The University Library has completed another successful LibQUAL+ survey. While participation has indirect rewards for all, for some fortunate individuals, participation has its own special reward. Congratulations to students Tanner Heggie, Nathan Hill, Tyler Morton, and Jeremy Wu and to faculty member, Don Gill, each of whom won a $100 gift card from the University Bookstore.
The LibQUAL+ Library Service Quality Survey is used in libraries worldwide and allows the Library to check in on the quality of library services as perceived by the University Community. The 2014 LibQUAL+ Survey ran from March 3rd to 23rd. The results will be compared to those from the previous surveys conducted in 2005, 2008, and 2011 to see if we are addressing issues and continuing to meet user expectations. Each time the Library conducts LibQUAL+, the results identify and inform improvements to be contemplated for library services.
For the University of Lethbridge Library, LibQUAL+ is the cornerstone of its service assessment activities. According to Leona Jacobs, LibQUAL+ Lead Project Librarian, "LibQUAL+ goes beyond simply counting things (e.g., collection usage, visits, etc.) or checking interest in specific issues (e.g., instruction). LibQUAL+ is a high level survey that actually seeks to understand user perceptions and gauge the University community’s overall satisfaction with the services provided by the Library. The survey is, indeed, complex, asking respondents to rate their minimum expectations for, desired expectations for, and actual perceptions of various aspects of library service. However, the aggregated scores for each of the scales, then provides the Library with a sense of University community’s "zone of tolerance" (the difference between minimum and desired expectations) for each of three dimensions of service: library collections and the access to these collections (whether physical or electronic), interactions with library staff, and the physical library space and an understanding of whether the Library is meeting expectations in these regards."
The 2014 LibQUAL+ had 494 valid responses submitted. Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond.
Posted on:
October 10, 2014