Dal Libraries Surveys
2019
- Dal Libraries Survey 2019 Key Findings Full Report (Insync)
- Dal Libraries Survey 2019 Recommendations Report (Internal)
Dal Libraries Survey 2019 Table of Recommendations
| Recommendations - Dal Libraries Survey 2019 Report | Status |
| Group study spaces – Prioritize providing more group study spaces at all locations except the MacRae and Law libraries. | On hold pending new space assessments (2023). |
| CHEB and Killam – Monitor seating availability during peak times to follow up on complaints that both buildings lack enough study space. | Scheduled for fall 2023. |
| Law Library – Consider solutions for improving the quiet and replace troublesome furniture with ergonomic options. | Began closing doors to quiet study spaces & installed new signage. Furniture upgrades dependant on budget. |
| Sexton Library – Build anew or redesign with user needs assessment and design input. | |
| WMLC - Improve laptop facilities (desks, outlets, etc.). | |
| Hours – Extend hours in one Halifax location to satisfy demands from all groups, particularly from Law students and first generation students. | We continually monitor our hours and traffic in library spaces to determine the optimal hours. Budget constraints make it increasingly difficult to offer more hours than we currently do. |
| Electrical outlets – Conduct an accessibility review of electrical outlets for each library location. | Upgrades carried out at Sexton Library in Summer 2022. The EDIA committee is conducting an accessibility review of outlets in all library locations (2023). |
| Printing – Review survey comments and conduct usability tests of printing procedures and instructions to improve ease of use and printer reliability. | |
| Website and mobile site - When redesigning our website and mobile site, ensure that assessment activities (UX/user needs/design input/feedback) include representation from groups identified in this report. | |
| Search box – Improve UX and functionality of the search box beginning with discussions with subject liaisons regarding its efficacy and suitability. | |
| Information resources – Review two types of Insync comments: those concerning weaknesses in our collection to determine exactly in which research areas respondents feel it is deficient, and comments bemoaning the lack of access to online resources that other Novanet institutions have access to. If our e-resources can’t be expanded to provide the same access then we must improve upon the UX of our search and access functions. | Improved user experience with Alma implementation. |
| Under-represented students - Insync data for under-represented students should be consulted and further analyzed when considering changes to, or redesign, of services, tools and spaces. Working with the EDIA committee, further assessment activities with these groups is also recommended. | |
| Users with a (dis)ability - Create or assign a liaison/representative role to keep this group’s needs in the forefront. All new/redesigned services, tools and spaces must have the input of members of this user group. | |
| Interdisciplinary studies - A liaison should be appointed to ensure this group is adequately served and represented and to investigate their dissatisfaction with course-specific resources. | |
| Awareness and UX – Improve outreach and ease of use, possibly by redesigning our services, tools and spaces with UX in mind, employing principles of human-centred design and UX-based assessment. | |
| Use of comments – The Insync comment files provide insight beyond the quantitative data and should be reviewed by all units/departments for potential further action. This dataset should also be consulted for user feedback when considering changes to services, spaces and resources. | |
| Next Libraries Survey – The next survey should be conducted in winter 2023. The survey tool chosen should include questions pertaining to weaknesses identified in this survey and other assessment studies. Further refining the list of under-represented students should be considered | |
2013
According to LibQual 2013 results, Dalhousie libraries did not meet users’ minimum expectations in the following areas:
LibQual+® Question |
Respondent Group |
Action |
LP-1 – Space that inspires |
Undergraduates (2nd year+), Architecture & Planning and Engineering students, Arts & Social Sciences students, Health Sciences students, Management students, Science students, Killam Library users, Sexton Library users |
New Kellogg Library and Kellogg Library Learning Commons in CHEB building, new Wallace McCain Learning Commons, new chairs in Killam Library |
LP-2 – Quiet space |
Undergraduates (2nd year+), Arts & Social Sciences students, Management students, Science students, Killam Library users, Sexton Library users |
Quiet room in Wallace McCain Learning Commons, Silent Study Room in Kellogg Library Learning Commons |
LP-3 – Comfortable & inviting |
Undergraduates (2nd year+), Arts & Social Sciences students, Health Sciences students, Management students, Sexton Library users |
New Kellogg Library and Kellogg Library Learning Commons in CHEB building, new Wallace McCain Learning Commons, new chairs in Killam Library |
LP-4 – A getaway |
Undergraduates (2nd year+), Faculty, Architecture & Planning and Engineering students, Law Library users, Sexton Library users |
New Kellogg Library and Kellogg Library Learning Commons in CHEB building, new Wallace McCain Learning Commons, new chairs and new paint in Killam Library |
LP-5 – Community space |
Architecture & Planning and Engineering students, Management students |
Collider space officially opened on Killam second floor |
Local question - Library hours |
Law library users |
|
Local question - IT help |
Sexton library users |
✔ Student navigator now provides IT assistance at Sexton Library |
IC-1 – Electronic resources accessible from home/office |
Faculty, Law students, MacRae Library users |
✔ Overall improvement in online accessibility of e-resources |
IC-2 – Library website |
First year students, Doctoral students, Faculty, Computer Science students, MacRae Library users |
✔ Website usability studies conducted during 2015-16, new website launched July 2016 |
IC-4 – Electronic information sources |
Faculty |
Part of ongoing collections evaluation, tied to IC-8 |
IC-6 – Easy to use access tools |
Faculty, MacRae Library users |
Follow-up faculty interview study conducted in 2015 resulted in formation of team to redesign sfx link resolver page |
IC-8 – Journal collections |
Masters students, Faculty |
Consultation process ongoing |
AS-7 – Employees who understand the needs of their users |
Management students |
✔ Change in service model for Rowe School of Business students: primary service provided in-office by the liaison librarian |