The UWM Libraries participated in an assessment activity during Spring 2004 to measure the perceptions that library users have of the UWM Libraries services and collections. LibQUAL+, a web-based survey tool developed by the Association of Research Libraries, gauges library users’ opinions of the services and resources available. The goals of LibQUAL+ are to:
The LibQUAL+ survey measures respondents’ ratings in the areas of:
1. Affect of Service
2. Information Control
3. Library as Place
The survey was conducted with a random sample of UWM email addresses generated by I&MT. The chart below details the user groups, sample sizes and response rates:
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1 Sample sizes were based on ISPR recommendations
2 According to the Association of Research Libraries, the expected overall response rates range
from 15 to 20 percent
Incentive prizes were:
Random drawings were held to determine the prize winners.
Overall, the results indicate that the UWM Libraries are doing well in all areas; however, there is room for improvement. Ratings in the area ‘Affect of Service’ indicate that users feel Libraries’ staff could be more customer service oriented. In the area of ‘Information Control,’ the users’ ratings point toward the desire for more access to print and electronic collections. ‘Library as Place’ ratings show that users desired a space in the library building where they could enjoy a beverage or light snack to refresh themselves.
Following are recent developments at the UWM Libraries:
ongoing customer service sessions
linking software is now available through many of the article databases the UWM Libraries subscribe to,making it easier to locate the full text of articles indexed in the databases and to request those not available in full
text through Interlibrary Loan
To view the entire results notebook for the UWM Libraries, go to
http://www.uwm.edu/Libraries/News/UniversityofWisconsin-MilwaukeeLibraries.pdf