Assessment with LibQUAL+ ™ at the University of Vermont Vermont Library Association College and Special Libraries Section Conference April 7, 2006 Selene Colburn Asst. to Dean for External Relations University of Vermont Libraries
What is LibQUAL+? A “rigorously tested Web-based survey…that helps libraries assess and improve library services.” Developed by Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and based on SERVQUAL, a business-sector tool. Over 200 institutions signed up last spring.
The Philosophy “…only customers judge quality, all other judgments are essentially irrelevant.” Zeithaml, Parasuraman, Berry. (1999). Delivering quality service. NY: The Free Press
The Instrument LibQUAL+ survey contains 22 standardized questions and a comment box. An additional 5 questions can be selected from a list of 100+. Questions are grounded in the language and concerns of users.
Service Dimensions Questions fall into one of three categories: Affect of service. Library as place. Information control (formerly Access to Information & Personal Control).
The Measurements For each question, respondents are asked to list their minimum, desired, and perceived levels of service. This creates: The zone of tolerance. The adequacy gap.
The Results: The Radar Chart
The Results: The Bar Chart
The Products Results notebook (PDF file) and Excel raw data. SPSS files. User comments. Interactive website.
UVM Summary Results: Library Use
UVM Summary Results: Bar Chart
UVM Summary Results: Radar Chart
UVM Graduate Student Results
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