BE PART OF IT!  2008 Service Quality Survey

The LibQual 2008 survey is now closed.  LibQUAL 2008 Survey Results are posted here and include:

• Executive Summary 
• Comments and Responses 

Overview of the Survey

To measure the effectiveness of services and to identify best practices, the Case Western Reserve University libraries (the Kelvin Smith Library, the Cleveland Health Sciences Library, the Law Library, and the Lillian F. and Milford J. Harris Library) are conducting LibQUAL+, a library service quality survey. This page provides answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about LibQUAL+ and contains an Informed Consent Notice. The FAQs are based on those at the LibQUAL+ Website (http://www.libqual.org) and on those developed by other universities that have administered LibQUAL+.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is LibQUAL+?
LibQUAL+ is a suite of services that libraries use to solicit, track, understand, and act upon users’ opinions of service quality. These services are offered to the library community by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL)-- http://www.arl.org/arl/index.shtml. The program’s centerpiece is a rigorously tested Web-based survey bundled with training that helps libraries assess and improve library services, change organizational culture, and market the library.

2. How will I benefit from taking the LibQUAL+ survey?
Your opinion counts!The survey gives you an opportunity to tell us where you think our services need improvement so that we can better meet your expectations.

3. How will the LibQUAL+ survey be conducted?
LibQUAL+ is a Web-based survey. Case Western Reserve University students, faculty, and staff will receive an invitation from the directors of the Case Western Reserve University libraries to participate in the survey. The invitation will contain a link to the LibQUAL+ survey instrument.

4. Are responses confidential?
Yes! The LibQUAL+ approach to confidentiality is guided by the ethical standards of the American Psychological Association (http://www.apa.org/ethics/code2002.html) Survey responses go to a secure server designated by ARL. Survey results will be reported in the aggregate only and will remain anonymous. Each response will be disaggregated as it reaches the server and survey results will be reported to participating institutions as aggregate mean score data. Individual responses of participants will not be identifiable.

5. Is participation in the LibQUAL+ survey voluntary?
Yes! Participation is completely voluntary. If you choose not to participate, your decision will not affect your current or future relations with the Case libraries or Case Western Reserve University. There is no penalty or loss of benefits for not participating or for discontinuing your participation. Moreover, because the survey is anonymous, we have no way of knowing who did or did not participate.

6. Does the survey involve risks?
There are no foreseeable risks to you as a participant in this survey. The survey questionnaire is straightforward and involves no deception or coercion.

7. How much of my time will the LibQUAL+ survey take?
Most respondents will complete the survey in only 10-15 minutes.

8. Is there an incentive prize?
Yes! We value your participation. Although the Case libraries are not compensating participants, those who complete the survey, and so choose, will be entered in a drawing for the one of the following:

• iPod Touch (one will be raffled)
• $25.00 gift certificates (three will be raffled)

To enter the raffle, which is optional, a respondent will have the choice of entering an email address at the end of the survey. Email addresses are not saved with responses and there is no way to link an individual's responses to his or her email address. This process ensures confidentiality when entering the drawing.

9. What is the format of the survey?
The LibQUAL+ survey consists of 22 core questions and five local questions that address three service quality dimensions: Affect of Service, Information Control, and Library as Place. Each question has three parts and respondents are asked 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.

10. Why is the survey so redundant?
The survey tests a variety of dimensions of library service, each represented by multiple (and seemingly redundant) questions. The use of multiple/redundant questions allows us to analyze the validity of each dimension through statistical means.

11. May I skip questions that do not 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.

12. Which browsers are supported?
Any browser should work as long as it is not too old. If you have trouble opening the survey link (URL) from within your email invitation, please copy the address and paste it into your Web browser. If you still cannot access the survey, you may contact libqual@case.edu or call (216) 368-4248.

13. Is the survey compatible with text-to-speech Web browsers?
The Web survey form has been tested with JAWS software for the visually impaired.

14. I did not receive an invitation. May I still participate in the survey?
Yes! Staff and administrators of the Case libraries continuously seek feedback from users about materials and services. If you did not receive an email invitation and would like to complete a survey, we will provide you with one. Please send an email message to libqual@case.edu.

15. Whom do I contact with questions or concerns not addressed here?
To learn more about LibQUAL+, please visit the LibQUAL+ Website at: http://www.libqual.org/ If you have questions or concerns about the administration of the LibQUAL+ survey at Case Western Reserve University, please send a message to libqual@case.edu or contact Earnestine Adeyemon, Electronic Resources Librarian, voice: 216-368-4248.

Thank you for your participation!