UNC Libraries Participate in Survey

UNC library officials are working with the Office of Institutional Research to conduct a random survey of students, faculty and employees.

The 25-question online survey, which began April 2 and runs through May 10, aims to gauge the quality of service in UNC libraries.

The survey is sponsored by the Association of Research Libraries, a group of leading research libraries nationwide.

Joe Hewitt, director of the Academic Affairs Library, said the survey will show areas where the libraries can make improvements.

More specifically, the survey is studying the quality of interaction with library staff, the selection of material available and the ease with which students, faculty and staff can navigate the Web site and buildings, said Judith Panitch, research and special projects librarian.

"It gives a lot of useful information about what we're doing right and what we're doing wrong," Hewitt said.

Panitch said potential survey takers are notified through e-mail to participate in the survey.

The ARL is managing all the data, so library officials will receive group data by the summer.

"We're very eager to get information back so we can identify areas where we're not meeting users' needs," Panitch said.

The survey is being conducted at more than 100 libraries across the nation, so UNC library officials will be able to compare their results to other libraries.

Panitch said that although the library has conducted focus groups and small group surveys before, such a comprehensive study has not been done in seven or eight years.

"We really haven't taken on something of this meaning and scope for some time," Panitch said.

Hewitt said people who took less detailed surveys in the past have evaluated the library favorably, but the ARL survey gives library officials more detailed information to work with.

This is the third year the ARL has offered the survey, but the first time UNC has chosen to participate, Panitch said.

She said past surveys were lengthier and had numerous glitches, so the UNC library staff is benefitting from an improved survey.

Survey responses will not be linked to any names, but the library staff will award 10 $50 Student Stores gift certificates to random e-mail addresses. ARL also is awarding one Palm m500 Handheld to one participant nationally.

Panitch said she hopes the prizes encourage people to take the survey so that the library will get good feedback. "The higher the response rate, the more accurate the data will be."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.