May 30 2024
Improvement ideas gleaned from the results of 2023 User Survey
Improvement ideas gleaned from the results of 2023 User Survey
Overall responses
We would like to thank all the users who participated in the library survey between 1 and 21 November 2023. A total of 2,181 valid surveys and 926 written comments were received from various disciplines and target groups:
Data analysis
This is the second time we adopted the LibQUAL survey since 2007. The comparative results of 2007 and 2023 indicate that:
- The minimum and perceived overall mean ratings have increased by 5.42% (i.e. from 6.02 to 6.42) and 2.81% (i.e. from 6.74 to 6.93) respectively while the desired mean rating remained almost at the same level (i.e. from 7.55 to 7.51).
- ‘Library as Place’ has surpassed ‘Information Control’ as the library function with the highest minimum (6.50) and desired (7.68) mean ratings, meaning that users have the highest expectation in this area.
- The perceived mean rating for ‘Library as Place’ (6.72) is however lower than that of ‘Affect of Services’ (7.02) and ‘Information Control (7), resulting in a relatively larger gap between its desired and perceived mean ratings (7.68 vs 6.72).
Comparative mean ratings between 2007 and 2023
| Mean | Minimum | Perceived | Desired | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 2007 | 2023 | 2007 | 2023 | 2007 | 2023 |
| Affect of Service | 5.80 | 6.33 | 6.64 | 7.02 | 7.30 | 7.32 |
| Information Control | 6.19 | 6.44 | 6.85 | 7.00 | 7.75 | 7.55 |
| Library as Place | 6.10 | 6.50 | 6.75 | 6.72 | 7.66 | 7.68 |
| Overall | 6.02 | 6.42 | 6.74 | 6.93 | 7.55 | 7.51 |
The top five surveyed areas that show the largest performance gap between desired and perceived mean ratings are:
- Space for group learning and group study (-1.1 out of 9)
- Library space that inspires study and learning (-1.08 out of 9)
- Quiet space for individual work (-0.96 out of 9)
- A haven for study, learning, or research (-0.73 out of 9)
- The electronic information resources I need (-0.62 out of 9)
Key areas of concern
The following free form comments with the highest frequency in the survey also echo the findings of the above analysis:
- Facilities – Insufficient seating (n=269); booking system not user-friendly (n=88); cancellation of hot water dispensers (n=58)
- Physical environment – Air-conditioning too strong (n=67)
- Opening hours – Not meeting user needs (n=21) ; need help to navigate in Main Library (15)
- Collections – Need more resources (n=24) and latest editions (n=17)
To address the performance gaps identified in this survey, we have started exploring/introducing some measures ranging from space and facility transformation, service enhancement, collection review to staff development. Respective library teams are working on action plans with a view to deploying the solutions within the 2024/25 academic year.
Please let us know if you have any questions about the survey by Email a Librarian.
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