LibQual Analysis at a Liberal Arts College: a Journey

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LibQual Analysis at a Liberal Arts College a
Journey

• Sara Penhale
• Tom Kirk, Christine Larson,
• Shirley Smith, Janet Wagner,
• and Jeannette Wilson
• Earlham College

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Earlham College

• Liberal arts college with approximately 1200
  students and 130 teaching faculty
• Library focuses on the teaching learning
  process
• Long-standing program of teaching information
  literacy skills
• Librarians well-integrated into the life of the
  college

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Assessment in the Library

• Experience in assessment
• Limited expertise in large scale surveys and data
  sets
• Analyzing LibQual data becomes a new journey

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Radar Chart
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Image from NASA Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer
http//toms.gsfc.nasa.gov/ozone/ozone_v8.html
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A journey begun on familiar territory,continued
over thin ice on an unclear path, but heading
toward a known destination

• IMPROVED LIBRARY SERVICE

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Our path thus far

• Considered survey comments
• Examined data analysis provided by LibQual
• Began our own data analysis, relevant to our own
  institution

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Step 1. Considered survey comments
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• Dissatisfaction with handling of fines at the
  circulation desk
• Student workers contribute to the problem

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Arriving at improved library service

• Improved training program for students workers
• Emphasis on checking in books properly, customer
  service attitude, etc.

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Guideposts for survey comments

• Expect to receive opposing comments
• Look for corroboration of what you suspect
• Look for new insights and whats missing
• Recognize the need to look further for conclusions

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Our journey continues

• Step 1. Considered survey comments
• Step 2. Examined data analysis provided by
  LibQual

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Step 2. Analysis provided by LibQual

• Entire survey populationSub-groups, such as
  faculty or undergraduates
• Radar charts for core questions
• Data summaries, descriptive statistics
• Comparative norms

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Earlham CollegeAggregate Results
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Results for Core Survey QuestionsSeparate Survey
Sub-Groups

• Undergraduates

• Faculty

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Results for Core Survey QuestionsFaculty
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Significant differences between undergraduates
and faculty on questions related to satisfaction

• How would you rate the overall quality of
  service provided by the library?

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Undergraduates 7.41 Faculty
8.12 (on a scale of 1-9)
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Arriving at improved library service

• Maintain good relationships with faculty
• Make effort to integrate new faculty
• Look to improve undergraduate experience

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Guideposts for data analysis provided by LibQual

• Consider comments and data together
• Be aware of the limitations of the survey
  questions and the demographic categories

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Our journey

• Step 1. Considered survey comments
• Step 2. Examined data analysis provided by
  LibQual
• Step 3. Began our own data analysis

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Step 3. Our own data analysis

• Noted factors relevant to our own institution
• Considered what additional analyses would be of
  interest
• Found help and plunged in!

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Factors relevant to our institution

• Course-integrated program of instruction in
  information literacy skills
• Our interest in the progress of undergraduates
  throughout their four years

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Additional Analysis

• Assistance from Dr. Katherine Milar, Psychology
  Department
• Compared students from different years
• ANOVA Analysis of Variance on a variety of
  variables

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Using this information to arrive at improved
library service

• Note large change between end of first year and
  end of second year
• Lesser changes in later years
• Consider meaning in context of both library
  program and student development
• Work with faculty to plan and implement changes

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Guideposts for doing your own LibQual analyses

• Add comparisons with other institutions
• Be selective in what you analyze
• Continue to focus on the destination

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Begin your own journey to improved library service

1. Start on familiar territory
2. Follow the map provided by LibQual
3. Chart new territory with your own analysis

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EARLHAM COLLEGE -- URL for Presentationhttp/
/www.earlham.edu/libr/library/publications.htm

• Sara Penhale
• Science Librarian
• sarap_at_earlham.edu

• Tom Kirk
• College Librarian
• kirkto_at_earlham.edu