LibQual+® Survey

• What is the LibQUAL+® survey?
• What does LibQUAL+® stand for?
• Who can take the survey?
• How long does the survey take?
• Do I have to participate?
• Why should I participate?
• What are the prizes?
• Who is eligible to win prizes?
• Will the library collect or distribute my email address if I enter it to win a prize?
• How long will the survey run?
• What happens if I don't finish completing the survey?
• Has the Library participated in the LibQUAL+® survey before?
• Are other libraries participating in this survey?
• What will be done with the survey data?
• Will the survey results be posted?
• Did the Library consult the Institutional Review Board (IRB) about this survey?
• Which web browsers support this survey?
• Is the survey compatible with text-to-speech web browsers?
• Why are you collecting gender and age information?
• Is there a paper version of the survey?
• Why isn't the survey at a KSU Web address?
• Can I skip a question?
• What kind of questions are asked in the survey?
• Why are some of the survey questions redundant?
• Why are reminders sent to respondents who have already completed the survey?
• Who can I contact to learn more?

What is the LibQUAL+® survey?

The LibQUAL+ survey is a standardized survey for measuring library users' perceptions of service quality. It is designed and administered by the Association of Research Libraries to identify gaps between desired, perceived, and minimum expectations of service.

What does LibQUAL+® stand for?

Library Service Quality Survey.

Who can take the survey?

All KSU students, faculty members, and staff will be invited to take the survey. You must be 18 years old to take the survey.

How long does the survey take?

The survey takes approximately 5 minutes to complete.

Do I have to participate?

No. Participation is completely voluntary.

Why should I participate?

So we can better meet your needs! Your participation will help us evaluate how well we are providing service to our users. We will use your feedback to make our future service decisions. By completing the survey, you will also have the option to enter to win an iPad 2, iPad MINI, KSU Bookstore gift cards and other great prizes.

What are the prizes?

There will be no compensation for completing the survey, though incentive prizes will be offered to encourage people to take the survey. At the end of the Web-based survey, respondents may elect to submit their e-mail address, which will enter them in a drawing for prizes including an iPad 2, iPad MINI, KSU Bookstore gift cards of $100, $50 & $25, as well as KSU branded prizes: Hot and Cold Cup, Owl Mascot and a men’s tie. Additional prizes include a $25 Walmart Gift Card and free Chick-fil-A Combo Meal coupons. Only KSU students, faculty or staff are eligible to win prizes. Library employees are not eligible to win prizes. There is only one chance to win per email address, one prize per winner. Duplicate email addresses will be discarded.

Who is eligible to win prizes?

Only KSU students, faculty or staff are eligible to win prizes. Library employees are not eligible to win prizes. There is only one chance to win per email address, one prize per winner. Duplicate email addresses will be discarded.

Will the library collect or distribute my email address if I enter it to win a prize?

Survey data and email addresses are stored on secure servers located at a private hosting facility. When the survey data is sent to the database, the respondents’ answers are separated from their e-mail addresses before they are stored, to ensure confidentiality. The Library only has access to the email addresses of the prize winners and will not sell, use or distribute these email addresses. The owners of the addresses will only be contacted in order that they may claim their prize.

How long will the survey run?

The survey is open from Monday, March 11, 2013 to Friday, April 12, 2013.

What happens if I don't finish completing the survey?

Your responses from the log-on period will not be transmitted unless you submit the web form. You can visit the link again later to complete the survey.

Has the Library participated in the LibQUAL+® survey before?

Yes. Sturgis Library participated in the LibQual survey in spring, 2011.

Are other libraries participating in this survey?

Yes. Over 1,200 libraries from around the world have used the LibQUAL survey instrument to get feedback from their users.

What will be done with the survey data?

The survey data will be stored on a secure server at the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and will only be accessible to the Association's statisticians and research team. At a later date, raw survey response data will be made available to the researchers at the Sturgis Library and will be kept on a secure Library server for further analysis. The survey responses will then be compiled and reported as aggregate scores. If you enter your email address to win a prize your email address will be kept confidential. Extreme measures are taken to separate identifiable e-mail addresses from surveys with responses. Once they are collected, there is no way to link them to an individual’s responses, ensuring confidentiality for participants in the incentive drawings. The Library will only receive the email addresses of the prize winners. All other email addresses will be deleted by ARL.

Will the survey results be posted?

We will post the analyzed results on the Library's website after they are processed. This may not occur until the fall.

Did the Library consult the Institutional Review Board (IRB) about this survey?

Yes. The survey has received an exemption from Kennesaw State University’s Institutional Review Board. The LibQUAL+® survey is entirely confidential. No personal identification information will be transmitted with the survey responses.

Which web browsers support this survey?

The LibQUAL+® survey should work with most browsers. The survey does not rely on erratically supported browser features such as Java or cookies. If the survey link doesn't work, try copying the URL and pasting it into a different web browser.

Is the survey compatible with text-to-speech web browsers?

It is compatible with the JAWS screen reader software.

Why are you collecting gender and age information?

The survey is designed by ARL with demographic fields included. This information is only used to review the representativeness of survey respondents against the campus community. It provides us with profiles that mimic the campus' population. This will allow us to make some assumptions from the results to inform our decision making.

Is there a paper version of the survey?

Please come into the library and ask at the Information Desk if you’d prefer to take a paper survey.

Why isn't the survey at a KSU Web address?

The survey is administered through the Association of Research Libraries and the survey and data are housed on secure ARL servers.

Can I skip a question?

Yes. If you wish to skip a question, select the “NA” box in the right-hand column (where possible). Only fully completed surveys will be used by ARL for analysis purposes.

What kind of questions are asked in the survey?

The instrument consists of 20 questions that address three service quality dimensions that have been found to be valid in previous assessments of library services: affect of service, library as place, and information control. Each question has three parts that ask respondents to indicate the minimum service level they will accept, the desired service level they expect, and the perceived level of service currently provided. This design will permit analysis of gaps between expectations, perception, and minimum acceptance level of service.

Why are some of the survey questions redundant?

Redundancy in questions allows the survey designers to analyze the validity of each service quality dimension through statistical methods. Over time, questions that are not as effective as others in measuring the specific dimensions of service quality will be discarded.

Why are reminders sent to respondents who have already completed the survey?

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. Due to security and confidentiality features, everyone surveyed will receive reminders, even those who have already responded. When submitted, survey responses and identifying information are immediately disaggregated, so we have no way of knowing who has already responded. Reminders, therefore, are distributed to everyone in the survey group.

Who can I contact to learn more?

For more information, contact: Michael Luther Assessment Librarian Horace W. Sturgis Library Kennesaw State University 678-797-2521 mluther1@kennesaw.edu

The purpose of this research has been explained and my participation is voluntary. I have the right to stop participation at any time without penalty. I understand that the research has no known risks, and I will not be identified. By completing this survey, I am agreeing to participate in this research project. THIS PAGE MAY BE PRINTED AND KEPT BY EACH PARTICIPANT Research at Kennesaw State University that involves human participants is carried out under the oversight of an Institutional Review Board. Questions or problems regarding these activities should be addressed to the Institutional Review Board, Kennesaw State University, 1000 Chastain Road, #0112, Kennesaw, GA 30144-5591, (678) 797-2268.

The Horace W. Sturgis Library would like to thank the Friends of the Sturgis Library, the Kennesaw State University Bookstore, Chick-fil-A, and Dr. Linda Golian-Lui for their generous prize donations.