LIBQUAL - Library as a Place:

Before and After

Ibironke Lawal

ALA Annual Conference

June 27, 2011

Library as a Place

Fast Facts

� One of the nation’s top research universities

� Located in Richmond Virginia, the state’s capital

� Enrolls over 32,000 students

� Two campuses:

� Monroe Park Campus James Branch Cabell Library (JBC)

� MCV Campus Tompkins McCaw Library (TML)

� VCU Medical Center including the university health system

� Offers state of the art care in more than 200 specialty areas

� Serves as the region’s only level 1 Trauma Center

� This presentation is about using LibQual+ results to improve service

quality

26/26/2011

Library as a Place

In 1974-75, James Branch Cabell (JBC)

housed 251, 800 volumes

As of 2006-2007, it housed a total of

1.9 million, which exceeds 85% mark

By 2009-2010, exceeded volume count

of the planned capacity by over 90%

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Library as a Place

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

90,000

100,000

Volumes Added-1995-2009

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Library as a Place

� Adequacy Gap Ratio (AGR)= (Perceived

Score – Minimum Score)/ (Desired

Score – Minimum Score) x 100

� AGR > 100% is Exceeding User

Expectations; 0% ≤ AGR ≤ 100% is

Meeting User Expectations

� AGR < 0% Not Meeting User

Expectations56/26/2011

Library as a Place

� Without adding any space, 813,146

volumes were added

� VCU Libraries replaced student

space with book stacks on a regular

basis to accommodate the growth

� LIBQUAL administered in 2004 was

a wake-up call.

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Library as a Place

-100%

-80%

-60%

-40%

-20%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

LP-1 LP-2 LP-3 LP-4 LP-5

-28 -21

15

0

75

Library as a Place -All user Groups- 2004

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Library as a Place

ACTIONS TAKEN

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Library as a Place

� 2005, Compact Storage installed in the

basement as on-site storage facility

� 3,408 sq ft, 208, 985 LFI

� Goals

-Relieve the overflowing stacks

-Reduce the frustration of our users

-Increase usability of the collections

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Library as a Place

� In 2006, LibQual was administered

again

� Results – measured by Gap Scores

� Open ended questions gave further

insights

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Library as a Place

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

LP-1

LP-2

LP-3

LP-4

LP-5

-3

4

25

20

51

Library as a Place All User Groups -2006

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Library as a Place

ACTIONS TAKEN

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Library as a Place

� Removed journals 1990 and older to Compact

Storage

� Stopped subscribing to print journals wherever

possible

� Stopped shelving mandatory print that comes

with electronic

� Removed all subscribed JSTOR print titles to

Compact storage

� Removed least used book series to Compact

Storage 136/26/2011

Library as a Place

GRADUATE STUDENTS READING ROOM

MAPP ROOM

� Constructed from less used space

next to the Special Collections on

the Quiet Floor

� Opened in December 2007

� Soft furnishing and study spaces 146/26/2011

Library as a Place 156/26/2011

Library as a Place 166/26/2011

Library as a Place

In 2008, we administered another

LIBQUAL survey to gauge where

we were and where we still need

to be.

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Library as a Place

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

LP-1 LP-2 LP-3 LP-4 LP-5

-11

-18

24

15

44

16

-2

37

28

55

Series1 Series2

Adequacy Gap Ratio for Library as a Place Questions

Comparison, Graduate Students, 2008 and 2011

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Library as a Place

Relevant questions LP-1-5

� LP-1 shows some modest improvement across board

� LP-2 shows a worse situation across board

� LP-3 – worse for undergrads, improves for grads and

worse for faculty

� LP-4 Stay the same for undergrads, improves for grads

and worse for faculty

� LP-5 worse across board196/26/2011

“A library is a unique place for quiet study,

reflection and intellectual meditation. Cabell

library does not foster that environment

because of limitations of the physical space. It

is very difficult to find a quiet spot. There is

little I believe can be done to remedy the

situation in the current library space. A new

library is needed …”

Library as a Place 206/26/2011

Library as a Place

ACTIONS TAKEN

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Library as a Place

•2009 – Conversion of part of the second floor

to Learning Commons began.

•2010 – VCU Acquired a building – 500

Academic Centre part of which is used as an

offsite storage facility

•Library storage space – over 21,000 linear feet

•Total number of volumes moved there 250,000

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Library as a Place 236/26/2011

Library as a Place

CONSTRUCTION OF THE LEARNING COMMONS

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Library as a Place 256/26/2011

Library as a Place

THE NEW LEARNING COMMONS HAS

� 14,000 Square feet of academic work and

collaborative spaces

� 1,100 square feet multipurpose room for study,

instruction and more

� -Can easily be reconfigured for different needs

� 7 New group study rooms with whiteboards,

monitors and other support for collaborative work

� 438 new seats 266/26/2011

Library as a Place

�83 PC’s and 12 Macs computers

�18 mobile whiteboards for use throughout

the area

�20 new laptops to expand the popular Laptop

Loan Program

�Electrical Outlets throughout the facility for

laptops and other mobile devices

�Ubiquitous, high-speed wireless network

access

�Print stations for both Black & White and

Color Printing276/26/2011

Library as a Place

� With the new Learning Commons, an

inviting environment- we expect a more

satisfied user population.

� Next LIBQUAL –Expect higher adequacy

gap ratio for the questions of the

dimension “Library as a Place”.

� Did our expectations come true?

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Library as a Place

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

LP-1LP-2

LP-3LP-4

LP-5

33 40

56

43

72

Library as a Place All User Groups 2011, n=2849

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Library as a Place

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Library space that

inspires study and

learning

Quiet space for

individual activities

A comfortable and

inviting location

A gateway for study,

learning, or research

Community space for

group learning and

group

LP-1 LP-2 LP-3 LP-4 LP-5

-1-4

23 22

47

32

40

55

42

71

Adequacy Gap Ratio for Library as a Place Questions

Comparison 2008 and 2011, n=648

Orange: 2008

Green: 2011

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Library as a Place

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

LP-1 LP-2 LP-3 LP-4 LP-5

16

-2

37

28

55

Series1 Series2

Adequacy Gap Ratio for Library as a Place Questions

Comparison, Graduate Students, 2008 and 2011

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Library as a Place 32

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

LP-1 LP-2 LP-3 LP-4 LP-5

1

-3

2421

36

22

38

59

47

60

Adequacy Gap Ratio for Library as a Place Questions

Undergraduates- Comparison , 2008 & 2011 n=1157Series1 Series2

6/26/2011

Library as a Place

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Library space that

inspires study and

learning

LP-1

Quiet space for

individual activities

LP-2

A comfortable and

inviting location

LP-3

A gateway for study,

learning, or research

LP-4

Community space for

group learning and

group

LP-5

73

96

63

49

116

Series1 Series2

Library as a Place Questions

Comparison Faculty, 2008 and 2011

Series 1 = 2008Series 2 = 2011

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Library as a Place

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

20042006

2008

2011

17

3742

61

-9

18 21

36

8

19

18

49

Adequacy Gap Ratio, by DimensionAll Users

2004-2011

Affect of Services Information Control Library as Place346/26/2011

Library as a Place

�The gate count increased dramatically

�Typical gate count in the Fall 10,000 per day

�Between September and late October, 2010

gate count exceeded 15,000 17 days of the

month

�Ten years ago, there were 47 visits per student

per year

�In 2010-2011 the number will be 72 visits per

student per year 356/26/2011

Library as a Place

I love the new modifications to the

library. It is really looking

modernized and more spacious,

allowing more students to access

the library. The equipment is

looking better (apple products and

newer computers), and I feel like

the overall experience has become

much more reliable. I love and

strongly rely on the Cabell library.

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Library as a Place

The new second floor is the best

gift VCU has ever given its

students. I use the library for

group study mostly and without it

I know my GPA would suffer.

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Library as a Place

CONCLUSION� This essentially is Using LibQual to Solicit,

Track, and Act Upon Users Opinions of

service quality.

� That being said:

“Aonly customers judge quality; all other

judgments are essentially irrelevant”

Zeithami, Parasuraman, Berry. (1999)

Delivering quality service. NY: the free Press.

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Library as a Place

THANK YOU

QUESTIONS?

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