one of the few places on campus where there is not a specific objective as compared to the classrooms or the library. For our observation, we split the commons into three main areas and assigned two people to each area. This way, we could cover more ground and get a better idea of the overall structure of the Commons.

When we entered the atrium area, we were met with a great diversity of people. Not only were people constantly moving in and out of the commons area, several …show more content…
It is run by a supervisor who oversees several student employees. The internal environment maintained in the bookstore was overall one of order and competence. There were not many customers in the bookstore during our observation period. This lack of activity was possibly the reason for the lax attitude of the staff that manned the bookstore. That being said, the staff were very attentive when approached with a question. The division of labor was very plain to see. The staff seemed to preform three main roles: cashiers, guides, and stockers. The cashiers were the most active staff members. These staffers swiftly and gently engaged customers as they were checked out, always maintaining a friendly attitude while also remaining professionally detached The guides were the second position that we noticed. Because of the low traffic, there were not very many guides working. These individuals were highly active, attentive, and efficient. Fortunately, each guide that we observed also displayed kindness and responsiveness to student inquires. Lastly, the final role played by the staffers of the bookstore was that of stocker. Again, these staff members were few in number but worked at a much slower rate than the guides. One of the more interesting trends that we observed was the social division between the staffers. For instance, the cashiers and stockers rarely interacted. In contrast, the guides held conversation with both cashiers …show more content…
The third area that we observed is called the Galley. In the Galley, there are three different eating places, a game area, and a common study area. The organizational culture of the galley is very relaxed and most of its inhabitants are there to socialize with one another. The busiest time in the galley is lunch. This makes sense because it is one of the only options that students have for food on campus. Of the thirty-five students in our observation area, about sixty percent of them were communicating face-to-face with another person. The people who are alone are typically studying. Because it was lunch time, almost every person was eating. Whether they are alone or in a group, the majority of the people in the galley were using some form of technology. We found it particularly interesting that most of the meetings were organic and did not seem prescheduled. The employees in the galley do not have much interaction with the customers after they have ordered their food. Because of the multiple entrances and open area, there was a very friendly and relaxed culture in the