Changes in Technology Use

1. Marriott Library User Satisfaction Survey 1995-2009 15 Years of Change at an Academic Library ---------------------------------------------------------------- Amy Brunvand, Librarian. University of Utah J. Willard Marriott Library. • About the Chart • This chart shows patron activities in an academic library building during a time period when libraries underwent a major shift from offering research collections that were largely physical objects used within the building to increasingly virtual, remote access resources. • When Microsoft bundled their Internet Explorer browser with Windows 95, use of the Web exploded. The literature of librarianship documents that undergraduate citations to Web sources had became common by 1997 . • Nowadays, LibQual+ data tells us that faculty and graduate students rate online access to full-text journal articles as the most important offering of academic libraries. • The large chart shows combined data for undergraduates, graduate students and faculty. The smaller chart shows data for graduate students and faculty. • About the Survey • The Marriott Library User Satisfaction Survey, developed by the Marriott Library User Feedback Committee, was given every other year between 1995-2009. • The survey instrument asks respondents to indicate what they did in the library and to rate their satisfaction on a scale of 1 (not at all satisfied) to 5 (Very satisfied). The activities are as follows: • Got materials from shelf • Studied • Used library online catalog • Used library database other than the catalog • Used other computer programs • Photocopied • Used a printer • Visited the Knowledge Commons (KC) • Asked staff a question • Other (fill in the blank) • The survey was distributed on paper in the Library building in order to measure in-house library use. There was no equivalent online version of the survey Changes in Research 1995 Catalog, questions and photocopying are clustered. 2005 Research activity that used happen in the library building has moved online. Within the building, catalog, questions and materials still cluster but databases have become part of the mix. Almost nobody photocopies any more (which is a good thing because photocopying was a low-satisfaction activity). • Changes in Reference Questions • 1995 Asking questions clusters with research activities. • 2009 Asking questions still clusters with research activities, but in-house house desks are getting less traffic. The Library consolidates reference desks into a one-stop-shopping Knowledge Commons and reallocates staff and resources to improve online reference help. • Changes in Use of Physical Library Materials • 1995 The Library begins to phase in online journal subscriptions that replace print. • 1999 More and more journals go online. Database use rises as use of physical materials drops. • 2001 The downward trend levels off indicating that a new pattern of research has become established. • 2009 Most new journal content is available online so use of physical materials largely means books or historical journals. The Library implements a pull service, but the pick-up desk location is so near the door many patrons pick up a book and leave without filling in the survey. Getting materials is one of the main reasons that draws graduate students and faculty into the building. • 49% of graduate students got library materials • 60% of faculty got library materials. • Changes in Technology Use • 1997 The first version of the survey didn’t even include a question about computer use. “Used MMC” (Multi Media Center) was added after survey comments indicated service quality problems at the computer lab. • 2009 Over 70% of undergraduate and graduate students said they used a computer, but reliance on library computers leveled off as more and more students bring their own laptops.Between 2007 and 2009 the computer lab was integrated into the Knowledge Commons (KC). Patrons didn’t recognize the new name. • Changes in Studying • 1995 About the same proportion of patrons come to the library to get materials as to study. • 2009 With many resources now online, the building is valued as an undergraduate study space. Studying and computer use are clustered.