unit: usf libraries goal 1 (usf libraries strategic … libraries services & collections...

2008-2009 ASSESSMENT REPORT USF Libraries

Services & Collections Outcomes

Unit: USF Libraries Unit Mission Statement: To become a globally recognized academic library system advancing knowledge through integrated resources, responsive services, research, and instruction

GOAL 1: Increase patron self-reliance and use multiple delivery mechanisms and appropriate technology where needed and available. (USF Libraries Strategic Goal 1)

Objective 1.1 Increase student and faculty use of self-checkout station to check out library materials.

Methods of Assessment and Performance Targets 1.1.1

Analyze and compare statistics (9/08-5/09) from both mediated and self-checkout processes. Analysis of data will report that the use of self-checkout stations will increase 10% from fall semester 2008 to end of spring semester 2009

Assessment Results 1.1.2

Use of the self check out machine as a percentage of patrons checking out materials peaks at 16% of transactions in fall but decreases to only peak at 13% in spring semester. Data indicates that there was not an increase from fall to spring but a decrease in use of the self-checkout machine.

Action Plan (Use of Results for Improvement) 1.1.3

Results indicate need to increase patron awareness of self-checkout machine through staffing training and marketing, and re-evaluate its location on the 1st floor.

Objective 1.2 Increase the number of library instruction sessions presented to First-Year Composition (FYC) and University Experience classes


Compare the number of library instruction classes requested by and delivered to First Year Composition (FYC) and University Experience (UE) classes between Academic Year 07/08 and 08/09. We expect a 10% increase in the number of presentations in both FYC and UE


Library instruction sessions to FYC classes increased 44% from Academic Year 07/08 to 08/09. Sessions to University Experience classes also increased by 18 sessions or 42%.


This expected increase was a result of increased marketing of library instruction services to the First Year Composition instructors and increased collaboration with the FYC Policy Committee and University Experience. However, due to loss of personnel through retirements and a decrease in funds for graduate assistants, the Department realized this increase in face-to-face instruction could not be sustained in the future. During the summer session 2009, the Department developed a new instruction delivery plan to decrease the number of face-to-face sessions, develop a “train the trainer” program for FYC instructors, and delivery instruction online using tutorial software. The Department also decided to discontinue face-to-face instruction sessions to University Experience sessions.

Objective 1.3 Determine the level of user satisfaction with USF Tampa campus interlibrary loan service.

Methods of Assessment and Performance

A seven-question customer satisfaction survey developed and administered from the USF Libraries website in the spring, 2009. Respondents (students, staff and faculty) were asked to rate their satisfaction based on the following

Targets 1.3.1 items: (i) frequency of use of service and (ii) rate of satisfaction. The third item in the survey asked respondents to provide suggestions for improvement.


There were a total of 101 respondents to the survey. This represents approximately 3% of registered interlibrary library users during the 2008-2009 academic year. Sixty-nine respondents were graduate students, 28 were faculty while 4 were undergraduate students. Only four were staff members. Below are actual results based on the survey items: (i) Frequency of use of service: 75% use the service from 0 to twice per

month. 17% use the service between 3-5 times per month. (ii) Rate of satisfaction: Approximately 75% of the respondents indicated that

they were “satisfied” with the inter-library loan service. (iii) Suggestions for Improvement: The following are examples of suggestions

respondents provided for improvement of the inter-library loan service: 1. Improve timeliness of getting materials 2. Improve the online form, it is difficult to understand


Contents of the survey results were shared with Interlibrary Loan Manager and staff. Below are some of the decisions/future plans based on the above results: a. A new system was implemented to track ILL checkout periods with greater accuracy. This is because several respondents complained that the checkout period for the item started before they picked the item up from the library. b. Low response rate prompted plan to create an online survey to be send to Interlibrary loan users after their transaction to assess their perception of service quality. c. Plan to revise online form based on comments from survey respondents.

Objective 1.4 Develop a plan of recommendations for improving interlibrary loan unit at USF


Research was carried out in form of a twenty-five question online survey developed by USF Libraries in Spring 2009 and sent out on a national listserv consisting of over 1,000 members of Interlibrary Loans staff around the country. The survey sought information about number of staff, turnaround time, use of technology, and verification methods.


There were a total of 90 responses from large institutions like USF to small colleges. 35% of respondents were members of the Association of Research Libraries, a membership group to which USF Libraries strives to belong. Significant results from the survey include:

(i) Widespread use of the software “Odyssey” to improve scanning and document delivery (53% of respondents)

(ii) Document delivery performed within Interlibrary Loan Department (87%) (iii) Widespread use of scanners to process delivery (85%)


The results of the survey provided the basis for a report containing 30 recommendations to improve Interlibrary Loan services at USF Libraries. The Interlibrary Loan Department has implemented 20 of these recommendations which include using new technology and software, changing workflow procedures to include direct desktop delivery, and ceasing practices no longer followed by Interlibrary Loan Departments in libraries belonging to the Association of Research Libraries.

Objective 1.5

Understand the information-seeking behavior of USF science researchers to develop better instructional services and improve access to collections


USF Libraries participated with four other academic libraries in distributing an online survey to assess the information-seeking behavior of science researchers. The questionnaire consisted of six parts: background information, types of resources used, keeping current, searching for information, personal article collection, and searching & using information. Questions attempted to quantify academic scientists’

transition to online communications, and how this affected different aspects of information seeking.


6, 257 surveys were sent out electronically to USF science faculty, researchers, and graduate students. 351 (5%) respondents completed the survey. Results report that there are strong similarities between science researchers across the five universities including use of alert services (36%) and the use of new forms of scholarly communication such as listservs, blogs and wikis as their tools for searching information. Results also indicate that at least half of respondents demonstrated a preference for using the library’s homepage as a starting point for their research which disagrees with other findings which indicate science research overwhelming start with “Google” to search for information. USF added an additional question to the survey about how science researchers preferred to receive library instruction. Approximately 68% of USF respondents indicated they prefer to receive library instruction online.


The Academic Services Department of USF Tampa Library will use these results to invest more librarian time into the development of online tutorials and online instruction sessions to science students and faculty as well as in other areas and shift away from investment of resources in face-to-face instruction.

Objective 1.6

Increase student use of bibliographic management tool RefWorks by instructing students in how to create an account and use the tool in all library instruction sessions presented to First Year Composition (FYC) classes in fall 2008. Assess student perception of usefulness of Refworks.


Compare the number of RefWorks accounts created before (prior to Fall 2008) and after the policy to teach Refworks to all First Year Composition students in the library instruction classes. Add question to FYC student survey about student perception of the usefulness of Refworks for their ENC 1101/1002 courses.


Number of new user accounts in Refworks increased from 437 in August, 2008 to 2,477 at the end of September, 2008. Survey data report that 36% or 402 student respondents indicated that they found Refworks helpful in their courses, 49% or 542 students indicated that they were taught to how to use it but did not find it helpful for any of their courses.


Re-evaluate teaching this tool at this level with the FYC Policy Committee. Work with Refworks to extract more data to analyze the use of Refworks among graduate students and higher level undergraduates.

GOAL 2: Acquire collections of national distinction in targeted inter-disciplinary fields, reflecting institutional strategic directions. (USF Libraries Strategic Goal 3)

Objective 2.1

Increase depth and scope of the library collections on “karst” (a type of topography applied to distinctive landforms found on limestone and dolostone bedrock) to support the interdisciplinary work of the USF Karst Research Group and the Department of Geology


Data analysis using the WorldCat Collection analysis tool to compare library collections strong in karst collections with the USF Libraries collections in karst and related areas. Improve the quantity and quality of monographs and other materials on karst hydrology, and paleoclimate resources.


WorldCat collection analysis indicates that the USF Libraries collections now exceed those held by the Western Kentucky University Libraries (+ 3 percent) and are 73 percent of those held by New Mexico Tech (peer institutions for academic programs in karst science). The holdings of the Karst Information Portal now include retrospectively digitized serial collections including all of

the National Speleological Society publications.


Increase digitization activities of gray literature on karst and increase collections in karst hydrology and paleoclimate resources to 100 percent of the collections held by New Mexico Tech. Develop a subject guide on these karst collections to improve accessibility and visibility to students, faculty, and researchers.

Objective 2.2 Expand the scope and quantity of materials in foreign languages


Comparative library collection data analysis using WorldCat Increase the amount of materials in foreign languages to greater than 8%


Expenditures on foreign-language materials increased from $11,000 in 2007-08 to $42,000 in 2008-09. This investment acquired materials in Chinese (+1,084 volumes), French (+223 volumes), German (+412 volumes), Hebrew (+309 volumes), Romanian (+18 volumes), and Spanish (+614 volumes) and resulted in a 2.1% overall increase in holdings (from 4%). Primary subject areas acquired paralleled the library’s ARL (Association of Research Libraries) collection initiatives with the exception of the Chinese language materials acquired to support the Confucius Institute programming. Circulation statistics reflect immediate increases in usage for materials in Chinese, Spanish, and French.


Continue to increase acquisitions of foreign language materials to reach 8% and beyond. Faculty teaching in areas with a French emphasis will be engaged to participate in future acquisitions. Faculty in French Language & Literature, Genocide Studies, Mathematics, and Chinese Language and Culture are modifying their curriculum to accommodate the newly acquired materials.

GOAL 3: Develop replicable models for systematic gathering and analysis of data to evaluate quantity and quality of library output and user outcomes. (USF Libraries Strategic Goal 5) Objective 3.1 Align print serials collection with faculty use patterns and needs


Data from a 2008 online survey of faculty use of print serials will be analyzed and action taken to align the remaining print serials collection with usage. If funds are released during the review, they will be reinvested in titles identified during the survey process.


Survey results suggested that the remaining collection of 2,013 print titles could be trimmed by 248 titles, releasing $24,000. Because the assessment was NOT a title/cost reduction activity, those funds were reinvested in serials identified for acquisition through the survey instrument.


Funds released during the survey were reinvested with an additional $23,000 (total: $47,000) to ensure alignment between the collection and the faculty’s research and teaching objectives.

Objective 3.2 Assess e-resource use to target new acquisitions Methods of Assessment and Performance Targets 3.2.1

Database and e-book usage statistics will be compiled and analyzed for patterns of student/faculty usage. The collection profile will be aligned with current usage patterns and modified to predict future directions.


Online database usage (measured as sessions) increased 63% from 2006-07. Turn-aways (content was not licensed) during the same period increased by 74.5%. Faculty and student usage of e-book collections increased by an average of 48% from 2006-07, with three collections accounting for the majority of the increased usage.


$284,000 was redirected from the print monograph budget to acquire additional e-book content including the entire Springer line (very heavily used). Internal acquisition workflows were modified to focus on opportunity purchases of e-books that would have been previously acquired in a print format. Librarians acquired and began testing the Amazon Kindle to determine if its use is a viable future strategy to deliver additional e-book content.

Objective 3.3 Improve library collection analysis Methods of Assessment and Performance Targets 3.3.1

During fiscal year 2008-09, studies of approval plan performance will be conducted in Library of Congress classification areas encompassing History and the natural sciences. Circulation statistics from these areas will be compared to acquisitions activity to determine if they align.


Patron usage of the collections in these areas as reflected by circulation patterns did not align with the performance of the vendor (Yankee Book Publishers) collection profile as reflected by acquisitions from the universe of possible titles. Notable deficiencies were found in materials supporting research in the geosciences and Middle Eastern history.


The library acquired a license for WorldCat Select which allowed us to increase our suite of approval vendors from two to ten companies including six foreign entities. The plan profiles were subsequently increased to include 100 percent of the vendor holdings to allow maximum selection freedom. The early results of this action suggest significant increases in both the breadth and depth of selections.

GOAL 4: Acquire, build, and preserve current and future special collections of distinction (USF Libraries Strategic Goal 4).

Objective 4.1 Increase the scope and breadth of the collection on genocide


Conduct a peer comparison of three library collections in genocide studies to assess the adequacy of current holdings.


The peer comparison included the library collections of the University of Minnesota, Clark University, and the University of North Carolina. The data for the analysis was taken from the OCLC WorldCat Collection Analysis during June 2009. The analysis individually assessed five formats including: monographs, continually updated resources (print and electronic), and serial publications (print and electronic). Further analyses by date, format, uniqueness, and languages were determined by the group relative to the subject(s) being analyzed. Data suggests that the USF genocide studies collection lags significantly behind the peer collections in monographic formats and unique materials overall. For example, in comparing collections of total titles by subjects related to genocide, USF ranks 3th with 35,000 titles compared to the collections of UNC (97,822) and UM (73,268).


Additional strategies to increase unique monograph holdings in this subject area are being developed in 2009-10.

unit: usf libraries goal 1 (usf libraries strategic … libraries services & collections...

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