Assessing Your Library’s ILL Performance

Amy Burger

A survey is…

• “a system for collecting information from or about people to describe, compare, or explain their knowledge, attitudes, and behavior” (Fink, 2003, p. 1)

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5 basic steps

1

•Set objective(s)

2

•Create survey

3

•Administer survey

4

•Analyze results

5

•Report results

Set Objective(s)

• What do you want to know?

• Why are you conducting this survey?

Define the sample:• Who has this

information?

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Create Survey: Choose a Format

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Tips for Success

• Consider anonymity• Address the survey to

the respondent• Include cover letter• Set a deadline• Be mindful of length• Avoid busy times• Follow up • Offer an incentive

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Create Survey: Write Questions

Avoid:• Jargon, slang,

abbreviations• Double-barrelled

questions• Leading questions• Unbalanced responsesEmbrace:• Comments

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NGCSU Survey Content

• “I received my Interlibrary Loan item promptly”• “I would be willing to pay for faster delivery of Interlibrary

Loan items”• “The library staff was helpful in assisting me with my

Interlibrary Loan item”• “The online Interlibrary Loan ordering process is easy to

use”• “Was your most recent Interlibrary Loan article delivered

electronically?” (yes or no)• If “yes” only: “Was the quality of the electronic copy

satisfactory?• “Please rate your most recent Interlibrary Loan experience”

Administer Survey

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Analyze Data

Describe results:• Descriptive statistics• Correlations

Assess Significance:• What does the data tell

you?

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Report Results

• Who benefits from knowing?

• What are the most important findings?

• How will you present the data?

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Further Reading

• Fink, A. (2003). The survey handbook (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.

• Fowler, F.J. (1995). Improving survey questions. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

• Rea, L.M. (1997). Designing and conducting survey research. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Thank you!

abburger@northgeorgia.edu