NVBF Reykjavik June 2004Alice Nørhede/Copyright 2004 User-surveys in libraries: Friend or foe? A never-ending case story from The Danish Pharmaceutical

NVBF Reykjavik June 2004 Alice Nørhede/Copyright 2004

User-surveys in libraries: Friend or foe?

A never-ending case story from The Danish Pharmaceutical Library, 2001- ?

NVBF Reykjavik June 2004 Alice Nørhede/Copyright 2004The Danish University of Pharmaceutical Sciences

The Danish University of Pharmaceutical Sciences


The Library


A big problem for a small library

Chemistry/Physical Chemistry

30%

Chemistry/Physical Chemistry

30%

Master Thesis10%

Master Thesis10%

Elective Courses

10%

Elective Courses

10%Internship(Pharmacy)

10%

Internship(Pharmacy)

10%Social Pharmacy10%

Social Pharmacy10%

Pharmaceutics10%

Pharmaceutics10%

Biology/Pharmacology

20%

Biology/Pharmacology

20%


As seen by the library..

SWOT analysis

Weakness Threats

OpportunitiesStrength

*Human Resources

*Economy*Big library is Neighbour*Lack of space

*Electronic Resources*Individual Services*Size of Organisation

*Broad and Fast Changing Research Area

Opportunities Strengths

Weakness Threats


As seen by users….

Benchmarking between libraries – over-all satisfaction 2001


2001Reactions to…

– Alarm among library staff

– Writings in Internal Journal

– Presentations in Danish and International Library

Environment


Identify problems - satisfaction

Impact on satisfaction 2001,3,2,10,0

90

80

70

60

50

Technical facilities

Other services Electronic resources

Printed materials

Human resources

I

N

D

E

XLibrary environment


Identify problem - loyalty

I

N

D

E

X

Impact on loyalty

,3

,2

,1

0,0

90

80

70

60

50

Library environment


Electronic resources

Printed materials

Human resourcesI

n

d

e

x

Other

services


Problems – library environment

,14

,12

,10

,08

0,06

Ind

ex

90

80

70

60

50

Info materials sufficient

Opening hours

Indoor climategood

Nice and clean rent

Pleasant atmosphere

Nice meeting point

Peaceful enough

Enough reading room seats

Good design

Relative importance of library environment 2001

0,160,10 0,12


What is wrong with printed materials?

“Do the materials in the library meet your requirements?”

•Students 5,2•Faculty 3,51

“The range of periodicals in my field of interest is generally adequate ”


” Normally the material I want is available in the library”



What is wrong with printed materials?

Relative importance to collection of printed publications 2001

,22,20,18,16,14,12,10,08,06,04

Index

90

80

70

60

50

Find materials on the shelves

Suitable borrowing times

Getting materials from other libraries

Materials in-house

Collection of Journals sufficient

Collection of

books sufficient

Ordered

materials

Easy to make reservationsEasy to re-

borrow

Easy to borrow


Problems – electronic resources

Relative importance of electronic resources 2001

,24,22,20,18,16,14,12,10

Inde

x

72

70

68

66

64

62

60

58

56

Catalogue easy to use

Info about use of electronic resources easy to understand

Homepage has relevant info

Homepage easy to navigate

Guide to Internet satisfactory help

Adequate in my fields of interest


Remote access and FARM

Question: ” It is important to have access to the electronic

resources of the library from home”

Students: 98 out of 134 had marked 5, 6 or 7

Question: ” The library’s catalogue FARM is easy to use”

Students: 29 out of 134 did not answer, 46 marked 1-4,

56 marked 5-7

Faculty: 28 out of 75 did not answer, 23 marked 1-4,

24 marked 5-7


Actions 2001

•Increased funding for electronic journals and databases•Increased funding for books in specific areas•Invitation to suggest books and journals for the library to buy•IT-department contacted regularly to encourage remote access

facilities for students•Design of the library’s homepage had to be improved.•Shelving needed attention•Better competencies among staff•Intensified introduction and teaching in using the library catalogue•Opening hours extended four mornings and two evenings.


2003 A new survey…

User

loyalty

User valueOther

factors

Other

services

Electronic

resources

Index

90

80

70

60

50

79

67

60

85

72

64

71

67

71

80

65

57

82

69

65

60

6462

2001

2003

The Danish

Pharmaceutical Library

Survey 2001 – red

Survey 2003 - green


2003 Reactions to…

– Alarm among library staff

– Writings in Internal Journal

– Presentation to University Board


Identify problems - satisfaction

,4,3,2,10,0

100

90

80

70

60

50

Library environment


Other services Elektronic resources

Materials

Human resources

Impact on satisfaction 2003


Identify problems - loyalty

,3,2,10,0

100

90

80

70

60

50

Library environment


Other services

Elektronic resources

Printed materials

Human resources

Ind

ex

Impact on loyalty 2003


Problems - printed materials

,20,18,16,14,12,10,08,06,04

100

90

80

70

60

50

Relative importance - materials 2003

Inde

ks

Easy to find materials

Requested materials arrives quickly

Suitable borrowing times

Easy to reborrow

Easy to make reservations

Easy to borrowGood in obtaining materials

Materials at shelves

Collection of periodical sufficient

Collection of books sufficient

Easy to return books


Problems – electronic resources

,3,2,10,0

100

90

80

70

60

50

Ind

ex

FARM easy to use Info about use

of electronic

resources

easy to

understand

Bibliotek.dk easy to use

Adequate in my fields of interest

Bibliotek.dk good facility Home page relevant info

Access dfuni.dk effective

Home page easy to navigate

Relative importance of electronic resources 2003


Remote access and FARM 2003

Question: ” It is important to have access to the electronic

resources of the library from home”

Students: 120 out of 136 had marked 5, 6 or 7

Question: ” The library’s catalogue FARM is easy to use”

Students: 18 out of 136 did not answer, 25 marked 1-4,

93 marked 5-7

Faculty: 23 out of 68 did not answer, 15 marked 1-4,

29 marked 5-7


Opening hours - students

Survey 2001

4,3

62 students out of 134 answered 1-4, 67 answered 5-7

Survey 2003

5,0

40 students out of 136 answered 1-4, 96 answered 5-7


Do they use the library and the resources? (2003)

”How many times did you use E-resources from your work

place at DUPS within the last month?”

Faculty: 54 out of 68 used it more than 10 times

”How often do you visit the library”

Students: 55 out of 136 one or more times a week, 61 once every

2nd or 3rd week – researchers: 54 used it more than once a month

When they go to the library, students borrow printed materials

(106), use e-resources (120), are reading (81) – researchers borrow

printed materials (54)


Benchmarking 2003

Dan.National Lib.Med.Sci. State Library Royal Lib.Ålborg Uni.Lib.. Dan.Pharm.Lib. Architecture Lib. Public library, O Public Music Lib. Public Lib. S

Electronic

resources

Printed

materialsTechnical facilities

User

loyalty

User

satisfaction

User

value

Human

resources

Library

environment


Actions 2003

• More resources and better presentation of area “electronic

resources”• Better information to faculty and students about services that

facilitates quick access to materials from other libraries• Improvements of web site in clarity and usability• Working for better reading facilities and more space• Individualised services


Comments in surveys

•2001 Many comments and advices

152 expressed opions about what they liked best in the library -

0ver 100 had other comments and good advices, 28 positive statements about the

staff. Many negative comments about both printed and electronic materials

•2003 Many comments and advices

160 users had comments on the question “What do you think is the best thing

about the library?

46 were positive statements about the human side of library service.

28 were positive about the electronic journals.

Quite many made positive comments about the new opening hours and electronic

resources such as specific databases.

32 users pointed out that the nice atmosphere and the reading facilities are a

comfort to them

52 had comments and good advices – concentrating on more electronic

resources (researchers) , a reading room and more pc’s (students)


Conclusions

•User surveys are useful

•Surveys are necessary if library

wants to create useful services in

a digital environment

•Library must react to problems

•Strategy was right

•All obstacles cannot be moved by

library alone


CONTACT

The Danish Pharmaceutical Library

Universitetsparken 2,

DK-2100 Copenhagen

Denmark

Alice Nørhede

E-mail: [email protected]

http://www.dfuni.dk/bibliotek

Documents

NVBF Reykjavik June 2004Alice Nørhede/Copyright 2004 User-surveys in libraries: Friend or foe? A never-ending case story from The Danish Pharmaceutical