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LibQUAL 2016

Library survey comments

We had a lot of positive comments about our staff
  • "Always very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable."
  • "Whenever I have needed help the librarians are always willing to assist me and solve my problem."
    And positive comments about our service:
  • "The Library is very good and professionally run by competent staff"
  • "spot on"

And some negative comments, about noise, space and print materials.

LibQUAL+® Results 2016

To save you reading 100 pages of our University Library LibQUAL results we have put together a shortened version for you which also incorporates the main charts from the 'local' site results. If you want any of the full reports please contact Hannah Fogg.

Library response to LibQUAL survey comments

The above report shows some of the large quantitative data set (1,554 valid surveys completed). But that's not the whole picture. We also received comments from 864 people – that's 55.6% of all surveys had a comment added! Each person may have touched on several points so once analysed we ended up with 1,525 pieces of 'data' and coded them into 65 categories, some positive; some negative.

So what were the comments about? The largest quantity was regarding positive opinions about our staff
  • "Always very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable."
  • "Whenever I have needed help the librarians are always willing to assist me and solve my problem."
The second biggest category, although unspecific, were positive about our service:
  • "The Library is very good and professionally run by competent staff"
  • "spot on"
After those two categories – which are flattering – we received some negative comments, the three next largest categories - Noise, Space and print materials. We have inserted some indicative comments below.

Library space

Insufficient space (Cambridge)

What You Said
"There is not enough space to study generally, and a lack of computers at assignment times."

"During March-April the library is packed with no room for people to do their final assessments."

"The library is simply not big enough for the size of uni we now have, hopefully there is a plan for expansion or something new in the new building. This library can no longer accommodate the interests of all students at the uni."
What We've Done
We discussed the space issues at Cambridge with colleagues in the Estates and Facilities team and asked them to give this higher priority in University planning documents. With the new SU space in Peter Taylor House recently opening, and the new Science Centre too, there will be more options for study spaces around campus.

In the meantime we'll keep making changes where we can - last year we tripled the number of laptops available for borrowing in Cambridge, and we squeezed in some extra desks on the first floor by reducing the number of print journals we keep.

We also now offer the option of booking individual study spaces on the silent floor at Cambridge - so students can guarantee a seat at busy times.

Last updated - November 2017

Design of space

What You Said
"There needs to be more areas where people can do work, as there is not enough space in the library to do so currently during busy periods."

"Room for aesthetic improvement to the learning spaces."
What We've Done
Again we've been working with colleagues in Estates and Facilities to identify potential changes which would improve the environment in our libraries.

Do you have a bright idea for how to make the libraries more attractive? Get in touch.

Last updated - November 2017

Temperature (Cambridge)

What You Said
"I find the temperature of the study areas, 1st floor by windows is too hot sometimes."

"The third floor is incredibly cold. There is no reason as to why the university should waste resources when the aircon is not needed full time. Somebody should turn it off and on when needed. The cold environment makes working so hard and gives everyone a headache."

"The library is too hot, specially on the upper floors."
What We've Done
Colleagues in Estates and Facilities are working to identify new solutions to improve things at all our sites. Our libraries are amongst the older buildings on campus so it's not straightforward, but we hope to see improvements.

At Cambridge we now have posters to explain how the heating and ventilation systems work on each floor (as it's different throughout the building) - this should help explain whether opening (or closing) windows near you will help.

Last updated - November 2017

Library website and search

Library system difficult to use

What You Said

"The access to electronic journals is so complicated to use and a real pain. I am never really sure if I have access or not and it not unusual to go around and around in circles till I eventually give up and go to central library."
What We've Done

In July we launched the new updated version of the software which has made lots of improvements in response to user feedback. We've also built in guidance at the point of need.

Last updated - November 2017

Library system gives too many results

What You Said

"I would prefer if the searches could have more filters to refine the search because there are thousands of books to go through."

"To get to a database the screen opens a lot of tabs which confuses me and slows my computer, also I think the filtering services need to be more simplistic for example include specific options to get better results."
What We've Done

Hopefully the new version launched in the summer will have provided an improved experience of filtering. Let us know if we can do anything more.

Last updated - November 2017

Website negative comments

What You Said

"Website needs improvement, as does off campus access to available material."
"I've just registered but already spent hours trying to get refs online via the library. I'm finding it especially difficult via mobile. But I'm not sure this is the library's fault :)"

"The website could be more user friendly."

"Many of the links on library website does not work or no longer point to the correct page!"
What We've Done

We made our 'report a problem' feature within library search a permanent service, and investigate and respond to all our users' comments on problems they've encountered. feature. We're continuing to monitor if there is any tangible negative "off-campus" experience with e-resources.

Last updated - November 2017

Resources

Lack of resources

What You Said

"Please put in more copies of the essential textbooks in the library so students don't have to fight over one non-loanable book during the peak weeks."

"Would be nice to have current books in mental health as some are quite dated and this can be difficulty when keeping the literature within time frames for dissertations etc."
What We've Done

We carried out lots more analysis of NSS (National Student Survey) results and Module Evaluation Surveys and focused on specific courses where there seemed to be problems. We've been working with faculty to address issues and target our spending better, and based on the most recent NSS results, we think this is starting to show results.

Last updated - November 2017

Complexities of finding materials

What You Said

"Some of the labelling of books could be made service user friendly and maybe provide a small hand out to help students to find books and articles easier within the library."
What We've Done

We've been gathering more user feedback to better understand the challenges our users face in finding print materials. We're also considering introducing new maps and guides to find books and other facilities in our libraries.

Last updated - November 2017

Noise in the Library

Noise in the Library

What You Said

"The silent zone is never silent, people are constantly talking, and the building work next door is disruptive - this wouldn't happen to Cambridge students!"

"People are always talking especially in the silent zones, more should be done to stop these people."

"If there is a comment that I have to leave here, will be that in the quiet zones, should be really quiet at all time."

"I am sometimes finding it difficult to work around other students chatting and wish the librarians do more about it."
What We've Done

Last year we piloted our booking system for spaces in the silent study area in Cambridge. This was really popular with some of our library users so we've made it permanent.

We have made extra efforts to ensure that our library staff floorwalk regularly and visibly, to keep on top of noise issues. In Cambridge and Chelmsford, we installed touchpoints around our libraries so we can be sure that our overnight guards are managing to regularly floorwalk as well.

We relaunched our 'text-a-talker' service last year in the lead up to semester one's assignment deadlines and it was really well used - we now promote it running up to all the main deadlines so library users know it's a way to tell us about problems.

Acoustic panels were installed in some of our group study rooms in both Cambridge and Chelmsford this summer to try to reduce any noise coming from them.

Cambridge Building works outside the Library

What You Said

"Building work distracting in silent zones."

"It is currently insanely noisy on the third floor due to the building work, could something be put on the windows to drown out the noise?"
What We've Done

We took all the specific comments on disturbance from the construction of the new science centre to Estates and Facilities (along with other comments we received during the construction period) and they addressed them where they could - the building is now complete so hopefully there will be no disturbance this year.

Acoustic panels were installed in some of our group study rooms in both Cambridge and Chelmsford this summer to try to reduce any noise coming from them.

Last updated - November 2017