LibQUAL+™ Process Management: Using the Web as a Management Tool Amy Hoseth Massachusetts LSTA Orientation Meeting Boston, MA October 21, 2005 old.libqual.org

Objectives Learn about LibQUAL+™ Identify key elements that contribute to a successful survey implementation Learn how the LibQUAL+™ project web site can help you manage your survey

old.libqual.org What is LibQUAL+™? LibQUAL+™ is a suite of services that libraries use to solicit, track, understand, and act upon users' opinions of service quality. The program's centerpiece is a rigorously tested web-based survey bundled with training that helps libraries assess and improve library services.

old.libqual.org Step 1: Define Step 1: Define Consider participation in LibQUAL+™ When deciding whether to participate, consider project requirements: people, supplies, technology Also consider your institutional goals: what do you want to get out of the survey?

old.libqual.org Registration and Costs 2006 participation fee: $2,500 per survey implementation Other potential costs include: –Local marketing and promotion –Travel –Staff time spent on the project Registration is now open for both Session I (January-June) and Session II (July- December)

old.libqual.org Survey format 22 core items 5 optional local questions (more on this later) Additional questions on library use, information literacy, and general satisfaction Demographic questions Box for open-ended comments

old.libqual.org Survey dimensions Information Control Affect of Service Library as Place

old.libqual.org Technology Work with IT department to select addresses and compile mailing lists Consider your hardware, software, and network connections Prepare for any local network issues that could affect your survey

old.libqual.org Sample Groups Identify your sample groups (undergraduate, graduate, faculty, staff) Determine your sample size –Sampling guidelines provided in Procedures Manual: –Minimum recommended sample size for a large institution: 900 undergraduates, 600 graduates, 600 faculty, 600 non-library university staff (optional), and all library staff (optional)

old.libqual.org Survey Liaisons Prepare for survey administration Communicate with LibQUAL+™ team Respond to user feedback Work with local IT/academic computing contacts and ARL to resolve any local technical issues

old.libqual.org Survey Communications How will you promote your survey and communicate results? Advertising/marketing Survey web sites Flyers and other handouts

old.libqual.org Success Criteria Dependent on your local situation General criteria: –Data analysis yields representative and useable results Response rates, completion rates, and representativeness

old.libqual.org Step 2: Prepare Step 2: Prepare Complete required steps to launch your survey LibQUAL+™ survey Management Center as a management tool Several required steps before your survey can go “live” Determine whether you need IRB approval

old.libqual.org Survey Management Center

old.libqual.org Manage Your Survey

old.libqual.org Survey Preferences Participants are asked to indicate/provide: Support address Language Institution logo Whether they want SPSS data files Whether offering local incentive prizes Dates of survey

old.libqual.org Survey Customization Choose five local questions (optional) –“Using Localized Survey Items to Augment Standardized Benchmarking Measures Across User Groups: A LibQUAL+(TM) Study,” Bruce Thompson and Colleen Cook Define disciplines for your institution Provide library branch information

old.libqual.org Preview Preview your survey, exactly as it will appear to users Data entered in preview survey is not recorded Clicking on “Approve” turns on your actual survey URL

old.libqual.org Representativeness Tell us about your institution: User types (undergrad, graduate, faculty) Number of users in each discipline ARL statistical information (number of volumes held, etc.) User data will be used to determine the representativeness of your sample

old.libqual.org Step 3: Implement Launch the survey on your campus Send survey invitation and URL Typical survey period is 3 weeks long Send 2-3 follow-up reminders to users Respond to user feedback

old.libqual.org Monitor the Survey Track your survey’s progress in real-time Number of surveys completed, day-by-day Surveys completed by user group Average completion time Turn off survey when finished Can also see user comments in real-time

old.libqual.org Step 4: Wrap-up Close down your survey and receive results Session I closes in early June; Session II in early December Contact local incentive winners, if you offered a local prize Provide feedback to the LibQUAL+™ team about your survey Receive survey results data –Results notebooks (in PDF format) and Excel data files provided on a rolling basis –SPSS data files sent separately at a later date

old.libqual.org Local Incentives Provides list of 50 randomly selected respondents for local incentive prizes Available as soon as you turn off your survey run, or when survey closes to the public (whichever is first)

old.libqual.org Post Hoc Questionnaire Provide the ARL team with information about your survey run Sample size Number of s sent Incentives offered Marketing/promotion methods

old.libqual.org Evaluation Survey Your opportunity to provide feedback to the LibQUAL+™ team and evaluate your institution’s survey experience

old.libqual.org LibQUAL+™ Resources Project Web Site LibQUAL+™ Procedures Manual

old.libqual.org LibQUAL+™ Team at ARL Martha Kyrillidou –Director, Statistics and Measurement Program Amy Hoseth –LibQUAL+™ Communications Coordinator Jonathan D. Sousa –Technical Applications Development Manager Richard Groves –Research Assistant