LibQUAL FAQ

What is LibQUAL+?

LibQUAL+ is a research and development project (R & D) used to define and measure library service quality across institutions of higher education. It is based on an instrument called SERVQUAL that was developed by a marketing research team at Texas A & M University for the for-profit sector.

LibQUAL+ uses "gap analysis" to identify the differences between users' minimal acceptable service, perceived service level and desired service level. It identifies the users' "Zones of tolerance" and gives us data about where our services fall in relation to these zones.

Who will receive the survey?

A sampling of the primary users of the Gelman Library will be surveyed, including approximately 600 faculty, 1000 graduate students and 900 undergraduate students. These samples were randomly selected from University databases of the GW community. The sample includes faculty, staff, and students from the Foggy Bottom Campus, Virginia Campus, and Mount Vernon Campus.

How will students and faculty receive this survey?

LibQUAL+ is administered through a scalable web interface. Libraries gather a random sample of e-mail addresses that represent their user population and send a message to this group asking them to complete the survey on the Web.

The Gelman Library System (GLS) in conjunction with the University's Academic Planning and Assessment Office is using e-mail addresses from our online system to generate this random sample.

What will we do with this data?

LibQUAL+ will give us an opportunity to identify which services need improvement, as well as providing us with data that we can use with the University administration to provide the critical data to support requests for resources and to better plan how we use our resources.

How will LibQUAL+ benefit library users?

After receiving the results of our survey, we will work with focus groups to improve services our users have identified.

We will also compare our service quality with that of peer institutions in an effort to develop benchmarks and understanding of best practices across institutions.

The ultimate goal is to improve services and surpass user expectations to better help users reach their learning and research objectives.

How long with the survey take?

The survey will take about 10-15 minutes to complete.

Are responses confidential?

Yes, the completed surveys are transmitted directly to a server located at Rackspace, in the Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas area. The responses are automatically separated from any identifying information, including the e-mail addresses of respondents who register for the prize drawing.

What kind of questions are asked in the survey?

The instrument consists of 35 questions that address four service quality dimensions that have been found to be valid in previous assessments of library services: service affect, library as place, personal control, and information access. 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 indentifying 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.

What happens to the results?

The responses are collected and compiled by the Association of Research Libraries, in collaboration with researchers at Texas A&M University. The data is analyzed and reports are generated presenting information on the gaps between users' desired, perceived, and minimally acceptable levels of service. We will receive the Gelman Library results in July 2009. We will also receive access to the results of other participating libraries, which will allow us to compare our results with peer institutions. The LibQUAL+ 2009 survey results will be one of several assessment strategies used by the Gelman Library System in planning services and resources to best meet student and faculty needs.

Is the survey exclusively web-based, or can I complete a paper version?

Paper versions of the survey are available for anyone unable to complete the web-based survey. Contact Dawn deVillasana at (202)994-3766 or devill@gwu.edu or Gale Etschmaier at (202) 994-6924 or e-mail gale@gwu.edu for a paper copy of the survey.

Why do the discipline categories listed in the survey differ from the GW department names?

Discipline areas have been standardized because this survey is used by so many different institutions. The standardized categories will facilitate benchmarking activities. Select the academic discipline that most closely matches your teaching area. The following list will guide you in selecting the discipline you should use for this survey.

Who is participating in the LibQUAL+ 2009 survey project?