Brown students and faculty interested in improving library services and winning fabulous prizes are encouraged to participate in a web based survey currently being hosted on the Brown University Library homepage (http://dl.lib.brown.edu/libweb/libqual/). Entitled LibQUAL and sponsored by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the survey is designed to help libraries assess their strengths and weaknesses. Brown is one of 144 colleges and universities participating in the spring 2008 LibQUAL+ survey, which was last administered on campus in 2005. The survey will be administered between April 7th-30th. By submitting a confidential survey, participants are eligible to win one of four prizes; winners can select from either an iPod shuffle or a $50 gift certificate to the Brown Bookstore. To date, nearly 1,300 members of the Brown community have completed the survey.
“I am pleased to offer this quick and painless survey to the thousands of patrons who rely on our services,” said Harriette Hemmasi, Joukowsky Family University Librarian. “By filling out the short form, our users will make their voices heard and will let us know what we need to do to make our services more responsive to their needs. The Library belongs to all of us and it is important that each member of the Brown community has a say in shaping the Library of tomorrow. I hope that as many people participate as possible.”
The survey itself is based on the SERVQUAL instrument, a popular tool for assessing service quality in the private sector, and was modified for the library setting through extensive research conducted at the Texas A&M University Libraries (supported in part by a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education). The survey has had a significant impact in shaping Library priorities. Feedback from the 2005 LibQUAL+ survey led the Library to place a particular emphasis on upgrading facilities (e.g., renovations in the Rock, Friedman Study Center, etc.), adding more digital content, and revamping its web site.
For more information contact LibQUAL@brown.edu or phone 863-9445.