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Cassandra Jordan
Dr. Nicholes
English 90
7 December 2018
Library Services as a Linguistic Landscape

Introduction

According to Landry and Bourhis (1997), linguistic landscape is defined as the visibility

and salience of languages on public and commercial signs in a given territory or region. In other

words, “the language of public road signs, advertising billboards, street names, place names,

commercial shop signs, and public signs on government buildings combine to form the linguistic

landscape of a given territory, region or urban agglomeration” (Landry and Bourhis 1997). This is

important because it shows a language in an environment through many ways.

Student resources are important because it offers access to help and a sense of belonging

in the area. “Student resources always need to be expanded to meet the needs of students for the

following three reasons: The first reason is that the numbers of students who utilize these services

continue to grow. In 1970 it was estimated that 28% of all students who entered postsecondary are

non-traditional students as defined by; being more than five years out of high school, over 25 years

of age or with families. By 2005 that number had grown to 73%” (University of Phoenix, 1998;

National Center for Educational Statistics, 2002; Data Monitor, 2005; U.S. News, 2007;

Wikipedia, 2007). I believe the library at UW Stout is an important student resource because it

offers help for myself and for students in multiple different ways, including things like access to

materials, extra help, and much more. It is also a place where you’re able to fit in with other

students here on campus, which helps students, especially newer students, fit in.
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According to Turner-King (2018), this describes the definition of a welcoming space

“offering spaces of access, conviviality, and belonging”. These characteristics are an important

part to the library here on campus. Therefore, the purpose of this linguistic landscape is to state all

the ways the UW Stout library is welcoming to everyone. How is it welcoming? Here is why.

Methods

The method used was walking through all levels of the library and taking pictures of

welcoming and helpful features of the library. I collected the data by taking pictures that most

people would use or see as beneficial features of the library, and places that many people would

visit when they are here. The floors of the library each included places to ask for help and places

to study. I took pictures of things or places that students were able to find help in, study in, or

help with their homework.

I analyzed this information by using Turner-King's definition of a welcoming space and

compared it to how well the library used those characteristics of a welcoming space. I then

analyzed the data. First, I looked for access, conviviality, and belonging all throughout the

library and got pictures of things that I believe would fit. I then used the pictures I took to

describe how each of them showed these characteristics of a welcoming space, which each of

them were able to prove.

Results

Library help desk

After looking at each floor of the library and all the help available there, it is obvious as

to what the library values. For example, the very first thing you see when you enter the library is
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a giant “help desk” in the middle of the room. This shows that help is always available and that

they’re not afraid to offer it to anybody who enters.

Figure 1. Library help desk.

This help desk shows that they will offer you help if you come to the desk. It has multiple chairs

for multiple people to be able to help students, also providing a computer if they need to look up

something for you. This suggests that one of the main values of the library is to provide help to

students or to anyone in need in the library. This offers a welcoming space because many

students will need help finding something or looking up something while in the library, and this

provides the help that these students will need.

Library Research Assistance TV

Here shows a TV on the third floor of the library, it shows a phone number that you’re

able to call to ask questions or get help, or can be used as a chat to message a librarian for help.

Also provided is an email if you’d rather send an email asking for help.
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Figure 4. Library research assistance.

Figure 4 offers multiple options of help for students in need, especially if they’re on the third

floor and don’t want to go all the way downstairs to ask for help. This provides an easy access

for help. This shows that the UW Stout library really cares to help students out here, they provide

ways to get help throughout every single floor. This offers conviviality and welcoming

characteristics because they provide multiple ways to provide help and assistance for anyone in

the library no matter what floor you happen to be on.

Printing Stations

Other ways that the library here helps students out would be by providing printing

stations to print your work or pictures.

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Figure 2. Printing stations.

Figure 2 provides printing stations that gives easy access to printing your homework or paper

without having to go to a library off campus or having to worry about getting your own printer.

This is welcoming to students because it gives them a space to use resources here where it’s hard

to find anywhere else. This also provides accessibility because not every student owns a printer

or wants to leave the library to print their homework.

Quiet study floor

Another option for welcoming students to the library is by providing quiet study floors as

seen below.
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Figure 5. A quiet study place.

In figure 5, it opens up a place where students are able to quietly study which will overall help

them with school and will feel a sense that they’re welcome here. This is welcoming because

anybody is welcome to use these quiet study floors, where they know students will need a place

to study in quiet. This provides a good place to use here on campus if you need a place to study

or do homework. Which can be hard to find anywhere else.

Study stations
In this last picture it shows a place where students are able to work on their homework or

study.
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Figure 3. Study stations.

Figure 3 suggests that everyone is welcome to come and work on their homework here, which

provides extra help for students if they need a place to study. This creates an easy environment to

do homework especially here on campus. It is easy to get to, has help available all around it, and

is offered to anybody here in the library.

Discussion

Finally, after analyzing all the results, it shows what the library services does for students

here on campus. They provide ways to access the library easily and welcome every student that

enters, offers conviviality, and belonging. Just like Turner-King would describe as a welcoming

place. Overall the library provides lots of ways to give help to students and provides places to

study. On each floor of the library there is a place to study, place to find books, place to do

homework, extra help available anywhere, and lots more. All available in a quiet setting with
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librarians all around to offer help. All of these characteristics are able to prove that the UW Stout

library creates a welcoming resource here on campus, available for all students. The linguistic

landscape of the library provides a help desk, research assistance, printing stations, quiet study

floors, and study stations that are available at any time of the day. Based on all of this

information, it overall shows that the library is welcoming and accessible for anybody.

References

Rachel Turner-King (2018) Creating welcoming spaces in the city: exploring the theory and

practice of ‘hospitality’ in two regional theatres, Research in Drama Education: The Journal of

Applied Theatre and Performance, 23:3, 421-437, DOI: 10.1080/13569783.2018.1477583

“Linguistic Landscape and Ethnolinguistic Vitality.” Journal of Research in Crime and

Delinquency, journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0261927x970161002.

University of Phoenix, 1998; National Center for Educational Statistics, 2002; Data Monitor,

2005; U.S. News, 2007; Wikipedia, 2007