Spring-Summer 2005 - Volume 11 - Number 1 |
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We Are Listening by Gerald Saxon, Dean of UTA Libraries
LibQUAL+ is a user-based assessment of library service effectiveness. It includes twenty-seven core questions that measure user perceptions and expectations of service quality in three areas: information control, which includes the amount, availability, and accessibility of information content in both print and electronic formats; library as place, which refers to the physical library and its facilities/spaces and whether they are comfortable, clean, and appropriate for study, learning, and research; and affect of service, which focuses on the competence and courteousness of library staff. The survey instrument provides gap analysis data between perceived level of service, that is the service the user believes he/she is getting from the library, and the minimum and desired level of service he/she would like. The survey measures the areas where the library is meeting minimum and desired levels of service and those areas where the library is either exceeding expectations or not meeting even minimum levels.
More than 900 people completed the survey out of a sample of 3,000 undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and staff, for a completion rate of 30%. The results will help to guide the Libraries’ strategic planning efforts for the near future. The survey is rich in information and is still being analyzed, but some preliminary conclusions can be drawn. First, the good news. Undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty all agree that library staff members instill confidence, are courteous, and give users the attention and assistance they need. These areas rated high across user groups. Not surprisingly, undergraduates, whose work isn’t generally as information-intensive as that of graduate students and faculty, believe that the Libraries’ holdings and information resources were easily accessible and adequate for their use, while graduate students and faculty rated the library high in providing spaces for group learning. The areas that most need attention according to the survey are the library website, which most of the user groups believe could be improved, while undergraduate and graduate students expressed opinions that library space does not inspire study and learning and is not adequate for quiet study. Faculty and graduate students want more information resources accessible remotely and would like more easy-to-use access tools that allow individuals to locate information on their own. Faculty members also believe that the library needs more print and electronic resources with which to conduct their research and work. Over the next several months the library staff will be looking at this data and developing objectives to address user concerns. Some actions are already taking place. For example, the Libraries’ Web Advisory Committee, with input from our users, is studying the new website that came online in the fall 2004 and improving its navigability, look, and feel. Additionally, the library is increasing allocations for information resources in 2005-2006 in an effort to continue to grow and improve our holdings and to cover inflation—this is a trend that began several years ago, and we hope will continue well into the future. Library staff is also working to implement a federated searching tool called MetaLib, which will allow users to easily search across multiple databases, simplifying searching in the process. As far as the physical facilities are concerned, library staff has been working closely with staff from the university’s Physical Plant to address issues of cleanliness and general maintenance. The custodial work in the Central Library, for example, has been outsourced, and more individuals are assigned to clean the building as a result. Also, bathrooms throughout the Central Library are being renovated and aesthetic tweaks to the entry of the building are expected in the near future. The Library Collections Depository (LCD), a 15,000 square foot warehouse for the storage of library materials, is now being built on Davis Street. When the space is completed and materials are stored there, this will allow us to free up space in all of the libraries on campus—space we want to reallocate to better accommodate user needs. The bottom line in all of this is that we listen to what our users tell us, and we act to meet their needs. Indeed, we actively solicit their thoughts, ideas, and input. LibQUAL+ is just the most recent example of this. I invite you to let us know how we are doing and how we can improve. Only through candid and honest feedback will we continue to make progress in our service program.
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The UTA Libraries cares about its users and their experiences in using
our resources and services. I don’t think faculty, students, and staff will find a more
user-centered organization on the campus—of course, I may be a bit biased but I hear this
from all parts of the campus community. Historically the library organization has used a
number of techniques to gauge user opinion and satisfaction, including focus groups, formal
and informal surveys, retreats, anecdotal information, and observation, to mention a few.
During part of the spring semester, we added another tool to help us better understand what our
users thought about our services. From February 21-March 31, 2005, the UTA Libraries conducted
the LibQUAL+ survey aimed at measuring user satisfaction with library services and facilities.
In fact, UTA was one of 240 libraries around the world to use LibQUAL+ in 2005. 