Smathers Libraries Assessment Program: Library Surveys

Along with required institutional reports, the libraries also generate a number of other types of data and information.

Most of these fall into two categories:

• statistics that are generated or gathered in the course of routine library operations, like those dealing with circulation, reference,  or "foot traffic,"
• special efforts or initiatives--most commonly surveys--designed to gather information on particular topics of interest.

Collected in 2010 and 2011 for inclusion in the book "Meeting the Needs of Student Users in Academic Libraries," the Crump/Freund survey results are the most recent snapshot of staff and student attitudes toward libraries and library services at UF.

Produced by Program:

Format: Available as an Excel Spreadsheet

Contacts: Michele Crump and Leilani Freund

Michele Crump
Room 246 Library West
352-273-2717
mcrump@ufl.edu

Leilani Freund 
Room 508 Library West
352-273-2622
leilanif@ufl.edu

The LibQual Assessment is a standardized assessment survey designed to assess user opinions of library service quality.

The core of the survey consists of 22 questions addressing three general areas: "Affect of Service," "Information Control," and "Library as Place." Open-ended comments and survey respondent demographics are also solicited as a part of the core.

Institutions can also add up to five "local" questions to the survey core. In addition, an auxiliary module can collect up to 5 information literacy items and three general satisfaction questions.

Application/Program: LibQual

Data Format: Data available as .csv or SPSS files

Year(s) collected: 199x, 200x

Contact: John Doe

In-House Assessment Data (UF)

Numerous types of data are generated through the Aleph ILS/LMS system. 

Some types of data/statistics/reports are produced automatically, as a part of ongoing library procedures, while others can be generated if desired. Others can be generated on-demand through ARROW ("Ad-Hoc Report Requests Over the Web.") requests to the Gainesville-based FCLA (Florida Center for Library Automation), a subsidiary of the Florida Virtual Campus (FLVC).

These requests typically provide data and statistics, which are either pre-existing or generated from Oracle tables. In cases where raw data is not provided, it may be available by request from FCLA. A list of available reports can be accessed at http://fclaweb.fcla.edu/node/215

The following is a partial listing of the main types of data available: Circulation, Building Usage (Graduate Floor, Study Rooms)

Circulation data refers to a broad set of measures designed to capture the circulation and movement of a variety of library materials.  

Produced by Program: ALEPH

Data Format:

Contact: Jim Stevens

Jim Stevens
Room 246 Library West
352-273-xxx
@ufl.edu

SUMA is an open source space usage assessment tool developed at North Carolina State University.

Program: SUMA

Data Format: Available as a .csv file

Contact: John Doe