Examining the impact and motivations of play in academic libraries: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: Academic libraries are well situated to provide students with opportunities to de-stress through play. However, the impacts of play and student motivations to participate have not been formally investigated. This study aimed to answer the questions: What are the impacts of play in academic libraries? And why do students choose to participate in play events in these settings? Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used. Recruitment took place at three academic libraries in Canada. Participants were University students actively engaging in a play event. An eight-item questionnaire was distributed. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Results: 93 participants completed the study. The majority were undergraduate, domestic students residing off-campus. The impact of personal enjoyment had the highest mean response among the impacts measured. The top motivations for participating were to take a break, to engage in the activity being offered, and for enjoyment or fun. Discussion: Participants were motivated and impacted by personal enjoyment, aligning with previous research on play in adulthood. However, the need to take a break was the strongest motivator to participate in play events for this post-secondary student population. Academic libraries are an optimal place on campus for play events to occur.