Library Service Quality Survey (LibQUAL+): Previous Survey Results

The stated goals of LibQUAL+ are:

• Foster a culture of excellence in providing library service;

• Help libraries better understand user perceptions of library service quality;

• Collect and interpret library user feedback systematically over time;

• Provide libraries with comparable assessment information from peer institutions;

• Identify best practices in library service; and

• Enhance library staff members' analytical skills for interpreting and acting on data.

The LibQUAL+ survey evolved from a conceptual model based on the SERVQUAL instrument, a popular tool for assessing service quality in the private sector. The Texas A&M University (TAMU) Libraries and other libraries used modified SERVQUAL instruments for several years. The Association of Research Libraries (ARL), representing the largest research libraries in North America, partnered with TAMU to develop, test, and refine a newly adapted tool to serve the particular requirements of libraries: LibQUAL+. After years of revision based on data collected from thousands of library users, the LibQUAL+ survey has evolved into a protocol consisting of "22 items and a box."

The 22 core survey items measure user perceptions of service quality in three dimensions: Affect of Service, Information Control, and Library as Place. For each item, users indicate their minimum service level, desired service level, and perceived service performance. By completing all three, you help inform a "gap-analysis" that allows us to see opportunities for improvement and growth. The survey contains additional items that address information literacy outcomes, library use, and general satisfaction. An open-ended comments box provides a wealth of information for qualitative analysis.

The LibQUAL+ website provides sample screens of the survey and maintains a very helpful list of Frequently Asked Questions.