Perspectives from two UK institutions

1. Perspectives from two UK institutions Stephen Town University of York, UK LibQUAL+ Exchange Florence, 2009

2. Outline • LibQUAL+ and culture • LibQUAL+ at Cranfield • LibQUAL+ at York

3. 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

4. Cranfield University

5. 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

6. 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

7. Overall CU Results 2007

8. Two Campus Results from CU, 2007

9. DCMT Results 2007

10. DCMT Results 2007

11. Business & Management Computer Science

12. Making electronic resources accessible from my home or office

13. 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

14. Comment Analysis

15. Highlighting Issues

16. Year-on-Year Change

17. Changes over the years

18. Internal Benchmarking

19. External Benchmarking

20. Peer-to-Peer Benchmarking

21. Actions: Electronic Developments Information skills training • Information Literacy outcomes received the lowest score in the 2003 survey Action: • 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.

22. From: To: New Web Site

23. Results of Actions – Information Literacy

24. Results of Actions – Access to electronic resources

25. University of York

26. 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

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

28. Radar Graph: University of York

29. Zones of Tolerance

30. 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

31. 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

32. Undergraduate radar graph

33. Postgraduate radar graph

34. Academic radar graph

35. Comparison across user groups

36. Electronics – radar graph

37. Electronics – zones of tolerance

38. History – radar graph

39. History – zones of tolerance

40. Politics – radar graph

41. Politics – zones of tolerance

42. 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)

43. 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)

44. 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.

45. 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

46. 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)

47. Engaging stakeholders

48. 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

49. J. Stephen Town Director of Information & University Librarian University of York, UK jst504@york.ac.uk