1. FOCUS GROUPS: A MANAGEMENT TOOL BY JESSICA JORDAN AND MARTINA HAINES

2. WHAT IS A FOCUS GROUP A QUALITATIVE APPROACH TO LEARNING ABOUT POPULAR SUBGROUPS WITH RESPECT TO CONSCIOUS, SEMICONSCIOUS, AND UNCONSCIOUS PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIOCULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS AND PROCESSES (Basch, 1987, p. 411)

3. FOCUS GROUPS USES Gauge popular attitudes Politicians test their platforms Entertainment industry verifies popularity of a film, TV show, or music release Marketing analysts test latest consumer products

4. HISTORY AND OVERVIEW: FOCUS GROUPS LATE 1930S SOCIAL SCIENTISTS BEGAN TO DOUBT THE ACCURACY OF THE TRADITIONAL INTERVIEW PROCESS (Krueger & Casey, 2013)

5. OFFICIAL BEGINNING OF FOCUS GROUPS SOCIAL SCIENTISTS BEGAN USING “NONDIRECTIVE” INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES DURING WWII, WHICH MARKED THE OFFICIAL BEGINNING OF FOCUS GROUPS (Krueger & Casey, 2013)

6. ROBERT MERTON  FIRST TO STUDY THE NEW CONCEPT OF FOCUS GROUPS  ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PIONEERS IN SOCIOLOGY  1956 STUDY EXPLORED MORALE OF THE MILITARY Krueger & Casey, 2013

7. FOCUS GROUPS PROVIDED Quick information Relevant information Accurate information Ignored by academics Businesses used Focus Groups for marketing 1980s Social Scientists rediscovered Focus Groups Focus Group

8. FOCUS GROUP: SUMMARY CUSTOMER-ORIENTED MARKET RESEARCH INTERVIEW ACADEMIC/SCIENTIFIC ENVIRONMENT NONPROFIT SECTOR PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL APPROACH PROBE FOR ATTITUDES PROBE FOR OPINIONS PROBE FOR BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS PROBE FOR INFORMATION Krueger & Casey, 2013

9. LEADERSHIP, LIBRARY DIRECTORS AND EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION LEADERS LEADERS “DO NEED TO HAVE THE ‘RIGHT STUFF’ TO BE EFFECTIVE” ( KIRKPATRICK & LOCK, 1991, P. 56) LIBRARY DIRECTORS FEW STUDIES ON EFFECTIVE LIBRARY LEADERSHIP ACADEMIC LIBRARIES ARE IN STUDENT SUPPORT OR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS UNITS EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION EMPOWERMENT RESPONSIBILITY CREATIVE IDEAS TEAM BUILDING

10. EMPLOYEES  Libraries change quickly  Presents challenges to redevelop ourselves  Continuously learn new skills  Work in unpredictable environments  Face changing expectations of library patrons  Need to communicate  Need to motivate  Need to prove value of the library services  Create flexible, resilient, engaging environment LIBRARIES LEADERSHIP  Performance goals  Positive connections  Team building  Work space  Empowerment  Engage (Macmillan, 2011)

11. HOW WE TIE IT ALL TOGETHER ACADEMIC LIBRARIES  LIKE OTHER AREAS IN HIGHER EDUCATION LIBRARIES FACED WITH ROI  LIBRARIES MUST ALSO ASSESS THEIR WORK  EVIDENCE BASED LIBRARY MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT  RECENT INTEREST IN LIBRARY STANDARDS  1260 LIBRARY DIRECTORS/DEANS SURVEYED ABOUT USE OF ACRL STANDARDS FOR LIBRARIES IN HIGHER EDUCATION ASSESSMENT LIBRARIAN  BENCHMARKING AND RANKING  OUTCOMES DATA  DATA ANALYSIS

12. UNITS ** DEPARTMENTS ** LIBRARY Student Employees Staff Faculty Circulation Systems IMC Research Services Cataloging Acquisitions TLC Archives

13. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW

14. FOCUS GROUPS 2 POINTS OF VALUE GAIN FEEDBACK IN REAL TIME ALLOWS FOR DISCUSSION GAIN INSIGHTS FUNCTIONS MORALE Martina Jessica

15. FOCUS GROUP QUESTIONS: STAFF 1. How do you describe the work environment in your unit? 2. Are you satisfied with the physical work environment? Can you describe any concerns you have about your physical environment? 3. Can you identify any barriers within Bailey Library which impact your work? 4. Are you recognized/rewarded for your work? How would you like to be recognized/ rewarded for the work you do? 5. Do you feel valued for the work you do? 6. Do you have the opportunity to contribute to decisions that affect you? 7. What does employee engagement mean to you? 8. In what ways (and how often) should units and Bailey Library celebrate successes?

16. FOCUS GROUP QUESTIONS: STUDENTS 1. Tell us who you are, where you work in the library, and one of your hobbies. 2. How long have you worked at the library. 3. Think back to when you first started working at Bailey Library. What was your first impression? 4. What do you find challenging about your job? 5. What do you perceive as an issue or challenge for our patrons? 6. How have the renovations of the first, second, and third floors helped our patrons? 7. How have the renovations had a negative impact on our patrons? 8. If you had the chance to give advice to your supervisor in regards to meeting patrons needs, what advice would you give?

17. A NEW IDEA It was during the student focus groups that a new idea evolved

18. RESULTS STUDENT FOCUS GROUP FIRST POINT OF CONTACT NOT PREPARED FOR DIRECTIONAL/GENERAL QUESTIONS REPORT ON RENOVATIONS RESPECT FROM PATRONS ID BADGES STUDENT EMPLOYEE HANDBOOKS STAFF FOCUS GROUP WORK SPACE COMMUNICATION RENOVATIONS NOISE DESK SPACE/ERGONOMICS COMPUTERS/SOFTWARE JOB DUTIES

19. FOCUS GROUPS = MANAGEMENT TOOL FOCUS GROUPS PROVIDE IN-DEPTH INFORMATION SYSTEMATIC AND STRUCTURED FORMAT MAKE PERSONAL CONNECTIONS WITH INTERVIEWEES GATHER PERSONAL IMPRESSIONS GREATER PARTICIPATION GREATER INTERACTION AMONG PARTICIPANTS GATHER DATA FROM A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AT A LOW COST MANAGEMENT TOOL MOTIVATION/TEAM BUILDING EMPOWERMENT/RESPONSIBILITY STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROVIDE A VISION ACT AS A STIMULUS FOCUS AUTHORITY PROVIDES ADMINISTRATORS FEEDBACK ABOUT EMPLOYEES ISSUES, CONCERNS, ACHIEVEMENTS ADMINISTRATORS CAN USE THE INFORMATION TO ASSIST STAFF TO ACHIEVE UNIT GOALS ADMINISTRATORS CAN USE THE INFORMATION TO MAKE WELL-INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT THE UNIT, DEPARTMENT, OR OVERALL LIBRARY “social needs and recognition of workers are as important as the acknowledgement of their technical competence” (Surace, 1969, p. 1)

20. WITH THE SURPRISING SUCCESS OF BOTH THE STUDENT LIBRARY EMPLOYEE AND STAFF FOCUS GROUP SESSION THE ASSESSMENT CYCLE FOR THE LIBRARY HAS BEEN MODIFIED.

21. SUMMARY Focus Groups Issues, concerns, achievements, ideas, suggestion… Administration Staff can articulate Managers can Motivate, empower, focus, prioritize, provide vision…

22. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION QUESTIONS Jess Martina

23. References Basch, C.E. (1987). Focus group interviews: an underutilized research technique for improving theory and practice in health education. Health Education Quarterly, 14(4), 411-448. Kirkpatrick, S.A. & Locke, E. A. (1991). Leadership: Do Traits Matter? Academy of Management Executive, 5(2), 48-60. Krueger, R., & Casey, M.A. (2013). Focus Groups: A Practical guide for applied research. 5 th edition. Los Angeles: SAGE. Macmillan, M., (2011). A “Coach Approach” to staff engagement. Partnership: the Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research, 6(2), 1-9. Surace, C.J. (1969). The human side of libraries. U.S. Department of Health, Education, & Welfare Office of Education.