Products & Services / Public Services / IACRL PreConference March 21, 2014: Public Services Committee Session

IACRL PreConference March 21, 2014: Public Services Committee Session

revised 6/19/2014

Overview of Session

The Public Services Committee's one-hour IACRL Pre-Conference session was divided into quick discussions on four major public services topics.

In preparation, committee members composed a list of questions that a library could use to assess each topic, some of which were used for discussion during the session. These questions are listed under each topic as Part 1.

In response to the discussion questions, session attendees mentioned resources that their library uses to facilitate, evaluate, and assess these aspects of library service; committee members have been researching additional resources. These resources are listed under each topic as Part 2.

Disclaimer: The listing of particular software/products under the resources sections on this page does not constitute endorsement by CARLI; each library should assess and determine if a product may meet its own needs.

Discussion Topics

Library Websites

Part 1: Questions to Ask at your library:

  • Who has control of the library website at your institution?
  • How do you communicate your library's needs to your marketing/IT department if applicable?
  • How does your library include user feedback in website redesigns and modifications?
  • How does your library decide what information is relevant for inclusion on your website? How do you keep up with evolving content?
  • How is your library using Google (or other) analytics?

Part 2: Resources that came out of the discussion:

Google Analytics

University of Michigan: Usability in the Library: Usability Reports

IT Support - merged/blended Reference Desk & Tech Support

Part 1: Questions to Ask at your library:

  • Shared Public Library-IT Help Desk
    • Staff & Responsibilities
      • Are there clear public indicators of designated service expectations/domains?
      • Is a completely merged Library/IT service desk advantageous or problematic?
      • If there are differing areas of responsibility for each service, do they make sense to your users?
      • Does this merged approach ever appear to cause user confusion?
      • What is the reporting structure? Hiring, firing, promotions, etc of full, part, and student employees.
      • Do you measure employee satisfaction? How?
    • Planning/Training/Practice
      • Is there a system of cross-training, and how often?
      • Documentation (and responsibilities for this effort)?
      • What percentage of questions can be handled by either service (and which topics)?
      • Is staffing adequate, is training adequate, are the right units present/available?
      • Do differing hours of service create patron confusion/frustration?
      • Do you track hours and modify services based upon periodic patterns (midterms, finals)?
      • Is there documentation of collaboration sessions to allow for merged services reviews and enhancements, staffing, training, etc.
    • Gathering & Utilizing Data
      • Is there a satisfactory transaction log recording tool
      • For each platform (web, catalog, outside search engines)?
      • Does this tool capture expertise level, subject expertise, time, strategy vs skills, directional, referrals to allow for possible modifications?
      • Does the tool generate useful statistics for analysis and service revisions?
      • Do you have standard reports and dashboard options? (Examples?)
      • What process and criteria are utilized?
      • Do you measure user satisfaction? How?
      • Is the data used for staffing decisions?
      • Is the recorded data used for an FAQ or more than one FAQ site based upon intended populations and topics: circ rules, search tips, technology.
      • Are these FAQ’s consulted, updated, useful/used?
  • Staff Technology Support -- IT support services for library staff operations
    • Division of Labor: Support of Public Equipment
      • Do desk staff and/or tech staff support public technologies (wireless, printers, copiers, scanners) and how much/often?
      • Which methods provide good service?
      • Are there problems with response time or training?
      • Do desk staff and/or tech staff support staff technologies (wireless, printers, copiers, scanners) and how much/often?
      • Which methods provide good service?
      • Are there problems with response time or training?
    • Planning/Training
      • Is there a system of cross-training, and how often?
      • Documentation (and responsibilities for this effort)?
      • What percentage of questions can be handled by either service (and which topics)?
      • How often are there referrals between the service personnel?
      • Is staffing adequate, is training adequate, are the right units present/available?
      • Is there documentation of collaboration sessions to allow for merged services reviews and enhancements, staffing, training, etc.
    • Gathering & Utilizing Data
      • Is there a satisfactory transaction log recording tool?
      • Does this tool capture expertise level, time, referrals to allow for possible modifications?
      • If based upon time, do differing hours of service create confusion/frustration?
      • Do you track hours and modify services based upon periodic patterns (midterms, finals)?
      • Does the tool generate useful statistics for analysis and service revisions?
      • Do you have standard reports and dashboard options? (Examples?)
      •  What process and criteria are utilized?
      • Do you measure user/staff satisfaction? How?
      • Is the data used for staffing decisions?
      • Is the recorded data used for an FAQ or more than one FAQ site based upon intended populations and topics: circ rules, search tips, technology.
      • Are these FAQ’s consulted, updated, useful/used?

Part 2: Resources that came out of the discussion:

  • Designed for library services; has tracking and reporting:
  • General Communication tools, transaction logs, but no built-in report generators:

Reference (physical and virtual service points)

Part 1: Questions to Ask at your library:

  • Reference Transactions
    • How are inquiries and transactions tallied?
      • By type, time spent, subject, delivery mode, patron status, etc?
    • What modes of communication are available to patrons for contacting librarians?
      • Reference desk, e-mail, chat, consultations, web forms, phone, etc?
    • Have standards been set for the length of time in which a digital question is acknowledged/answered?
  • Services and Instruction
    • Is there a reference or information desk?
      • Who staffs, space to work with patrons, signage?
      • If not, how was the decision to remove it made?
    • What other services does the reference/information space accommodate?
      • Public computers, printers, scanners, power points, study spaces, classrooms, etc?
    • Are accommodations made for patrons with disabilities?
    • Is formal instruction provided?
      • To students, faculty, others?
      • On databases, search strategies, catalog, citations, evaluation, research process, etc?
      • To classes through collaboration with faculty, subject-specific
    • Do librarians schedule reference consultations?
  • Reference Collection
    • How is the print reference collection assessed?
      • By standard lists, subject specialists, etc.
    • Is the reference collection readily accessible and visible to patrons and librarians?
      • Are highly used reference items readily available?
    • How are e-resources assessed for patron needs and curriculum support?
      • By trials, recommendations, usage data, etc?
    • Is your print reference collection decreasing?

Part 2: Resources that came out of the discussion:

Circulation & Access Services

Part 1: Questions to Ask at your library:

  • User Satisfaction
    • How are you able to gauge user satisfaction?
    • Is there a way to test for quality in customer service?
    • Is there a way to test for efficiency in assisting patrons?
    • How do you plan for continuous improvement?
  • Staff Performance/Training
    • Do you assess whether the environment for workers is enriching and satisfying?
    • How is performance evaluation tied to staff training and development? What approaches (i.e. 360 evaluations) or tools do you use?
    • Do you use your campus Learning Management System for (ongoing) student training?
  • Usage (Circulation, Facilities, Equipment, etc.)
    • Do you depend only on counting reports (gate counts) or do you also use observational studies?
    • Do you use ILS reports to track collection usage to inform material promotion to students and faculty?
    • Do you use ILS reports to identify user and non-user populations? Is this data connected to other campus data sets to establish connections between Library resource usage and student attainment?
    • Do you conduct observational or other studies of facilities and equipment usage? If so, what tools do you use? At what intervals do you gather data? How is it used?

Part 2: Resources that came out of the discussion:

CARLI Shared SQL for I-Share member libraries

CARLI Reports Training for I-Share member libraries