Survey on Library Service Quality

Additional information and Frequently Asked Questions

Informed Consent Information, required for IRB approval of this survey

Please read this document carefully if you have questions before you decide to take the survey. The purpose of this survey is to help the UF Libraries measure library service quality. Approximately 2100 members of the UF community, who have been randomly selected, are being asked to respond to this web survey about issues of library service quality. There are 43 questions. The questionnaire is straightforward and involves no deception or coercion.  The data will be collected on secure servers located in the main library data center of the coordinating institution, Texas A&M.  UF Libraries will receive only aggregate mean score data.  Individual responses of participants will be wholly confidential.  It takes approximately fifteen-twenty minutes to complete the survey.  There are no risks.  You are free to decline to participate in the survey and can elect to leave the survey incomplete.  If you elect to participate in the survey you will benefit because the UF Libraries will be able to better assess the returns on their annual investment in terms of user evaluations of service quality.  Strengths and weaknesses across the several dimensions defining service quality will be identified; best practices among participating universities will surface, allowing libraries to work collegially with other institutions to improve local practices.  There will be no compensation to participants.  Your identity will be kept confidential as provided by law.  Your participation in this survey is completely voluntary.  There is no penalty for not participating.  You have the right to withdraw from answering the entire survey at any time without consequence.  Please use the contact information provided on the survey and this website if you have any questions about the survey.  For more information about your rights as a research participant please contact the University of Florida Institutional Review Board at PO Box 112250, Gainesville, FL 32611 or phone 352-392-0433.  By completing the survey, you indicate that you have done so voluntarily and that this description was made available to you for your review.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS...

1. What is LibQUAL+?

2. How will this survey benefit library users at the University of Florida?

3. How were the LibQUAL+ survey respondents selected? Why weren’t staff members included?

4. What survey instrument is being used? What kinds of questions are asked on the survey?

5. When is the survey being conducted?

6. Why are personal questions about age, gender and discipline necessary? What if they don’t apply to me?

7. Are my answers confidential?

8. Why is the survey so redundant?

9. Why is a reminder sent to respondents who have already completed the survey?

10. Is the survey exclusively web-based, or can I complete a paper version?

11. Must I be part of the random sample to complete a survey?

12. Why are UF Health Science Center Library users receiving a different survey?

13. How can I get more information about LibQUAL+?

14. How can I learn more about survey research in general?

15. What were the results of the first LibQUAL+ survey?

16. When will results of the LibQUAL+ survey be available?

If you have questions not addressed in the FAQs or need more information about the survey or the University of Florida Libraries, please contact the survey coordinators via e-mail to: libqual@mail.uflib.ufl.edu

Thank you for your interest in the library, and for your participation in our survey effort.

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