LibQUAL+ 2017: Home

What is the LibQUAL+ survey?

Library Services are always seeking ways to better understand your experience and requirements.  We are adopting the LibQUAL+ survey to help measure the quality of our library services. LibQUAL+ is based on the SERVQUAL model designed for assessing quality in the private sector. It was developed for the University Library sector by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and has been used by 1,200 libraries around the world.

The survey measures your perception and expectation of library service quality in three areas: Affect of Service, Information Control, Library as Place. You are asked to indicate the minimum service level you will accept, the desired service level you expect, and the level of service you perceive to be currently provided. This design means we can examine gaps between expectations, perception, and minimum acceptance level of service.

There is also an opportunity to comment on any part of our services.

For more information, see the LibQUAL+® website or contact us libraryservices@kcl.ac.uk. Follow the link to complete the survey.

What are the prizes?

There is a Kindle Fire HD6 and four £25 Amazon vouchers to be given away to randomly selected participants.

How long does it take to complete the survey?

We are using the Lite version of the survey which should only take five minutes to complete. The Survey is now closed.

How do I find out if I have won a prize?

Winners will be notified via university email. For a chance of winning, please include your university email address at the end of the survey.

Why do the survey?

• The survey gives you the opportunity to tell us what you expect from Library Services and to get involved
• We will use the information to help improve your Library Services
• We're interested in what you have to say and your experience and we want to make it better for you and other students and staff
• And don't forget, you have a chance to win a prize!

Why do the questions have three parts?

The three parts are

1. minimum - The number that represents the minimum level of service that you would find acceptable
2. desired - The number that represents the level of service that you personally want
3. perceived service levels - The number that represents the level of service that you believe our library currently provides

LibQUAL+ lets us see where library services are below the minimum acceptable level; where they are better than the minimum, but less than the desired level; and even where they exceed expectations.

 

Can I skip questions that don't apply to me?

Please do not skip any questions in the LibQUAL+® survey! If a question doesn't apply to you choose 'n/a' for 'not applicable'. Surveys whose core questions are not completely filled out are not counted in the final scores.
 

What are the questions about?

The questions cover three aspects of the service:

• Affect of Service - how responsive or empathetic the library is to its users (e.g. responsiveness, understanding, courtesy)
• Information Control - what resources the library has and how well it provides access to them (e.g. books, journals, electronic resources)
• Library as a place - does the library provide an appropriate environment for provision of its services (e.g. environment, quiet study space, group study space).

You also have space to make general comments about any aspect of the service. These are greatly appreciated.

Who can do the survey?

The LibQUAL+ survey can be completed by all King's College London staff and students.  We are very aware that final year undergraduate students are being surveyed via the NSS so if that applies to you then please do not feel obliged to complete LibQUAL+ (you are welcome to do so if you would like!). 

When is the survey being run?

The survey was open from 23rd January to 3rd March 2017 and is now closed.

Can I only do the survey online?

We are not currently able to offer a print survey due to a technical issue.  We are investigating potential solutions to this. If you are not able to complete the survey online please let us know via LibraryServices@kcl.ac.uk.

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

Yes, the survey is compatible with the JAWS screen reader software.

What discipline category should I choose?

We can't show every Department at King's College London so we have chosen to group by Faculty for the most part. If you are in doubt as to what to select from the drop-down list on the survey, select "Other".

Will responses be treated confidentially?

Yes.
Responses will only be used in the survey analysis, and will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.
Personal information is separated from survey responses.
University email addresses are optional and will only be used for the prize draw and discarded afterwards.

What information is shared with other institutions?

Your comments are never shared beyond King's College London - only summary quantitative statistics are shared with other organisations via a password-protected site.

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

Due to initial security and confidentiality features, everyone surveyed will receive reminders, even those who have already responded. When submitted, survey responses and personal information are immediately separated, so we have no way of knowing who has already responded.

Will the survey results be made available?

Yes, a report on the results of the survey will be made available via the feedback hub on the library website when the analysis is completed. Library Liaison Managers will also be glad to talk about the findings for particular groups.

Who can I contact if I have any problems with the survey or have further questions?

You can contact the team at libraryservices@kcl.ac.uk

For general enquiries about Library Services, please email libraryservices@kcl.ac.uk

For IT-related enquiries, please email 8888@kcl.ac.uk

You can also have an online chat with Library Services staff 24/7

To Live Chat with a Librarian between 5:30PM and 9:30AM, please use Ask a Librarian on our Contact Us page