LibQUAL Overview

The Regents Committee on Academic Libraries (RACL) has decided to participate in the 2006 LibQUAL+ Survey. Not all University System of Georgia libraries will participate, but the majority will do so. The LibQUAL+ Survey is sponsored by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) in conjunction with Texas A & M University.

Colleges, universities of all sizes have administered LibQUAL+ since its inception in 2000. The majority of participants have been U.S. academic libraries; other participants are public libraries, medical, government, and other special libraries, and a few international participants.

Other consortia that have participated include: OhioLINK , Network of Alabama Academic Libraries (NAAL), State University Libraries of Florida, NY3Rs (academic and public libraries in New York state); Oberlin Library Group, and University of Wisconsin Library System. Georgia's own AMPALS participated in spring 2005.

The goals of LibQUAL+ are to

1. Foster a culture of excellence in providing library service
2. Help libraries better understand user perceptions of library service quality
3. Collect and interpret library user feedback systematically over time
4. Provide libraries with comparable assessment information from peer institutions
5. Identify best practices in library service
6. Enhance library staff members' analytical skills for interpreting and acting on data

Libraries participate in LibQUAL for some of the following reasons:

• They have identified assessment as a priority.
• The LibQUAL+ Survey is a tested and revised instrument based on the experiences of many libraries (the instrument has been administered approximately 1000 times by approximately 500 libraries).
• Using LibQUAL+ provided a common tool for individual libraries to compare themselves to other consortia-affiliated libraries (as well as comparisons with libraries across the country).
• SACS accreditation efforts can benefit from LibQUAL+ Survey data.

In addition, consortia benefit from participating in LibQUAL+ as follows:

• Opportunity to compare with peer institutions is valuable and provides a broader measure.
• An analysis of group results and a group/aggregate notebook is provided to consortial participants.
• The ability to add five additional questions to the survey as a unified group; data from those questions will be included in the group notebook.
• The opportunity for a locally hosted, customized results meeting (depending on the number of consortium participants and the availability of the LibQUAL+ team).

The five local questions that USG libraries have chosen are:

• Convenience of borrowing books from other colleges
• Library orientations / instruction sessions
• Ready access to computers / Internet / software
• Convenient service hours
• Ability to navigate library Web pages easily

The 27 questions that already exist in the survey instrument are:

• Employees who instill confidence in users
• Making electronic resources accessible from my home or office
• Library space that inspires study and learning
• Giving users individual attention
• A library Web site enabling me to locate information on my own
• An environment that facilitates group study and problem solving
• Employees who are consistently courteous
• The printed library materials I need for my work
• Quiet space for individual activities
• Readiness to respond to users' questions
• The electronic information resources I need
• Providing help when and where I need it
• Employees who have the knowledge to answer user questions
• Collections of online full-text articles sufficient to meet my needs
• A comfortable and inviting location
• Employees who deal with users in a caring fashion
• Modern equipment that lets me easily access needed information
• Availability of subject specialist assistance
• Employees who understand the needs of their users
• Easy-to-use access tools that allow me to find things on my own
• A getaway for study, learning, or research
• Willingness to help users
• Making information easily accessible for independent use
• Print and/or electronic journal collections I require for my work
• Community space for group learning and group study
• Helpfulness in dealing with users' IT problems
• Dependability in handling users' service problems

For more information, go to the LibQUAL+ website at: http://www.libqual.org/. There's a detailed LibQUAL+ Procedures Manual (78 pages) available at: http://www.libqual.org/Manual/index.cfm. A free LibQUAL+ Introductory Workshop is held at ALA Midwinter in San Antonio on Monday, January 23, from 9:00 to 12 noon; for details go to: http://www.libqual.org/Events/index.cfm. The specific hotel or convention center location for this workshop is yet to be determined.

USG Libraries participating and when (if this is known) are as follows:

Will administer LibQUAL+ Survey in spring 2006:

• Georgia Highlands College
• Georgia Southern University
• North Georgia College & State University

As far as I know the remaining participants will administer their LibQUAL+ Survey in fall 2006 and they are:

• Dalton State College
• East Georgia College
• South Georgia College
• Waycross College
• Georgia Tech
• University of Georgia
• Valdosta State University
• Augusta State University
• Clayton State University
• Columbus State University
• Georgia College & State University
• Savannah State University
• Coastal Georgia Community College
• Gwinnett University System Center (or Georgia Gwinnett University)
• University of West Georgia
• Georgia Perimeter College
• Bainbridge College
• Gordon College

If you have any questions about this, please consult with your library director/dean or contact me.

Kathy Tomajko
Assistant to the Dean of Libraries
Library & Information Center
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta , GA 30332-0900
p: 404-894-4527
f: 404-894-6084
kathy.tomajko@library.gatech.edu