TM

Project web site www.arl.org/libqual/

Quantitative BackgroundQuantitative Backgroundfor LibQUAL+for LibQUAL+

A Total Market SurveyA Total Market Survey

Colleen CookBruce Thompson

January 26-27, 2003ALA Midwinter Meeting

Philadelphia

Dimensions of LibraryDimensions of LibraryService QualityService Quality

LibQUAL+LibQUAL+ Core Questions Y1 Core Questions Y1_____________________________________________________________________________ Factor_ ______ _ No. I II III IV Item Core _____________________________________________________________________________ 32 .84947 .12848 .24465 .13335 1 Willingness to help users33 .80847 .13662 .25348 .14147 1 Giving users individual attention 7 .80757 .17881 .12781 .21125 1 Employees deal with users caring fashion50 .79273 .19288 .18847 .12497 1 Employees who are consistently courteous31 .77262 .16358 .26461 .20061 1 Employees have knowledge answer questions 5 .74072 .14754 .18453 .29624 1 Employees understand needs of users 3 .74052 .15102 .17296 .20793 1 Readiness to respond to users' questions18 .71718 .19757 .18289 .26766 1 Employees who instill confidence in users43 .62487 .22402 .29970 .28256 0 Dependability handling service problems 20 .16556 .87679 .11430 .16236 2 A haven for quiet and solitude 2 .17739 .83172 .08498 .13901 2 A meditative place19 .22362 .83147 .14705 .22566 2 A contemplative environment25 .16013 .80492 .18894 .16628 2 Space that facilitates quiet study41 .20398 .80204 .17599 .20255 2 A place for reflection and creativity 37 .22528 .12353 .78405 .15466 * website enabling me locate info on my own28 .19602 .09611 .75780 .13173 * elec resources accessible home or office14 .33339 .16156 .60389 .31109 * access tools allow me find on my own45 .30467 .23784 .59090 .28919 3 Modern equip me easily access info I need17 .35390 .18467 .55690 .41864 * info easily accessible for independent use29 .30136 .21018 .55341 .38474 4 Convenient access to library collections 11 .13494 .23183 .18868 .73636 3 Comprehensive print collections39 .14894 .23743 .29367 .60350 3 Complete runs of journal titles16 .29445 .19831 .22384 .60107 3 Interdisciplinary library needs addressed 9 .27782 .05333 .16331 .57866 4 Timely document delivery/interlibrary loan 8 .22850 .18484 .13137 .56343 0 Convenient business hours

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Affect of ServiceAffect of Service

Absorbed several of the original SERVQUAL questions measuring Responsiveness, Assurance and Empathy

In the current analysis also includes Reliability

All in all: the Human Dimension of Service Quality

Access to InformationAccess to Information

Covers scope, timeliness, and convenience of access

Adequacy of collections

Comprehensiveness, quality, and depth of information resources

All in all: required information delivered in the format, location, and time of choice

Personal ControlPersonal Control

Covers ease of navigation, convenience, and support services

Personal control of the information universe in general and web navigation in particular

All in all: How users want to interact with the modern library

Library as PlaceLibrary as Place

Covers usefulness of space, symbolic value, and refuge for work and study

Transcends the SERVQUAL dimension of Tangibles to include the idea of the library as the campus center of intellectual activity

All in all: As long as physical facilities are adequate, library as place may not be an issue

Survey Design ConsiderationsSurvey Design Considerations

Three scales exploring optimal, minimal, and actual service levels

Twenty-five questions clustered around four dimensions

Survey covers a sample of targeted user population

Data illuminates gap between desired level of service and perception of experience

Respondents by Age Respondents by Age (Excludes NYPL)(Excludes NYPL)

Note: LibQUAL+ Spring 2002 Aggregate Survey Results. (2002). vol. 1, p. 19

Respondents by SexRespondents by Sex

Note: LibQUAL+ Spring 2002 Aggregate Survey Results. (2002). vol. 1, p. 20

4-Year Institution Respondent by Discipline4-Year Institution Respondent by Discipline(n=54,073)(n=54,073)

Note: LibQUAL+ Spring 2002 Aggregate Survey Results. (2002). Vol. 1, p. 38

Dimension Minimum Desired Perceived SA Gap

Access to Information 6.57 7.93 6.82 0.25

Affect of Service 6.51 7.90 7.11 0.60

Library as Place 5.98 7.41 6.62 0.64

Personal Control 6.74 8.15 7.07 0.33

Aggregate Dimension MeansAggregate Dimension Means(n=70,445)(n=70,445)

Note: LibQUAL+ Spring 2002 Aggregate Survey Results. (2002). vol. 1, p. 24

6.0000

6.2000

6.4000

6.6000

6.8000

7.0000

7.2000

6.0000 6.2000 6.4000 6.6000 6.8000 7.0000 7.2000

2001 Data

2002 D

ata

Mean Perceived ScoresMean Perceived Scores2001/2002 Trend (n=34)2001/2002 Trend (n=34)

ARLTop 40

6.84(.46)

ARLOther6.74(.27)

PrivateColleges

6.90(.49)

State Colleges& Universities

6.38(.30)

CommunityColleges

7.26(.55)

Overall Mean Scores and Overall Mean Scores and Service Adequacy Gap ScoresService Adequacy Gap ScoresBy Cohort GroupBy Cohort Group

2002 LibQUAL+2002 LibQUAL+ Iteration Iteration(n=162)(n=162)

AAHSL7.07(.56)

159 participants from 144 institutions

LibQUAL++ met respondents minimum expectations on all the items in the evaluation survey, and slightly exceeded expectations in the provision of online tools for managing and monitoring the process

Project strengths also include the timely availability of the results, communication from research team members, and the availability of national norms.

LibQUAL+LibQUAL+ 2002 Liaison 2002 LiaisonEvaluation Survey HighlightsEvaluation Survey Highlights

LibQUAL+LibQUAL+ Related DocumentsRelated Documents

LibQUAL+LibQUAL+ Web Site http://www.arl.org/libqual/

LibQUAL+LibQUAL+ Bibliographyhttp://www.coe.tamu.edu/~bthompson/servqbib

Survey Participants Procedures Manual http://www.arl.org/libqual/procedure/lqmanual2.pdf