What is LibQUAL+®?
LibQUAL+ is a suite of services that libraries use to solicit, track, understand, and act upon users' opinions of service quality. These services are offered to the library community by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). The program's centerpiece is a rigorously tested Web-based survey bundled with training that helps libraries assess and improve library services, change organizational culture, and market the library.
The goals of LibQUAL+ are to:
- Foster a culture of excellence in providing library service
- Help libraries better understand user perceptions of library service quality
- Collect and interpret library user feedback systematically over time
- Provide libraries with comparable assessment information from peer institutions
- Identify best practices in library service
- Enhance library staff members' analytical skills for interpreting and acting on data
How does LibQUAL+ benefit your Library users?
LibQUAL+ gives your library users a chance to tell you where your services need improvement so you can respond to and better manage their expectations. You can develop services that better meet your users' expectations by comparing your library's data with that of peer institutions and examining the practices of those libraries that are evaluated highly by their users.
What are the elements of LibQUAL+ survey?
The questionnaire includes 22 closed questions and one open question type. Through it assessed the minimum, the desired and the estimated level of the quality of library services. The questions cover three main areas:
α) Affect of Service, the Library as emotional relationship
β) Library as Place, the Library as nature place
γ) Information Control, the Library as information that helps independent research (Kyrillidou 2005).
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