We live in an age where user feedback is no longer an afterthought, it’s an essential part of an organization’s success.
A company can be made or broken on the basis of a Facebook group, a simple YouTube video or a well-placed Tweet.
Entire websites exist dedicated to product feedback and most major retailers provide ample opportunity for users to weigh in on their purchases, such as Amazon or iTunes.
In the coming months Western Libraries hopes to highlight the continuing importance of the consumer voice through the launch of various surveys exploring library facilities, services and collections.
Running into early April, LibQual+ asks library users to rate customer service, collections and library facilities for all Western Libraries locations. The data gathered will assist Western Libraries in developing priorities for our evolving support services, collections and user space and help determine if changes made as a result of LibQual+ data gathered in 2007 have had a positive effect.
While LibQual+ helps evaluate the full gamut of library operations the Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL) E-Resources Survey is specifically geared to measuring the effectiveness of Western Libraries’ digital collections. Running for a full year, this survey is activated when a user initiates a connection to digital library content through “Get it @ Western”. Understanding more about what digital resources are used, when, for what purpose and from what location will enable OCUL and Western Libraries to be accountable for the millions of dollars spent on digital journals each year.
In addition to continuing our commitment to established library initiatives Western Libraries is interested in building new services for our user community. The Maps, Data and Government Information Centre (MADGIC) survey is an opportunity for users to create a new library service that supports and enhances campus research across disciplines. “Non-textual data is increasing in importance for campus researchers,” says Joyce Garnett, University Librarian. While these services have been provided successfully by the Social Science Data Resources Library and the Serge A. Sauer Map Library for many years, under the umbrella of Western Libraries the introduction of a MADGIC centre at Western has the potential to enhance programing across campus in new and exciting ways.
In the coming months focus groups will be held with graduate students to discuss web personalization and customization options for this unique group of researchers.
Western Libraries hopes to develop an understanding of how, and indeed if, graduate students at Western would like to tailor Western Libraries’ various online resources to their own online environments.
Western Libraries is always interested in hearing from our user community.
“We are extremely proud of our excellent quality of customer service and we want to keep improving” says Garnett. “Participating in a survey or focus group is a small investment of time to influence where the library is going in the future, to make a difference.”
The writer is a library assistant in the C.B. “Bud” Johnston Library.
Information
Learn about Western Libraries ongoing assessment projects at www.lib.uwo.ca/aboutwl/reportsplansandassessment.html.