Efficient Space Management through a Reserved Seat Reading System

Abstract

The practice of reserving seats for reading is common in university library spaces, especially during high-demand exam periods. Pre-booked seats go unused at these times and other library visitors cannot be accommodated upon arrival, negatively affecting reading space availability and user satisfaction. To address this issue, the Thammasat University library adopted the Design Thinking Process as an instrument to develop a seating reservation system to optimize shared space usage. The system includes processes for checking seat availability and reservations, user confirmation, and reservation cancellation. It aligns with user behavior, boosting confidence that seats will be available if specific rules and guidelines are followed. This approach helps the library manage seat usage effectively and reduces user complaints, enhancing overall satisfaction with the library experience. In a survey, users expressed an 81.09% satisfaction rate with the reserved seat reading system.