The Texas A&M University Libraries annually conducts several surveys and focus groups that seek to understand and identify the needs and expectations of Users. The purpose of this paper and presentation will be to collate the findings of these separate listening devices and then report the similar and desperate themes that came out of these collected works. We will also discuss how effective and interactive these tools can be when delivered at critical points within our library services.
Each year the University Libraries conducts two surveys and one focus group project. These are the Association of Research Libraries’ LibQUAL+™ survey (in use for 12 years), the Library Instruction Services Feedback Form analysis (in use for 4 years) and the Web Usability Study (in use for 6 years). In addition, beginning in 2012, the Libraries will use Transactional Surveys at our Customer Service Desks and eMail surveys as part of our user-driven acquisitions policy (pilot study was conducted in 2009).
Previously, no study has been conducted to compare and contrast the data that has resulted, or that will result, from these Customer listening tools. As we begin to experiment with more of the 9 listening devices outlined in Leonard Berry’s book, Delivering quality service, we need to look at the importance and impact of each tool, how these individual efforts interact and support one another and how sustainable these programs will be for the Libraries.
Overall, our goal is to address our search for identifying the most effective means of reaching out to our Customers so that we can understand what their current and potential needs are with regard to the services and resources that we provide. We will do this by reviewing data, discussing common and unique themes, considering sustainability of listening tools and pin-pointing critical points of Customer interaction where we can best seek out these insights.
2. LISTENING TO OUR USERS:
Comparing Feedback and insights from
Multiple Surveys and Points of Contact
We serve the
Texas A&M University
and the
Texas A&M Health
Sciences Center
52,000 Students
Land, Sea and Space
Grant University
Student Fees fund 88%
of Libraries’ budget
About Our Customers
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
3. LISTENING TO OUR USERS:
Comparing Feedback and insights from
Multiple Surveys and Points of Contact
4.5 million volumes
123,000 unique serial titles (95% available electronically)
1,365 databases
9.4 million successful full-text downloads
1.4 million print circulation transactions
100,000 document deliveries
12 Libraries (Additionally support 4 libraries & 280 centers)
3.3 million visitors to our libraries
3.3 million visitors to our websites
Delivered 1,200 instructional sessions (includes for-credit courses)
Provided 554 online tutorials, class & subject guides
About Our Libraries – 2011 Data
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
4. LISTENING TO OUR USERS:
Comparing Feedback and insights from
Multiple Surveys and Points of Contact
“… only Customers judge quality;
all other judgments are
essentially irrelevant”
Zeithaml, Parasuraman, Berry. (1999)
Delivering quality service. NY: The Free Press
Our Assessment Approach
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
5. LISTENING TO OUR USERS:
Comparing Feedback and insights from
Multiple Surveys and Points of Contact
Transaction Employee
Surveys Research
Total Market Service
Surveys Reviews
Mystery Shopping Customer
Reports Advisory Panels
Focus Group New-, Declining-
Interviews & Former-
Customer
Employee Field Surveys
Reporting
Customer Listening Devices
From On Great Service: A Framework for Action by Len Berry
6. LISTENING TO OUR USERS:
Comparing Feedback and insights from
Multiple Surveys and Points of Contact
Total Market Survey
LibQUAL+™: Our principle listening device
Barometer & harbinger of needs/expectations
Measures 5 areas
Customer Treatment Resource Availability
Job Knowledge Resource Accessibility
Library Study & Learning Environments
Measures Users’
Expectations/Priorities
Perceptions of Services & Resources
Concerns
LibQUAL+® - About the Survey
7. LISTENING TO OUR USERS:
Comparing Feedback and insights from
Multiple Surveys and Points of Contact
PRIORITIES
Library Web to locate info on my own
A comfortable and inviting location
Info easily accessible for independent use
Easy-to-use tools to find things on my own
eResources accessible from home or office
Employees who are consistently courteous
Employees w/knowledge to answer questions
LibQUAL+® - 2011 Results
8. LISTENING TO OUR USERS:
Comparing Feedback and insights from
Multiple Surveys and Points of Contact
SUCCESSES
Employees who are consistently courteous
Willingness to help users
Employees w/knowledge to answer questions
Employees deal with users in a caring fashion
Readiness to respond to users' questions
A comfortable and inviting location
LibQUAL+® - 2011 Results
9. LISTENING TO OUR USERS:
Comparing Feedback and insights from
Multiple Surveys and Points of Contact
CONCERNS
Library Web to locate info on my own
Quiet space for individual activities
Easy-to-use tools to find things on my own
Info easily accessible for independent use
eResources accessible from home or office
LibQUAL+® - 2011 Results
10. LISTENING TO OUR USERS:
Comparing Feedback and insights from
Multiple Surveys and Points of Contact
Transaction Surveys
Service Desk Transactions (D)
Telephone Transactions (P)
eMail Communications (U)
Mobile Device Transactions (P)
Virtual Reference/Chat Transactions (P)
Online Comments/Suggestions Box (U)
Customer Service Points
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
11. LISTENING TO OUR USERS:
Comparing Feedback and insights from
Multiple Surveys and Points of Contact
Transaction Surveys
Instructional Service Programs (U)*
Developing a direct learning outcome metric to
include as well as transaction survey
User Driven Acquisitions (D)
Document Delivery (D)
Study Room Reservations (U)
Equipment Use (P)
Customer Service Points
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
12. LISTENING TO OUR USERS:
Comparing Feedback and insights from
Multiple Surveys and Points of Contact
Mystery Shopper Reports Consultation Desks (D)
Service Reviews Subject Specialist Duties (D)
Customer Advisory Panels Customer Advisory Panels (U)
Customer Service Points
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
13. LISTENING TO OUR USERS:
Comparing Feedback and insights from
Multiple Surveys and Points of Contact
New, Declining & Former
Customer Surveys
Library Presentations to
- New Student Camps (P)
- Library Presentations (P)
Beginning of the year on-site fairs (P)
NSSE (U)
Graduating Seniors Survey
- Texas A&M University (D)
- Vet Med (P)
Customer Service Points
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
14. LISTENING TO OUR USERS:
Comparing Feedback and insights from
Multiple Surveys and Points of Contact
Employee Field Reporting Customer Service Studies (P)
Employee Research Customer Service Studies (P)
Customer Service Points
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
15. LISTENING TO OUR USERS:
Comparing Feedback and insights from
Multiple Surveys and Points of Contact
Focus Group Interviews
Website Usability Studies (U)
LibQUAL+™ Survey Follow Up (D)
Unknown
Open Study Areas
Customer Service Points
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
16. LISTENING TO OUR USERS:
Comparing Feedback and insights from
Multiple Surveys and Points of Contact
Active participation is vital
Data must be shared and used
Programs must be sustainable
Documentation of results and actions is required
Conclusion
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
17. LISTENING TO OUR USERS:
Comparing Feedback and insights from
Multiple Surveys and Points of Contact
COMMENTS ?
QUESTIONS ?
CONTACT INFO
LESLIE J. REYNOLDS
Interim Associate Dean for
User Services
Texas A&M University Libraries
eMail: leslier@tamu.edu
MICHAEL L. MACIEL
Assessment Coordinator
Texas A&M University Libraries
eMail: maciel@tamu.edu
THANK YOU
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
Notas do Editor
Texas A&M University is one of two flagship universities in the state of Texas. We provide information services to paying customers – our undergraduates fund 88% of the library budget through designated student fees. The shift in our funding from state supported to fee-based supported meant that our students needed to see and understand value for their dollars
You see, if we need to raise our fee to pay for serials inflation, our students need to approve the fee and understand why it is so important. They tell us what they want from the library in a variety of ways, and we work to provide it. There are many ways we touch the students lives, and we try to turn these touch points into listening points.
Only customers judge quality – with this as a driving force, we are constantly looking at what we are doing, gathering qualitative and quantitative data. Our customers are our users. As a result of that, not only do we seek to meet their needs, but we want to exceed their expectations. Different approaches to data collection fill in the gaps and help us to understand the stories of our customers and how we might better help them in their learning research and discovery.We need to make sure we are collecting the data that answers the questions we have about our customers. Sometimes the data collected, inspires additional questions to gain a deeper understanding of our customers needs, wants and expectations. We review the data that we do collect to make certain it is relevant to the our customers needs.
We conduct surveys and focus groups that seek to understand and identify the needs and expectations of our customers. We have begun to collate the findings of our total market survey, LibQual, with other surveys, focus groups and other customer feedback. It is important to systematically listen to our customers through multiple approaches to capture and disseminate service quality information that can support decision making, such as improvements to our website, renovating spaces and improving instruction techniques. This is to help our managers determine the best ways to create and manage our services and resources. Our primary focus for these listening devices is our customers – those who come into the library and those who only use us digitally. Faculty and staff at Texas A&M University Libraries have created and continue to develop qualitative assessment tools to learn how units could best meet customer needs and expectations. These studies provide the opportunity for on-going assessment –the use of an effective means to cultivate a dialog with our customers at the service point. We go into our customers world and seek feedback (via email surveys, focus groups) and we speak to customers currently using our physical environments.