LIBQUAL+ and Library Summit:

The Clemson Experience

        

Clemson University In Context:

• Land-grant university for South Carolina

• 17,000 students (13,500 undergrad and 3,500 graduate)

• 900 faculty

• Majority of doctoral programs in sciences and engineering

• One main library and branch for architecture

        

The Clemson Summit Concept

• Concept initiated by President

• Summits are organized around a university function

• Bring university constituents together to focus on one area

        

The Clemson Summit Concept continued:

• Library Summit I was the second university summit and was designed to identify major themes forthe Libraries in the future.

• Attendees included: faculty, students, staff, trustees,former president, administrators including President and Provost.

• We followed Library Summit I with Library Summit II which consisted of the entire library staff.

        

Themes from Library Summit I:

• “Declaration of Independence”

• Move to electronic formats as quicklyas possible.

• Change the nature of the place – make the library facilities more of an academic meeting place rather than a warehouse.

• Staff Libraries appropriately for new mission.

• Increase funding for Libraries from all sources.

        

Results from Library Summits I and II:

• Strategic Plan for 2000-2004

• Business Plan for 2000-2004•Included detail tasks and dollar amounts

• Resulted in the Library being included in theAcademic Affairs “Road Map Funds” for the next four years. Received $1 Million the firstYear and $500K each of the next 3 years

        

• Improved overall cleanliness of building

• Dramatically increased Library hours to 24/5 with increased weekend hours

• Provided 2 scanners for public use, then increased number to 4

• Added staffing to improve printing in campus computer lab located in Library

Services added based on Business Plan:

        

• Improved group study space

• Reconfigured furniture to help support quiet floors

• Improved access to electronic journal holdings

• Improved popular reading collection of books

Services added based on Business Plan:

        

• Relocated book drops and added drive up drops

• Addition of proxy server to increase access to electronic resources

• Improvements to the Libraries’ web page

• Added staffing to improve printing capabilities in campus computer lab located in Library

• Increased number of laptops available for checkout

Services added based on Business Plan:

        

LIBQUAL+ and Clemson University Libraries

• First LIBQUAL+ followed Library Summits I and II

• Used LIBQUAL+ results to determine if the choices we made from the summits were correct.

• We determined that the LIBQUAL+ results validated the themes and detailed objectives resulting from the summits.

        

2003 LIBQUAL+ Results

• Received our 3rd LIBQUAL+ Results

• Paid close attention to those that had a negative adequacy gap

        

“Disconfirming Expectancy”

• Increased credibility by providing negative information.

• We wanted help from faculty and students to understand the 2003 LIBQUAL+ results.

• Because of success of Library Summit I and II decided to have Library Summit III.

        

Summit Planning:

• Planning Committee

• Determined date and location (university conference center)

• Determined schedule (3:00PM – 7:00PM)• Determined meal• Set Agenda• Recommended participants (by group) 60 total• Organized discussion topics • Prepared and sent formal invitations

        

Summit Goals:

• Verify improvements since 2000 summits

• Use ideas to extend existing Strategic and Business Plans

• Use ideas to allocate 2003-2004 Road Map Funding

        

Summit Process:• Organized around three LIBQUAL+ areas:

Information control, affect of service, Library as Place

• Had two tables of 10 participants per topic

• At half way point had participants change tables.

• Table leaders where library staff who also recordedideas.

• Each table was asked to come up with 9 ideas plus one “off the wall” suggestion.

        

2001 2002 2003 ChangePrint and/or electronic journals -1.74 -0.74 -0.83 -0.09Printed materials I need -1.46 -0.65 -0.71 -0.06Electronic resources accessible 0.15 0.02 -0.22 -0.24Employees who are caring 1.17 0.99 1.19 0.20Employees who are courteous 1.25 0.83 1.14 0.31Employees who instill confidence 1.12 1.08 1.03 -0.05

Adequacy Gap Faculty

        

2001 2002 2003 ChangeElectronic resources accessible -0.17 -0.08 -0.14 -0.06 Print and/or electronic journals -1.18 -1.18 -0.13 1.05Printed materials I need -0.91 -0.54 0 0.54Employees who are caring 0.58 0.91 1.30 0.39Giving users individual attention 0.45 0.91 1.26 0.35Employees who are courteous 0.34 1.13 1.12 -0.01Convenient Service Hours -0.38 0.52 1.08 0.56

Adequacy Gap Grad Students

        

2001 2002 2003 ChangeA quiet place for ind. activities 0.51 0.50 1.06 0.56Convenient Service Hours -0.02 0.61 1.05 0.44A comfortable and inviting… 0.64 0.62 1.04 0.42Electronic resources accessible… -0.15 0.58 0.29 -0.29Willingness to help users 0.48 1.12 0.96 -0.16Print and/or electronic journals -0.03 1.02 0.88 -0.14

Adequacy Gap Undergrad Students

        

What Happened:

• Providing “negative” information from LIBQUAL+results was very positive.

• University supports and rewards honest examinationof opportunities to improve.

• A real “assessment culture” at Clemson which looks

to “close the loop.”

        

What Happened:

• Seeing “problem patron become actively interestedin helping to solve problems rather than complaining.

• While there were several expensive suggestions, many of the ideas were very feasible to accomplish with available funds.

        

        

Library Town Meetings:

• Critical to success of Summit

• Had 3 Town Meeting with Library Staff

• Staff added ideas and enhanced many of those suggested at the Summit.

        

What we learned:

• Have less library staff, more users

• Shorten second session somewhat

• Provide more training to table leaders

• Schedule so President and Provost can participate.