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LibQUAL+ in the UK and Ireland:three years findings and experience
Stephen Town & Selena LockCranfield University
6th Northumbria International Conference on Performance Measures in Libraries and Information
Services22nd August 2005
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Objectives
• To give an overview of SCONUL LibQUAL+ participation
• To present the overall results of the 2003 - 2005 SCONUL Cohort
• To describe the feedback from participants and the lessons learnt
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UK HE Libraries survey methods
• General Satisfaction– Exit questionnaires– SCONUL Satisfaction Survey
• Designed Surveys– Satisfaction vs Importance 1989-– Priority Surveys 1993-
• Outcome measurement– ACPI project 2003-
• National Student Survey (1 Question)
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Survey methods used in the UK
West, 2004A Survey of Surveys
27
18
13
11
4
22
6
Libra
LibQUAL+
In-House
SPSS
SNAP
Perception
Excel
Others
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1. SCONUL LibQUAL+ Participation
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The UK approach
• Coordinated on behalf of the Society of College, National & University Libraries (SCONUL) Advisory Committee on Performance Improvement (ACPI)
• 20 UK Higher Education (HE) institutions participated in 2003
• 17 UK & Irish Higher Education (HE) institutions participated in 2004
• 17 UK & Irish Higher Education (HE) institutions participating in 2005
• 43 different institutions
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LibQUAL+ Participants 2003
• University of Bath• Cranfield University• Royal Holloway & Bedford
New College • University of Lancaster • University of Wales,
Swansea• University of Edinburgh• University of Glasgow• University of Liverpool• University of London Library• University of Oxford• University College
Northampton
• University of Wales College Newport
• University of Gloucestershire
• De Montfort University • Leeds Metropolitan
University• Liverpool John Moores
University • Robert Gordon University• South Bank University• University of the West of
England, Bristol • University of
Wolverhampton
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LibQUAL+ Participants 2004
• Brunel University• Loughborough University • University of Strathclyde • University of York • Glasgow University • Sheffield University • Trinity College, Dublin • UMIST + University of
Manchester• University of Liverpool
• Anglia Polytechnic University
• University of Westminster
• London South Bank University
• Napier University • Queen Margaret
University College • University College
Worcester • University of East London
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LibQUAL+ Participants 2005
• University of Exeter• University of Edinburgh• University of Dundee• University of Bath• University of Ulster• University College
Northampton• University of Birmingham• Roehampton University
• University of Glasgow• University of Surrey• Royal Holloway UoL• City University• Cranfield University• University of Luton• Dublin Institute of
Technology• London South Bank
University• Coventry University
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Overall Potential UK Sample to 2005
• Full variety of institutions• 25% of institutions• 32% of HE students (>700,000)• 34% of Libraries• 37% of Library expenditure
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2. Results from SCONUL
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Response Comparisons
• SCONUL 2003– 20 institutions – 11,919 respondents
• SCONUL 2004 – 16 institutions– 16,611 respondents
• Increase by 4,692
• SCONUL 2005– 16 institutions– 17,355 respondents
• Increase by 744
• LibQUAL+ 2003– 308 institutions– 128,958 respondents
• LibQUAL+ 2004– 202 institutions– 112,551 respondents
• Decrease by 16,407
• LibQUAL+ 2005– 199 institutions– 108,504 respondents
• Decrease by 4,047
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SCONUL Response by Discipline 2005
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Dimensions of Quality 2004 &
2005
• Affect of Service• Information Control• Library as a Place
• Affect of Service• Access to
Information• Personal Control• Library as Place
Dimensions of Quality 2003
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Dimensions ofLibrary Service Quality
Empathy
InformationControl
Responsiveness
Symbol
Utilitarian space
Assurance
Scope of Content
Ease of Navigation
Self-Reliance
Library as Place
LibraryServiceQuality
Model 3
Refuge
Affect of Service
Reliability
Convenience
Timeliness
Equipment
F. Heath, 2005
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Core Questions
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ARL College or University Summary 2004
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SCONUL Core Question Summary 2005
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SCONUL Core Question Summary 2004
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SCONUL Core Question Summary 2003
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Overall Comparisons
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Undergraduate Results 2005
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Postgraduate Results 2005
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Academic Staff Results 2005
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Library Staff Results 2005
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Affect of Service Comparisons
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Information Control Comparisons
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Library as Place Comparisons
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Overall Comparisons by User Group
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3. Feedback from participants and lessons learnt
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Purpose for participating
• Benchmarking• Analysis compiled by LibQUAL+• Trialling alternative survey methods• More library focused than previous in-
house method• Supporting Charter Mark application
process• Planned institutional survey failed to
happen. LibQUAL+ was cost effective way of doing something to fill the gap.
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Primary aim(s) for surveying users
• Understand what their opinions of our service is, to inform strategic planning.
• Making sure we knew what customers concerns really are as we have had much lobbying by one group of students. Also nearly three years since last survey, so needed an update after much change in services.
• User satisfaction : as simple as that. We need to know how they view us and whether we are improving. 3 years of the same survey can have some credibility.
• To gain information for better planning of our service and make adjustments in areas found wanting.
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Feedback on the LibQUAL+ process
• Majority found it straightforward• Hard work subtracting / managing
inbuilt US bias• Some issues in obtaining:
– Email addresses– Demographic data
• The publicity to the student body was the most time consuming part
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Feedback on results
• Overall results were as expected by the institutions
• “Not too surprising really given anecdotal evidence known already”
• Detailed questions highlighted new information, as LibQUAL+ goes into more depth than previous surveys
• Surprisingly bad, especially compared with other surveys including a parallel one
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How can LibQUAL+ be improved?
• Summary and commentary on results• More flexibility on the content and language
of the questionnaire• More interaction with other UK participating
libraries• Providing results by department, campus,
and for full time and part time students• Simpler questionnaire design• We really need a ConvergedServQual tool! • Needs to allow you to use a word other
than library (e.g. Learning Resource Centre)
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Changes made as a result of the survey
• It has strengthened our case in asking for more money to improve the environment.
• We have re-introduced our A-Z list of e-journals which had been axed several weeks before the survey was conducted.
• Implementing PG forums to address issues raised
• Main Library makeover/Group study area • Refocused discussions and mechanisms relating
to resource expenditure at the most senior levels
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Conclusions
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Conclusions
• LibQUAL+ Successfully applied to the UK academic sector
• Provided first comparative data on academic library user satisfaction in the UK
• At least half the participants would use LibQUAL+ again
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Lessons learnt
• The majority of participants would not sample the population in future surveys
• The smaller the sample, the lower the response rate
• Collecting demographics is time consuming• Results are detailed and comprehensive,
further analysis is complex
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Acknowledgements
• Colleen Cook, Dean Of Texas A&M University Libraries
• Bruce Thompson, Professor and Distinguished Research Scholar, Texas A&M University
• Fred Heath, Vice Provost and Director of the University of Texas Libraries, Austin
• Martha Kyrillidou & ARL • Chris West. A Survey of Surveys. SCONUL
Newsletter. Number 31.• All SCONUL LibQUAL+ Participants
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J. Stephen Town
Director of Information Services
Defence College of Management and Technology
Deputy University LibrarianCranfield University
Selena Lock
Research and Development Officer
Defence College of Management and Technology