Barriers to Using Bicycle Workstations in a Campus Library

Background The purpose of this study is to assess campus awareness and attitudes toward bicycle workstations in the library at a small, private college in the New England region of the United States. Methods Two recumbent and two Expresso bicycle workstations were placed in public areas of the college library. A short online survey with multiple choice and open-ended questions was designed specifically for the study. Members of the campus community were invited to complete the survey, as approved by the Institutional Review Board. Themes were identified for open-ended questions. Answers were sorted using designated themes. Results Ninety-five people completed the survey. Only a small number of respondents used the bikes (n=4) or would consider using the bikes (n=1). Twenty-four were not aware of the workstations or did not know how to use them, while ten did not use the library on a regular basis. Of those who did use the library, the majority did not use the bikes, citing issues with public locations of the workstations (n=16), people watching them (n=9), distracting other library patrons (n=5), sweating in the library (n=6), or preferring to exercise at a gym (n=6). Respondents commented on how to increase bike use, emphasizing education about the benefits, as well as consideration of optimal location for workstations in the library. Conclusion The results of this exploratory study suggest that education about active workstations and their benefits is important to maximize use in a campus library. Location is also important, addressing concerns for privacy.