What You Wanted
From your answers to the 2014 LibQual+ survey questions and your comments, you told us what you want from the Library. Here are some of the main ideas:
The Library tends to get crowded, especially during mid-terms and finals. Many people suggested more seating be added to the Library. Some of the specific suggestions are:
- more group study spaces
- more desks / cubicles for individual study
- replace some of the book shelves with seating
- replace some of the lounge seating with tables for group or individual studying
In addition to more seating, the following were requested by more than one respondent.
- charging stations for cell phones, ipads, USBs, etc.
- better printing services / machines
- textbooks
- more books, journals, and databases, both electronic and print
- a library website that is easier to navigate and use for research
- a current fiction collection for recreational reading
Noise continues to be an issue in areas of the Library, though less so than when this survey was last run in 2009. Suggestions ranged from curtailing cell phone usage to policing quiet study areas to designating more areas for quiet study to encouraging staff and tour groups to be quieter.
Specific Comments
It is absolutely ridiculous that the library opens at 7:30am to students.... That is only 30 minutes before the first class period. If the library isn't open earlier, where are we suppose to get our work done in a quiet/safe location. -- undergraduate student
Computer chairs are really uncomfortable. More armchairs for reading would be great. -- graduate student
More tables and chairs instead of rows of books that people seldom use -- undergraduate student
The library's online resources are disjointed and complex to use. I would prefer a better integration with searching online and locating material including the ability to use a gateway through our own personal search programs (such as Mendeley) -- faculty member
It would be nice if more FULL texts were available online. -- undergraduate student
Group study rooms and having strong electronic materials are important -- graduate student
They need to streamline the online system for research. It is nearly impossible to find anything remotely useful. - undergraduate student
I would want more books to be available along with online resources. -- graduate student
Charging stations for iphones or andriods would be helpful. -- undergraduate student
Need more study rooms and more individual cubes to work in. -- undergraduate student
The library's own electronic resources are good but could be better. -- faculty member