March 27, 2000

The University of Connecticut Libraries have been selected with 12 other North American research libraries to participate in the pilot application of a uniform survey instrument to measure users' expectations and perceptions of library services.

The pilot program will test the applicability of a survey instrument known as SERVQUAL. If successful, the design and application will be made available to the other 110 members of the Association of Research Libraries.

The pilot program will provide the staff of the UConn Libraries with important feedback on faculty, graduate student and undergraduate expectations and current satisfaction with different aspects of library services, including:

• the appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication methods;
  
  
• the ability to perform services dependably and accurately;
  
  
• willingness to help customers and provide prompt service;
  
  
• employees' knowledge and courtesy and their ability to inspire trust and confidence;
  
  
• individualized attention provided to customers.
  
  

The SERVQUAL survey instrument has been widely used in the for-profit sector and has been used in the research library community in recent years by the University of Maryland, Texas A&M, and the University of Virginia.

At the University of Connecticut, the survey instrument will be administered to 2,100 randomly selected faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students using electronic mail and a web-based survey form on April 1.

One-third of the participants will be selected from each of these groups. The responses will gauge users' minimum, desired and perceived expectations of library services.

Library staff request the cooperation of those selected. The electronic survey is expected to take 10 minutes to complete.

Questions about this project may be directed to Brinley Franklin, director of library services, or Francine DeFranco, chair of the libraries' USER team and library liaison to the Neag School of Education.