Piloting an information commons at HKUST library

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to present the experience of piloting an information commons at a major academic library in Hong Kong. Design/methodology/approach - At the pilot phase, assessment is crucial. The article reports how the HKUST Library monitors usage and conducted satisfaction surveys to identify users' needs, expose strengths and weaknesses of the service, and set direction for future development. Findings - The assessment data reveal users' needs and behaviors. Such information helps the Library to refine the existing service, and compose a sound proposal for expansion. The experience cumulated through the pilot also forms the basis of future planning. Originality/value - The experience that HKUST tested the concept of commons using a pilot phase, guided by its assessment program, may have reference value to other commons projects. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited