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- Carlsson, Håkan, 1973, et al.
(författare)
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User Knowledge Management – How University Libraries Analyse User Needs and Develop Services
- 2018
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the 39th annual IATUL conference.
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The demands on library services are quickly changing in a continually updating digital age. This increases the importance of a good understanding of the needs and demands of the users. In order to sample and follow the change in user needs library organisations analyse their efforts using a series of different methods. In a recent survey distributed to all 301 European LIBER university libraries, we asked questions pertaining to methods for quality development, particularly implementation of general user surveys (GUS). Among the 127 answering libraries (42%) we analysed how library services can be developed via a user-centred approach. In general, libraries engaged in explorative methods, such as UX techniques or process mapping, displayed an increased understanding of what the users find as library strengths. On the other hand libraries using primarily reporting tools such as balanced scorecard showed little or no such effect. The library strengths most valued by users in the study were in the areas of the physical library, researcher support - especially in the area of scholarly communication - and information literacy tuition. Several answers indicate that user feedback has helped build institutional profile and image. The results also give an indication of how general user surveys can best be used. Appropriate follow-up after the survey is important in gaining usable results. The key step was the production of a written report, which resulted in a nearly 50% increased chance of obtaining changes in services. Most libraries developed their own surveys for the effort. Services most commonly changed after performing a GUS were in the areas of the physical library, followed by communication/marketing and information literacy tuition. A GUS most often leads to a number of minor service improvements rather than large strategic shifts. This work was commissioned and supported by the former LIBER Working Group on Research and Education.
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| 3. |
- Dalsgaard Krag, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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General User Surveys in Quality Development – Discovering Best Practices in Library Services
- 2018
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Ingår i: LIBER Annual Conference 2018.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- In 2015, LIBER commissioned the “Working group on Research and Education”. The goal was to collect best practices in library support to both education and research, in part by examining user survey data. As a first step the group started a European LibQUAL consortium, which was evaluated in 2016. As a second step, a survey sent to all 301 European LIBER university libraries asking questions pertaining to the use of general user surveys (GUS) and other methods aimed at improving library quality. The collated result from the 127 answering libraries (42%) gave a good indication of current best practises in library development. A majority of the libraries (77%) have performed a GUS during the period 2013-2016. A key focus of our study was on the library service improvements made as a result of GUS feedback. Responses related to different activity areas were broken down into more than 400 fragments which were coded, categorized and analyzed. The fragments depict numerous small steps that lead to substantial improvements, with the largest activities in the areas of physical library standard, communication/marketing and quality of the information literacy tuition. The GUS appears to be used most to justify minor development steps, rather than large strategic shifts. Our survey results also indicate how GUS are best performed. While small libraries have limited resources for these types of analyses, our results indicate they more successfully employ other in-the-physical-library methods of information gathering regarding user needs. Nearly half of the libraries develop their own survey instruments. Appropriate follow-up after the survey is important for showing a usable result. The key step is producing a written report, which increased the success in attaining changes to services by nearly 50%. Other quality development methods and general library strengths were also analysed. The most common method is placing a digital “user suggestion box” on the library website, followed by systematic processes to ensure continuous quality improvements. The library strengths most valued by users were in the areas of the physical library, researcher support- especially in the area of scholarly communication- and information literacy tuition. User feedback helps build institutional profile and image. In the presentation, we will give further examples of how the libraries define their strengths in different activity areas, in response to user input.
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