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Sound off on library services through LibQUAL+ survey

Students enjoy using the renovated Parkes Armistead Reading Room at Vanderbilt's Central Library. (Vanderbilt University)

A survey that should take only five to 10 minutes for you to complete will help guide future priorities for the Jean and Alexander Heard Library system and all of its libraries and collections.

All Vanderbilt faculty, students and staff – including those at the medical center – are encouraged to take LibQUAL+ 2012, a survey administered by the Association of Research Libraries and used to assess the quality of services at the Vanderbilt libraries and others around the world. The survey will be open March 14-30.

Food For Thought Café (Steve Green/Vanderbilt)

Connie Vinita Dowell, dean of libraries, is committed to using the LibQUAL+ 2012 survey results, in conjunction with focus groups and other information, to support continued improvements to the Vanderbilt libraries. Previous LibQUAL survey results helped shape the renovation of the Central Library and the addition of the Food for Thought Café and led to 24-hour access to some libraries, more consistent hours across the system and the implementation of a faculty delivery system, among other improvements.

“This is your opportunity to let us know what library services are most important to you and how we are doing in terms of providing those services,” Dowell said. “We also want to compare ourselves with other research libraries around the world. I will read every comment submitted, and we will use the results in setting our priorities.”

Participants in the survey are eligible for a drawing for Visa gift cards and other prizes. To be entered in the drawing, please include your email at the conclusion of the survey. Your email will only be used for the drawing and is not linked to your responses in any way.

All responses will be anonymous since identifying information is kept separate from the survey results. A summary of the findings will be shared with the campus community through the LibQUAL 2012 website after the library’s analysis of the survey data is complete.

For more information, contact Sue Erickson.