LibQual FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How will the survey benefit me?
2. What is the LibQUAL+TM survey?
3. What does the survey measure?
5. What survey instrument is being used?
6. How long does it take to complete the survey?
7. Why is the survey so redundant?
8. Why are reminders sent to respondents
who have already completed the survey?
1. How will the survey benefit
me?
Your input will help us to evaluate how well our services meet your needs, and to develop new services.
For example, previous LibQual services have led to:
- simplifying and improving the Library website (and planning for an upcoming major redesign);
- helping us understand the critical need for online databases such as Web of Science;
- mounting a campaign to keep the noise level down on Snell floors 3 and 4
- making Snell study spaces more comfortable and appealing;
- expanding the number of electrical outlets in Snell Library (currently underway) .
The Library will be inviting all current NU faculty members, staff and students via email to complete the survey.
If you receive an email, please consider participating!
2. What is the LibQUAL+TM survey?
LibQUAL+TM is a standardized survey that was developed as a project of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) in collaboration with the Texas A&M University Libraries. It is patterned after the SERVQUAL instrument used to assess service quality in private industry.
By participating in LibQUAL+TM and initiating action based on the results of this survey, the NU Libraries can be more responsive to users' needs and provide services that reflect users' expectations.
3. What does the survey measure?
The LibQUAL+® survey measures library users' perceptions of service quality. It is designed to identify gaps in desired, perceived, and minimum expectations of service.
This project will allow libraries to compare their service quality with other peer institutions, to develop benchmarks, and to reveal best practices across institutions.
By completing the survey, you will also have the opportunity to enter to win a Kindle, one of four $100 Bookstore gift certificates, or one of 35 $10 Dunkin Donuts gift cards!
5. What survey instrument is being used?
The LibQUAL+TM survey is patterned after the SERVQUAL instrument developed by Leonard L. Berry (Distinguished Professor, Texas A&M University), A. Parasuraman, and Valarie A. Zeithaml, which is used extensively in private industry.
6. How long does it take to complete the survey?
It takes 5-10 minutes to complete the survey . Respondents are asked to respond to each question on three separate scales, representing minimum, desired, and perceived levels of service. The questionnaire is straightforward and involves no deception or coercion. Potential respondents may elect not to proceed with the survey after reading the guarantees of confidentiality and privacy.
7. Why is the survey so redundant?
The survey tests a variety of dimensions of library service, each represented by multiple (and seemingly redundant) questions. The use of multiple/redundant questions allows us to analyze the validity of each dimension through statistical means.
8. Why are reminders sent to respondents who have already completed the survey?
In general, reminders are sent because research indicates that the single highest predictor of response rates in
web-based surveys is the number of contacts made, including reminders. (See: Cook, Heath, and Thompson, A meta-analysis of response rates in web- or internet-based
surveys, Educational and Psychological Measurement, v. 60, 2000, p.821-836.)
The fact that reminders are sent to all respondents, including those who
have already completed the survey, is a result of the project’s built-in
mechanisms for security and confidentiality. Once a return is submitted to the project server, its contents are disaggregated and disassociated
from the respondent’s email address. This provides maximum security, but
doesn't allow for any differentiation between respondents and non-respondents. Thus, everyone gets a reminder.