Perspectives from two UK

institutions

Stephen TownUniversity of York, UK

LibQUAL+ ExchangeFlorence, 2009

Outline

• LibQUAL+ and culture• LibQUAL+ at Cranfield• LibQUAL+ at York

Key issues for engagement & action

• Basic assumptions– Don’t ask questions you don’t want to know the answer to

– Don’t waste time seeking data on things you aren’t going to fix

• Minimum cultural requirements – Willingness to listen– Ability to understand the data– Permission to act– Structure for action– Methodology for action

Cranfield University

Context and culture

• DCMT Library part of a contract for education between University & UK MoD

• Quality paramount• Management & leadership education• Formal quality initiative since 1993• Performance culture (and skills)• Supportive leadership and culture

Further analysis conducted at Cranfield

• Campus library results– Results notebook recreated for each campus library

• Results by discipline • Comparisons between PhD and Masters students

• Exploring specific issues• Detailed analysis of comments (time consuming++)

• Longitudinal analysis• Internal benchmarking • External benchmarking

– SCONUL & ARL average– Peer-to-peer

Overall CU Results 2007

Two Campus Results from CU, 2007

DCMT Results 2007

ID Question TextSuperiority

MeanDesired

Rank

IC-1 Making electronic resources accessible from my home or office -0.79 3

IC-4 The electronic information resources I need -0.73 1

IC-2 A library Web site enabling me to locate information on my own -0.72 5

IC-8 Print and/or electronic journal collections I require for my work -0.62 2

IC-6 Easy-to-use access tools that allow me to find things on my own -0.58 5

IC-3 The printed library materials I need for my work -0.56 6

LP-1 Library space that inspires study and learning -0.56 16

LP-2 Quiet space for individual work -0.54 18

IC-5 Modern equipment that lets me easily access needed information -0.50 7

LP-4 A haven for study, learning, or research -0.39 15

IC-7 Making information easily accessible for independent use -0.32 4

AS-5 Library staff who have the knowledge to answer user questions -0.09 10

AS-9 Dependability in handling users' service problems -0.06 11

DCMT Results 2007

ID Question TextSuperiority

MeanDesired

Rank

LP-3 A comfortable and inviting location 0.00 14

AS-1 Library staff who instill confidence in users 0.04 12

LP-5 Space for group learning and group study 0.07 19

AS-7 Library staff who understand the needs of their users 0.09 11

AS-4 Readiness to respond to users' enquiries 0.18 1

AS-8 Willingness to help users 0.22 9

AS-6 Library staff who deal with users in a caring fashion 0.38 13

AS-3 Library staff who are consistently courteous 0.40 8

AS-2 Giving users individual attention 0.41 17

Computer Science Business & Management

Making electronic resources accessible from my home or office

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Overall 2005 Overall 2006 Undergraduates2005

Undergraduates2006

Postgraduate 2005 Postgraduate2006

Academic Staff2005

Academic Staff2006

Library Staff 2005 Library Staff 2006 Staff 2005 Staff 2006

Making electronic resources accessible from my home or office

Comments 2006

• 205 Comments received overall• Results grouped by topic• Topics standardised year-on-year• Catalogued by:

– Dimension– Discipline– User group (Undergrad / Postgrad etc.)– Sex– Age

Comment AnalysisOverall commentary analysis

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

A f fect of Service Information Control Library as Place General

Positive

Negative

General

Highlighting Issues

The only element that needs some work is the ability to interrogate library resources from remote desktops.

PostgraduateComputing & Information TechnologyDCMT Library31 - 45MaleFull-time

The new web page of the library (electronic access to various journals) is not as good or as easy to use as before.

Academic StaffElectrical EngineeringDCMT Library31 - 45MaleDoes not apply / NA

Year-on-Year Change

Overall

-0.80

-0.70

-0.60

-0.50

-0.40

-0.30

-0.20

-0.10

0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

Superiorty Mean

Superiority Mean 2006 -0.03 -0.70 -0.35 -0.35

Superiority Mean 2007 0.17 -0.60 -0.29 -0.21

Difference (06 - 07) 0.20 0.10 0.06 0.14

Affect of Service Information Control Library as Place Overall

Changes over the years

Internal Benchmarking

Dimension Summary

-1.4

-1.2

-1

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0

0.2

0.4

KNL Superiority Mean 0.1 -0.89 -0.74 -0.46

DCMT Superiority Mean 0.17 -0.6 -0.29 -0.21

MIRC Superiority Mean 0.03 -0.53 -0.57 -0.32

Silsoe Superiority Mean -0.06 -1.29 -0.68 -0.66

Affect of Service Information Control Library as Place Overall

External Benchmarking

Peer-to-Peer Benchmarking

Dimension Summary

4.00

4.50

5.00

5.50

6.00

6.50

7.00

7.50

8.00

8.50

Affect ofService

Affect ofService

InformationControl

InformationControl

Library asPlace

Library asPlace

Overall Overall

DCMT Library 2 DCMT Library 2 DCMT Library 2 DCMT Library 2

Actions: Electronic Developments

Information skills training• Information Literacy outcomes received the lowest

score in the 2003 surveyAction:• New Information Literacy project to provide software

based tutorial to help students with IL, specifically to aid our distance learners

Access to electronic resources• Our Web site and providing electronic access to

resources were seen as major opportunities for improvement

Action:• Developing a new library Web site, replacing 6

static html pages with a portal.

New Web Site

From: To:

Results of Actions – Information Literacy

Question Mean +/-

2003 2005

The library helps me stay abreast of developments in my field(s) of interest.

5.98 6.04

+0.06

The library aids my advancement in my academic discipline.

6.65 6.68

+0.03

The library enables me to be more efficient in my academic pursuits.

6.65 6.76

+0.11

The library helps me distinguish between trustworthy and untrustworthy information.

5.22 5.67

+0.45

The library provides me with the information skills I need in my work or study.

5.72 5.95

+0.23

Results of Actions – Access to electronic resources

Question Superiority

+/-

2003

2005

Easy-to-use access tools that allow me to find things on my own

-1.36

-0.93

+0.43

Making electronic resources accessible from my home or office

-1.34

-1.26

+0.08

A library Web site enabling me to locate information on my own

-1.11

-1.13

-0.02

University of York

Context and culture

• Large traditional Library• Broad and flat University structure• Progressive and excellent institution, but cautious

• SCONUL survey every two years• Strong project management, but bureaucratic, hierarchic style with concerns about change

Summary of results

• 990 responses (20% response rate)• 560 = UG• 253 = PG• 110 = academic staff• Largest % from History, English, Language and Linguistics and Politics.

Radar Graph: University of York

Zones of Tolerance

Benchmarking

• York is generally lowest or 2nd lowest across all aspects against seven chosen comparators (3 UK; 4 US)

• Lowest in the group on information literacy

• Results for academic staff are the worst in the group

Comparisons with 2004 results

• Most significant improvements on:– Space for group study and group learning– Readiness to respond to user enquiries– Giving users individual attention

• Most significant decline on:– Quiet space – Haven for study and learning– Printed library materials

• Slight improvements on information literacy outcomes and general satisfaction

Undergraduate radar graph

Postgraduate radar graph

Academic radar graph

Comparison across user groups

LibQUAL+2008: Library As Place

4.00

4.50

5.00

5.50

6.00

6.50

7.00

7.50

8.00

8.50

9.00

LP-1 LP-2 LP-3 LP-4 LP-5 LP-1 LP-2 LP-3 LP-4 LP-5 LP-1 LP-2 LP-3 LP-4 LP-5 LP-1 LP-2 LP-3 LP-4 LP-5

Academic staff Postgraduates Undergraduates Library staff

Electronics – radar graph

Electronics – zones of tolerance

History – radar graph

History – zones of tolerance

Politics – radar graph

Politics – zones of tolerance

Comments on Information Control

• “The libcat website is difficult to find usable information. Frequently it returns results that are blatantly incorrect, and others that don't match the title I'm searching for.” (Computer Science)

• “Access to online journals is difficult, needing to go through Athens and various portals to gain access, and not all journal resources are available. Making this available to off-campus users would be beneficial. (Considering my course length is 5 years, and I only have easy access to the library in my first year being on campus. While I've been off-campus for the majority of my course it makes using the library difficult. Most journals require access from the campus network, and this is problematic).” (Computer Science)

Comments on Library as Place

• “It’s often noisy and its an uninspiring location that doesn’t make me want to remain in the Library to study” (Medieval Studies)

• “There are areas of the library that are far too noisy. Often, it is only a few selfish students that cause the problem. Generally the RBL is reasonable. However there is a problem when groups of students work together on one table. I am aware that there are facilities for group study. However this seems to be ignored by students” (Law)

Overview – all users

• Areas of greatest weakness:– Printed library materials– Electronic information resources– Print and/or electronic journals– Library space that inspires study and learning– Quiet space– Haven for study, learning or research

• Areas of greatest strength:– Courteous staff– Readiness to respond to user enquiries.

• Undergraduates are generally happier with the service than postgraduates and academics.

Action plan

• Information content provision– Information Needs capital: key texts, backfiles– DLPs, academic liaison & marketing of resources– Process review– Opening hours– Web site & virtual library

• Library as Place– Open zone & zoning– Longer term: refurbishment & CS building

• Service– Greater consistency– Culture development– Leadership and management training & development

University of YorkLibQUAL+ 2008 to 2009 trends

• Superiority mean scores improved across all but one of the 22 core and 5 local questions

• The other item remained constant

• Discipline adequacy scores improved in all but six cases

• Information control overall adequacy score moved from negative to positive

• Substantial improvements in convenient service hours and online course support items (the latter also out of the red)

Engaging stakeholders

Conclusions

• Communication• Comprehensive approach to stakeholder interests– engage all levels and external agents in actions

• Competent programme, project and change management methods

• Cultural development mechanisms– Measures & direction– Values coherence– Boundary reduction

J. Stephen Town

Director of Information & University LibrarianUniversity of York, UK

jst504@york.ac.uk