Evaluating LIS Library Services
for Faculty and Staff
SUE SEARING
SEPTEMBER 29, 2010
Background
Fall 2008 survey (population = 1,443) :
 Students, faculty, staff
 Library & GSLIS
 329 responses
http://www.library.illinois.edu/nsm/comm_lis/LIS_L
ibrary_Survey_Report.pdf
Survey response
 67% of respondents were students
 13% were staff
 13% of respondents were tenured faculty
 8% of respondents were untenured faculty
Key findings
 Overall, users reported heavier use of virtual LIS
collections and services than of physical library.
 All categories of GSLIS users made greater use of
virtual.
 Library faculty used virtual slightly more often than
physical.
 Library staff used virtual slightly less often than
physical.
What users valued
Virtual services:
Students: databases, e-content, LibGuides
Faculty: new book list, databases, e-content
• GSLIS: gateway/portal to discipline, connections
to subject experts in library
• Library: ease, convenience
What users valued
Physical services:
 “One-stop shopping”
 Ability to browse shelves
 Environment conducive to study and research
 Access to knowledgeable, helpful people
 Affective and symbolic meaning
 Status of the discipline and GSLIS
 Sense of belonging
How we used the data
New service model for LIS:
• Embedded services at GSLIS
• Retained Main Library offices
• Virtual LIS Library
o Easy search
o New books display
o News feature
o More browsable content (website lists, LibGuides, etc.)
What do we need to know now?
Wrong question:
• Is the new model better than the old one?
Right questions:
 How well (or poorly) is the new model working?
 Who is it working (or not working) for?
 How can we make it better?
Assessing the new model
Summer 2010 survey (population = 634) :
• Faculty (including adjuncts), staff, GAs
• Library & GSLIS
• 105 responses
Faculty response rate:
29% of GSLIS faculty
34% of Library faculty
Library respondents
38 %
35 %
21 %
6%
Faculty (n=20)
Staff (n=18)
Academic professionals (n=11)
Grad assistants (n=3)
100% All library respondents (n=52)
Findings: New books
How do you stay aware of new LIS publications in the
UI libraries? (check all that apply)
11%
11%
7%
26%
23%
43%
Browsing print books
Browsing print journals
Browsing electronic books
Browsing electronic journals
RSS feeds/blogs/alert services
New LIS titles list
36%
I don't try to stay aware of new publications
in the UI libraries
Findings: New books list access
If you use the LIS new titles list, how do you access it?
(Please choose the mode you use most often)
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
LIS Virtual Library website
RSS feed
iPhone/iPod app
I don't use the new titles list
Findings: Current awareness
How do you stay aware of new publications in LIS generally?
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
RSS feeds/blogs/alert services
Interacting with colleagues at work, conferences, or workshops
Professional/scholarly email lists
Direct email from publishers
Printed catalogs and flyers from publishers
Book reviews in magazines or journals
I don't try to stay aware of new publications in LIS
Other
Findings: Reference
Where do you seek answers to LIS
reference questions?
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
LIS Library Services staff (i.e. Sue or Sandy)
LIS Virtual Library website
Other librarians
Professional literature
Discussion groups/listservs
Web search engines (Google, Bing, etc.)
I don't have any LIS reference questions
Other
Findings: Accessing library content
When you're aware of a publication you want from our local UI
collection, how do you get it? (Please choose the method you use
most often.)
40
35
Retrieve it
myself
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Request
delivery to me
or to the
closest library
Look first for
an online
copy
Findings: Contacting subject experts
How often do you contact the LIS library services staff (i.e. Sue or
Sandy)?
70
Never
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Rarely (once a
semester or less
often)
Sometimes
(approximately
monthly)
Often (weekly or
more often)
Findings: Mode of interaction
How do you contact LIS library services staff? (Please choose the mode
that you use most often for non-urgent matters.)
In person
By phone
By email
I don't contact
them
Findings: Use of office hours
How often do you visit the LIS Librarian during her regular office
hours at GSLIS?
Never
Rarely (once a
semester or less
often)
Sometimes
(approximately
monthly)
Often (weekly or
more often)
Findings: Interest in Main Library office hours
If the LIS Librarian held regular office hours at the Main Library,
would you visit her there?
Yes, very likely
Maybe
No, probably not
Findings: Non-use of office hours
If you do not/would not use the LIS Librarian's office hours, why not?
No need for service (n=22)
 “I usually can find information and materials on my own, and haven't had a
major reference question yet.”
Prefer a different mode (n=14)
 “I prefer email or scheduling an appointment.”
 “I can email her anytime with questions or call.”
 “I would be more likely to use a chat service.”
 “I see the LIS Librarian at meetings and ask questions then.”
Not on campus; not familiar with service; other (n=11)
Findings: Use of virtual library
How often do you use the LIS Virtual Library website?
Never
Rarely (once a
semester or less
often)
Sometimes
(approximately
monthly)
Often (weekly or
more often)
Findings: Best parts of virtual library
If you do use the LIS Virtual Library, which part do you find most
helpful? Why?
18
16
14
Easy Search
Database links
Links to journals
12
General praise
10
Access to library tools
8
New books list
6
Interface design
4
2
0
News
Affective/outcome
Other
Findings: Social networking preferences
Which social networking or communication tools would you like to see
LIS library services adopt?
50
45
40
35
Facebook
30
25
20
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instant messaging
None
Other
15
10
5
0
Findings: Benefits of NSM
What are the benefits of the current service model?
16
14
12
More/better online
Access to experts
None
10
Saving money
Convenience
8
6
4
Flexibility
Gripes
Better space use
Collection still developed
General praise
2
0
More efficient
Findings: Drawbacks of NSM
What are the drawbacks of the current service model?
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Not able to browse
Collection not together
None
General loss of dept lib
Loss of study space
Loss of access to experts
Other
Loss of service point
Poorer online access
Not convenient
Not radical enough
Poor re-use of space
Loss of patron-patron interactions
Findings: Suggestions for improvements
What suggestions do you have for improving LIS library services?
General (ex.)
 “Bring back the LIS library.”
 “Just stay available.”
 “Keep up the good work!”
Specific (ex.):
 “…Hav[e] a page somewhere of the hashtags for current library conferences so
folks who can’t go can easily click through to see the twitter discussions/blog
posts/flickr images coming out of different events.”
 “A general reference and current-issue journal library at GSLIS?”
 “PLEASE lobby to get the opac fixed!”
 “Go rogue, get donations, build your own library ”
What else?
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
Positive (n=21)
Negative (n=15)
Next steps
 Analyze and compare by group.
 Share with Library faculty and staff; gather




reactions.
Share with GSLIS faculty and staff; gather reactions.
Develop and prioritize service enhancements and
refinements.
Present at ALISE in January; write up for
publication.
Decide how often to repeat assessment.