Cedarville University

http://www.cedarville.edu/academics/library/about/cllibqualfaq.htm





A national survey of library users, known as LibQUAL+ will be conducted on the campus of Cedarville University during April 2005. This page provides answers to frequently asked questions about the LibQUAL+ survey, which focuses on issues of library services quality. For more information, contact Tonya Fawcett, Assistant Director for Reader Services, at 766-7837 or at libqual@cedarville.edu. You may also wish to consult the LibQUAL+ FAQ page at http://www.libqual.org/About/FAQ/index.cfm.

  1. What is LibQUAL+?
  2. Why is this survey important?
  3. How will this survey benefit library users at Cedarville University?
  4. Who is involved in LibQUAL+?
  5. How and when is the survey being conducted?
  6. What survey instrument is being used?
  7. What kinds of questions will be asked on the survey?
  8. Will there be any special incentives for participating?
  9. What if I cannot open the URL from the pop-up screen or my e-mail?
  10. Can I participate without using the web forms?
  11. Are the survey responses confidential?

1. What is LibQUAL+?

The LibQUAL+ survey is a service quality assessment project sponsored by the Associate of Research Libraries (ARL) in collaboration with the Texas A&M University Libraries to measure library service quality across institutions and identify gaps between desired, perceived, and minimum expectations of service. A total of 171 institutions, including OhioLINK & CCCU colleges and universities, are participating in the 2008 LibQUAL+ survey project.

LibQUAL+ is intended to provide a measure of the value of library service quality across multiple academic and research libraries. The current LibQUAL+ instrument measures library users' perceptions of their libraries' service quality and identifies gaps between minimal, desired and perceived levels of service.



2. Why is this survey important?

There is increasing pressure for libraries to move towards more outcome-based assessment, instead of relying solely on input, output or resource metrics. This pressure comes from funding authorities as well as users themselves. Outcome measures show how well an organization serves its users by demonstrating their efficiency and effectiveness.



3. How will this survey benefit library users at Cedarville University?

The Centennial Library will be able to identify where our services need improvement, in the view of our users. We will also be able to compare our service quality with that of peer institutions in an effort to develop benchmarks and an understanding of best practices across institutions.

By using the LibQUAL+ instrument and initiating action based on the results of this survey, the Centennial Library can be more responsive to our users' needs and provide services that are better aligned to our users' expectations.



4. Who is involved in LibQUAL+?

All Cedarville University Students, Faculty and Staff have been asked to participate in the LibQUAL+ survey. On March 12 a pop-up screen will direct users to the LibQUAL+ Survey.



5. How and when is the survey being conducted?

New technology and the use of the Internet make it possible for libraries to survey many users with minimal local effort. On March 12 a pop-up screen will appear on your computer screen as you log in, providing a link to LibQUAL+. LibQUAL+ uses a scalable web interface and protocol to ask library users about their library service expectations. Survey data are transmitted directly from the central LibQUAL+ server to a database. The data are then analyzed and reports that provide information on how users perceive the quality of their library services are generated for each library. The reports present information on the gaps between users' desired, perceived, and minimally acceptable levels of service.

The Centennial Library version of LibQUAL+ will be available between March 12 and April 1.



6. What survey instrument is being used?

The LibQUAL+ survey is patterned after the SERVQUAL instrument developed by Leonard L. Berry, A. Parasuraman, and Valarie A. Zeithaml, which is used extensively in private industry to evaluate service quality.

Each user is asked to respond to each question on three separate scales, representing minimum, desired, and perceived levels of service. Average response time for the survey is 13 minutes.

The questionnaire is straightforward and involves no deception or coercion. Potential respondents may elect not to proceed with the survey after reading the guarantees of confidentiality and privacy.



7. What kinds of questions will be asked on the survey?

LibQUAL+ is broken into 3 components:

  1. General survey questions - the main survey is 27 statements you rate by clicking option buttons to indicate:

    the minimum level of service that you would find acceptable for the services

    the desired level of service that you personally want for this service

    and the perceived level of service that you believe our library currently provides on this service issue

  2. Concluding evaluations, amount of library use, and comments.
  3. Demographic data - the survey collects basic demographic information from respondents to enable analysis of the results by category and the check the representativeness of the responding population.


8. Will there be any special incentives for participating?

Participants have the OPTION of choosing to have their e-mail address submitted in a drawing for ten $30.00 Gift Certificates. Winners will be notified by e-mail after April 3.



9. What if I cannot open the URL from the pop-up screen or my e-mail?

Try "cutting and pasting" the URL in your preferred browser. The survey should work on most browsers. If you continue to experience technical difficulty, please contact Tonya Fawcett at libqual@cedarville.edu.



10. Can I participate without using the web forms?

Respondents not able to complete an online questionnaire may obtain a paper copy of the survey by contacting Tonya Fawcett 766-7837, or at libqual@cedarville.edu.



11. Are the survey responses confidential?

Yes! The LibQUAL+ approach to confidentiality is guided by the ethical standards of the American Psychological Association . The researchers take every measure possible to protect the privacy of participants. The researchers cannot release information about participants. The survey data is stored on a secure server at Texas A&M University, which exists behind a firewall.

Although some information is captured, such as the respondent's network and e-mail address, privacy is protected. The E-mail addresses are not saved with the responses and once the data is submitted there is no way to link an individual's responses to their e-mail address, thus ensuring their confidentiality when entering the incentive drawings.