How long will the survey take?
The survey typically takes from 8 to 15 minutes to complete.
Can I skip questions that don't apply to me?
Please do not skip any questions in the LibQUAL+™ survey! If you do not wish to answer a question or feel a question does not apply to you, select NA (not applicable). Surveys whose core questions are not completely filled out are not counted in the aggregate scores.
What kinds of questions are on the survey?
There are three types of questions in the survey:
- Rating your minimum, desired, and perceived service levels on various topics (1 is low and 9 is high).
- An open-ended question (text box) where you can write in comments.
- Demographic data such as age, discipline, and position at the university.
Is the survey exclusively web-based, or can I complete a paper version?
Respondents not able to complete the web-based questionnaire may obtain a paper copy of the survey at the Chalmer Davee Library Circulation desk, by sending an email message to: letusknow@uwrf.edu or contacting Michele McKnelly at 425-4482.
What browsers work?
The survey does not rely on features such as Java or cookies. Any browser should work so long as it is not too old.
Is the survey compatible with text-to-speech web browsers?
Yes, the survey is compatible with the JAWS screen reader software.
What if I receive an error message stating that a variable is undefined?
This is a timeout problem. If the survey is left incomplete for more than an hour, it will timeout. You will need to start over.
What is being surveyed?
LibQUAL+ is used to measure the quality of services provided by the Chalmer Davee Library. It is important to understand that this survey does not include the services offered by Information Technology Services (ITS) even though they are located in the basement of the library. This survey pertains to the services of the Chalmer Davee Library only.
Service quality has long been a focus of libraries;LibQUAL+™ is intended to provide a measure of the value of library service quality across multiple academic and research libraries. The currentLibQUAL+™ instrument measures library users' perceptions of their libraries' service quality and identifies gaps between minimal, desired and perceived levels of service.
What does the survey measure?
The instrument addresses three service quality dimensions that have been found to be valid in previous assessments of library services: services (LibQual term: Affect of Service), materials and their organization (LibQual term: Information Control) and the Library as a place (LibQual term: Library as Place). Each question has three parts that ask respondents to indicate (1) the minimum service level they will accept, (2) the desired service level they expect, and (3) the perceived level of service currently provided. This design will permit analysis of gaps between expectations, perception, and minimum acceptance level of service.
Why does the survey seem to repeat the same question(s)?
The survey examines a variety of dimensions of library services, each represented by a number of questions. Repetition or redundancy in questions allows the survey designers to analyze the validity of each service quality dimension through statistical methods.
Why does this survey describe positions or degrees that UWRF does not offer?
The survey is use by libraries around the world. Some position categories and degrees are for use at those institutions. Please select the category from the drop down that most closely matches UWRF's description. For example non-teaching Academic Staff should select Other staff positions.
Do all libraries use the same questions?
Following years of revision involving data collection from more than 200,000 library users, LibQUAL+™ has evolved into a protocol consisting of "22 items and a box." The 22 items measure user perceptions of Service Affect, Information Control, and Library as Place. The box secures open-ended comments from users regarding their concerns and suggestions. These comments are an integral part of LibQUAL+™; historically, almost 50 percent of respondents provide comments using the box. The University of Wisconsin system has selected 5 optional questions.
How will this survey benefit UWRF?
As we receive information about areas needing improvement, this project will allow us to compare our service quality with other peer institutions, to develop benchmarks, and to discover best practices across institutions. By using the LibQUAL+™ instrument and initiating action based on the results of this survey, the Chalmer Davee Library can be more responsive to users' needs and provide services that are better aligned to users' expectations.
Also, this is the second time for UWRF to participate in LibQUAL+™, we are interested in comparing the 2004 survey results to the current year.
How can I get more information about LibQUAL+™?
For more information, see the LibQUAL+™ homepage. 181 institutions are participating in 2008, including most of the libraries in the University of Wisconsin System.
Why isn't the survey at a UWRF Web address?
The survey is administered through the Association of Research Libraries, survey data is housed on the LibQual server.
Are the survey responses confidential?
Yes,The LibQUAL+™ approach to confidentiality is guided by the ethical standards of the American Psychological Association. Although some information is captured from respondents, such as network and email address, privacy is protected in two ways. First, only very indirect information is captured which would be difficult to trace back to an individual. Second, everything possible is done to separate personal information from survey responses. Email addresses are not saved with the responses, and once they are saved there is no way to link an individual's responses to their email address -- assuring confidentiality when entering the incentive drawings.
Please direct any questions to letusknow@uwrf.edu or Michele McKnelly 425-4482.
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