How often do you come into the library?

This question was asked on the FIU Libraries Student User Survey in 1999 and 2001.  The preformatted answers varied slightly but are still compatible to a high degree.  It is difficult to calculate the difference between monthly library visitation and visitation occurring “once a week or less”.   However, it would appear that library users are visiting the libraries slightly more often in 2001 than they were in 1999.

 

In 1999, Biscayne Bay Campus (BBC) Library users answered 42.1 percent “daily”, 49 percent “weekly”, and 8.9 percent “monthly”.  Green Library (GL) users answered 45.8 percent “daily”, 40.3 percent “weekly”, and 14 percent “monthly”.  If these results from both campuses are averaged, 43.9 percent answered “daily”, 44.6 percent “weekly” and 11.4 percent “monthly”.

 

In 2001, Green Library users answered 51.0 percent “daily”, 38.9 percent answered “weekly” and 10.1 percent chose “once a week or less.”  The Biscayne Bay Campus (BBC) library survey respondents answered 42.7 percent “daily”, 47.3 percent “weekly” and 10 percent “once a week or less.”  Averaged responses are 46.9 percent “daily”, 43.1 percent “weekly” and 10 percent “one week or less.”

 

 

 

 

Are the library hours adequate for your needs?

This question was a yes/no question in both 1999 and 2001 FIU Libraries Student User Surveys, rendering the data collected perfectly compatible.  Both Green Library and Biscayne Bay Campus library users increasingly believe library hours are not adequate for their needs.  This belief is stronger among BBC users than GL users, however, between 81 and 78 percent of the users surveyed find current library hours adequate. 

 

In 1999, 86.5 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users answered “yes”, while “13.6 percent answered “no”.  In the same year, 80.1 percent of Green Library users answered “yes” and 20 percent answered “no”.  The average of these responses are 83.3 percent “yes” and 16.7 percent “no”.

 

In 2001, 80.4 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users answered “yes”, while “19.7 percent answered “no”.  In 2001, 78.1 percent of Green Library users answered “yes” and 21.9 percent answered “no”.  The averages of these responses are 79.2 percent “yes” and 20.8 percent “no”.

 

 

 

 

How often do you find the materials or information you need in the library?

This question was asked in exactly the same manner in both 1999 and 2001 FIU Libraries Student User Surveys.  However, the choices available to respondents were not the same in each of these years.  In 1999, possible answers were “always”, “almost always”, “some of the time”, and “never”.  In 2001, the list of possible responses changed to “almost always”, “most of the time”, “some of the time” and “never”.  The subtle difference between the two lists of choices has the effect of making answers to the 2001 survey seem more positive than those of 1999 because the ‘top’ category is more inclusive than the very precise “always” of 1999. 

 

For the purpose of general description, the responses of top two categories (“always” and “almost always”) of the 1999 survey answers are here summed to create a “more often” category.  The top two responses of the 2001 survey (“almost always” and “most of the time”) are also combined and placed in the “more often” category.  The bottom two categories of both surveys fit nicely into a “less often” category.  In 1999, 77.2 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus library users found needed materials “more often” and 22.8 percent of users found the same materials “less often”.  In 2001, 77.4 percent of BBC library users found needed materials “more often” and 22.6 percent of users found materials “less often”.  These two groups varied little.  In 1999, 71.2 percent of Green Library users found needed materials “more often” and 28.8 percent “less often”.  In 2001, 83.2 percent of Green Library users found needed materials “more often” and 16.8 percent found need library materials “less often”.  It would appear that Green Library users of 2001 are more successful at finding materials than those using the same library in the 1999 survey.

 

In 1999, 20.9 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users answered “always”, while “56.4 percent answered “almost always”, 22.2 percent answered “some of the time” and less than one percent answered “never”.  In the same year, 14.9 percent of Green Library users answered “always”, 56.2 percent answered “almost always”, 27.5 percent answered “some of the time” and 1.3 percent answered “never”.  The averages of these responses are 17.9 percent “always”, 56.3 percent “almost always”, 24.9 percent “some of the time”, and 1 percent “never”.

 

In 2001, 23.8 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users answered “almost always”, while “53.6 percent answered “most of the time”, 22.4 percent answered “some of the time” and less than one percent answered “never”.  In the same year, 32.3 percent of Green Library users answered “almost always”, 50.8 percent answered “most of the time”, 13.8 percent answered “some of the time” and 3 percent answered “never”.  The averages of these responses are 28.1 percent “almost always”, 52.2 percent “most of the time”, 18.1 percent “some of the time”, and 1.6 percent “never”.

 

 

 

 

 

Staff satisfaction:

Between 1999 and 2001, the questions concerning user satisfaction with staff are not perfectly compatible.  In 1999, the FIU Libraries Student User Survey asked “Do you find the staff approachable?” and “Do you find the staff knowledgeable?”  Users were asked to choose the best answer to these questions from the possible responses “always”, “frequently”, “occasionally” and  “rarely”.  In 2001, the FIU Libraries Student User Survey respondents were asked to complete the following sentence, “When communicating with a library staff member, most of the time I was”, with “very satisfied”, “satisfied”, “dissatisfied”, “very dissatisfied”, or “never used”.  “Never used” was not an optional response in 1999.  If the possible responses from both surveys are ranked from 3 to 0, 3 being equal to “always” and “very satisfied” and equating 0 to “rarely” and “very dissatisfied”, it is possible to create an index of staff satisfaction.

 

Library users of the Green Library and those of the Biscayne Bay Campus Library are increasingly satisfied with staff.  In 1999, the mean average satisfaction ranking for BBC was 2.24 (where 3 is most satisfied and 0 is least) and for 2.11 for GL.  In 2001, the mean average satisfaction ranking for BBC was 2.28 and 2.22 for GL. 

 

In 1999, 37.9 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users were ranked most satisfied in this index of satisfaction, followed by 49.7 percent ranking less satisfied, 10.4 percent even less satisfied and 1.9 percent ranking least satisfied.  In the same year, 34.7 percent of Green Library users ranked most satisfied, 45.1 percent were less satisfied, 16.9 percent even less satisfied and 3.2 percent least satisfied.  The averages of these responses are 36.3 percent most satisfied, 47.4 percent less satisfied, 13.7 percent even less satisfied and 2.6 percent least satisfied. 

 

In 2001, 36.4 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users were ranked most satisfied in this index of satisfaction, followed by 57.0 percent ranking less satisfied, 5.0 percent even less satisfied and 1.5 percent ranking least satisfied.  In the same year, 27.0 percent of Green Library users ranked most satisfied, 68.4 percent were less satisfied, 3.8 percent even less satisfied and 0.7 percent least satisfied.  The averages of these responses are 31.8 percent most satisfied, 62.7 percent less satisfied, 4.4 percent even less satisfied and 1.1 percent least satisfied. 

 

 

 

 

 

Library Services:

Between 1999 and 2001, the six questions concerning users ranking the satisfaction or helpfulness of the Information Desk, Circulation/Reserve Desk, Reference Desk, Government Documents assistance, Interlibrary Loan services and Intercampus Loan Services are not perfectly compatible.  The source of this incompatibility is variation in the response scales used to rank user responses.  In 1999, the possible answers were “very helpful”, “helpful”, “somewhat helpful”, “not helpful” and “never used”.  In 2001, the possible answers were “very satisfied”, “satisfied”, “dissatisfied”, “very dissatisfied”, and “never used”.  If the response scales are equated with a scale where “most helpful” is equal to 3 and “least helpful” is equal to 0, we can infer meaningful information from the data.  Those who have not used the service referenced to are not included in these calculations.

 

Information Desk assistance is better ranked in 2001 than it was in 1999.  In 1999, the mean average helpfulness ranking for the Green Library was 2.23, where 3 is most helpful and 0 is least.  In 2001, the mean average helpfulness ranking for Green Library Information Desk was 2.36. 

 

In 1999, 38.8 percent of Green Library users ranked the information desk assistance most helpful, 46.5 percent ranked it less helpful, 13.1 percent ranked it still less helpful and 1.6 percent ranked the information desk assistance least helpful.  In 2001, 41.8 percent of Green Library users ranked the information desk assistance most helpful, 53.7 percent ranked it less helpful, 3.2 percent ranked it still less helpful and 1.3 percent ranked the information desk assistance least helpful. 

 

 

 

 

 

Circulation/Reserve Desk services are better ranked in 2001 than they were in 1999 at the Green Library only.  In 1999, the mean average helpfulness ranking for the Green Library was 2.2, where 3 is most helpful and 0 is least.  In the same year, the mean average helpfulness ranking for the Biscayne Bay Campus library was 2.16.  In 2001, the mean average helpfulness ranking for Green Library Information Desk increased to 2.24, but dropped for BBC to 2.15. 

 

In 1999, 30.2 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users ranked the Circulation/Reserve Desk most helpful, 56.7 percent ranked it less helpful, 12.2 percent ranked it still less helpful and 0.8 percent ranked it least helpful.  In the same year, 38.7 percent of Green Library users ranked the Circulation/Reserve Desk assistance most helpful, 44.4 percent ranked it less helpful, 14.9 percent ranked it still less helpful and 2 percent ranked it least helpful.  The averages of these responses are 34.5 percent most helpful, 50.5 percent less helpful, 13.6 percent even less helpful and 1.4 percent least helpful. 

 

In 2001, 31 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users ranked the Circulation/Reserve Desk most helpful, 57.0 percent ranked it less helpful, 8.0 percent ranked it still less helpful and 3.8 percent ranked it least helpful.  In the same year, 35.6 percent of Green Library users ranked the Circulation/Reserve Desk assistance most helpful, 54.8 percent ranked it less helpful, 7.8 percent ranked it still less helpful and 1.8 percent ranked it least helpful.  The averages of these responses are 33.3 percent most helpful, 56.0 percent less helpful, 7.9 percent even less helpful and 2.8 percent least helpful. 

 

 

 

 

 

Reference Desk services ranked better in 2001 than in 1999.  In 1999, the mean average helpfulness ranking for the Green Library was 2.25, where 3 is most helpful and 0 is least.  In the same year, the mean average helpfulness ranking for the Biscayne Bay Campus library was 2.27.  In 2001, the mean average helpfulness ranking for the Green Library and BBC Reference Desk services both increased slightly to 2.28.

 

In 1999, 37 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users ranked the Reference Desk most helpful, 53.9 percent ranked it less helpful, 8.2 percent ranked it still less helpful and 0.8 percent ranked it least helpful.  In the same year, 41.8 percent of Green Library users ranked the Reference Desk assistance most helpful, 43.1 percent ranked it less helpful, 13.0 percent ranked it still less helpful and 2.1 percent ranked it least helpful.  The averages of these responses are 39.4 percent most helpful, 48.5 percent less helpful, 10.6 percent even less helpful and 1.5 percent least helpful. 

 

In 2001, 42.0 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users ranked the Reference Desk most helpful, 47.9 percent ranked it less helpful, 5.6 percent ranked it still less helpful and 4.4 percent ranked it least helpful.  In the same year, 35.2 percent of Green Library users ranked the Reference Desk assistance most helpful, 58.6 percent ranked it less helpful, 4.7 percent ranked it still less helpful and 1.4 percent ranked it least helpful.  The averages of these responses are 38.6 percent most helpful, 53.3 percent less helpful, 5.2 percent even less helpful and 2.9 percent least helpful. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Green Library Government Documents assistance was surveyed in 1999 and it did not rank better in 2001.  However, the reader should keep in mind that while mean average is a good overall statistic for determining the general character of data, it says nothing concerning the dispersion or shape of the data.  Errors of this type are indicated below, and on the accompanying graph, where the actual percentages are listed for each type of response.  In 1999, the mean average helpfulness ranking for the Green Library Government Documents assistance was 2.23, where 3 is most helpful and 0 is least.  In 2001, the mean average helpfulness ranking for Green Library Government Documents Desk was 2.17. 

 

In 1999, 30.2 percent of Green Library users ranked the Government Documents desk assistance most helpful, 45.1 percent ranked it less helpful, 20.7 percent ranked it still less helpful and 4.0 percent ranked the Government Documents desk assistance least helpful.  In 2001, 28.4 percent of Green Library users ranked the Government Documents desk assistance most helpful, 62.9 percent ranked it less helpful, 5.4 percent ranked it still less helpful and 3.2 percent ranked the Government Documents desk assistance least helpful. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interlibrary Loan services ranked better in 2001 than in 1999.  In 1999, the mean average helpfulness ranking for the Green Library was 2.0, where 3 is most helpful and 0 is least.  In the same year, the mean average helpfulness ranking for the Biscayne Bay Campus library was 1.98.  In 2001, the mean average helpfulness ranking for the Green Library Interlibrary Loan services increased to 2.21 and for BBC Interlibrary Loan services increased to 2.1.

 

In 1999, 22.4 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users ranked the Interlibrary Loan most helpful, 56.7 percent ranked it less helpful, 17.2 percent ranked it still less helpful and 3.7 percent ranked it least helpful.  In the same year, 34.4 percent of Green Library users ranked the Interlibrary Loan assistance most helpful, 41.4 percent ranked it less helpful, 18.2 percent ranked it still less helpful and 5.9 percent ranked it least helpful.  The averages of these responses are 28.4 percent most helpful, 49.1 percent less helpful, 17.7 percent even less helpful and 4.8 percent least helpful. 

 

In 2001, 29.0 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users ranked the Interlibrary Loan most helpful, 57.2 percent ranked it less helpful, 8.6 percent ranked it still less helpful and 5.3 percent ranked it least helpful.  In the same year, 35.1 percent of Green Library users ranked the Interlibrary Loan assistance most helpful, 54.2 percent ranked it less helpful, 7.4 percent ranked it still less helpful and 3.4 percent ranked it least helpful.  The averages of these responses are 32.0 percent most helpful, 55.7 percent less helpful, 8.0 percent even less helpful and 4.3 percent least helpful. 

 

 

 

Intercampus Loan services ranked better in 2001 than in 1999.  In 1999, the mean average helpfulness ranking for the Green Library was 2.12, where 3 is most helpful and 0 is least helpful.  In the same year, the mean average helpfulness ranking for the Biscayne Bay Campus library was 1.93.  In 2001, the mean average helpfulness ranking for the Biscayne Bay Campus library was 2.14 and for GL users it was up to 2.22.

 

In 1999, 20.5 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users ranked the Intercampus Loan most helpful, 57.4 percent ranked it less helpful, 16.7 percent ranked it still less helpful and 5.4 percent ranked it least helpful.  In the same year, 35.8 percent of Green Library users ranked the Intercampus Loan assistance most helpful, 44.4 percent ranked it less helpful, 16.0 percent ranked it still less helpful and 3.7 percent ranked it least helpful.  The averages of these responses are 28.2 percent most helpful, 50.9 percent less helpful, 16.4 percent even less helpful and 4.6 percent least helpful. 

 

In 2001, 31.8 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users ranked the Intercampus Loan most helpful, 54.7 percent ranked it less helpful, 9.4 percent ranked it still less helpful and 4.1 percent ranked it least helpful.  In the same year, 35.3 percent of Green Library users ranked the Intercampus Loan assistance most helpful, 54.2 percent ranked it less helpful, 7.7 percent ranked it still less helpful and 2.8 percent ranked it least helpful.  The averages of these responses are 33.5 percent most helpful, 55.4 percent less helpful, 8.6 percent even less helpful and 3.5 percent least helpful. 

 

 

 

 

Do you have a personal computer at home with Internet access?

This question was a yes/no question in both 1999 and 2001 FIU Libraries Student User Surveys, rendering the data collected perfectly compatible.  Both Green Library and Biscayne Bay Campus library users are increasingly able to connect to the Internet from home but BBC users still lag behind GL users in this respect.

 

In 1999, 53.1 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users answered “yes”, while “47.0 percent answered “no”.  In the same year, 69.9 percent of Green Library users answered “yes” and 30.1 percent answered “no”.  The averages of these responses are 61.5 percent “yes” and 38.5 percent “no”.

 

In 2001, 82.7 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users answered “yes”, while “17.4 percent answered “no”.  In 2001, 90.2 percent of Green Library users answered “yes” and 9.8 percent answered “no”.  The averages of these responses are 86.4 percent “yes” and 13.6 percent “no”.

 

 

 

 

Library Electronic Resources Usage:

The responses to the questions on the 1999 and 2001 FIU Libraries Student User Survey concerning library electronic resources usage are not compatible.  While the questions remained essentially the same, the selectable responses vary to a degree rendering compatibility unfeasible.  In 1999, the question asked “How often do you connect to and use the library’s electronic resources from home?”, and asked users to chose “daily”, “twice weekly”, “weekly” or “never”.  In 2001, the FIU Libraries Student User Survey respondents were asked essentially the same question but were then to select from “daily”, “weekly”, “once a week” or “never”. 

 

In 2001, users are accessing the libraries’ electronic resources more frequently, much more frequently, than they were in 1999.  The percentages presented below show this question’s response rate has increase with more widespread and more frequent computer usage.  Also more users say they access the library’s electronic resources “daily”.

 

In 1999, 2.9 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users said they used the library’s electronic databases “daily”, 24.1 percent responded that they “never” used the databases and 52.1 percent did not answer the question.  In the same year, 4.9 percent of Green Library users said they used the library’s electronic databases “daily”, 27.7 percent said they “never” used the databases and 34.7 percent did not answer the question.  The averages of these responses are 3.9 percent “daily”, 26.0 percent “never” and 43.4 percent who did not answer the question. 

 

In 2001, 8.7 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users said they used the library’s electronic databases “daily”, 15.2 percent responded that they “never” used the databases and 16.4 percent did not answer the question.  In the same year, 9.7 percent of Green Library users said they used the library’s electronic databases “daily”, 15.4 percent said they “never” used the databases and 13.9 percent did not answer the question.  The averages of these responses are 9.2 percent “daily”, 15.3 percent “never” and 15.1 percent who did not answer the question. 

 

 

 

 

 

Library Homepage evaluation:

This question was asked in exactly the same manner in both 1999 and 2001 FIU Libraries Student User Surveys as were the possible responses; “very helpful”, “helpful”, “somewhat helpful”, “not helpful” and “never used”.  Both BBC and GL users are accessing the Library homepage much more often in 2001 than they were in 1999.  On the Biscayne Bay Campus, the Library Homepage is rated higher in 2001 than in 1999.  However, those who accessed the Library homepage and returned their surveys to the Green Library did not rate the page as well in 2001 as they did in 1999.  In 1999, the mean average rating for the Green Library was 2.3, where 3 is “very helpful” and 0 is “not helpful”.  In the same year, the mean average helpfulness ranking for the Biscayne Bay Campus library was 1.74.  In 2001, the mean average helpfulness rating for the Biscayne Bay Campus library was up to 2.05 and for GL users it was down to 2.07.

 

In 1999, 17.6 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users rated the Library homepage “very helpful”, 44.2 percent rated it “helpful”, 33.2 percent rated it “somewhat helpful” and 5.1 percent rated it “not helpful”.  In the same year, 45.1 percent of Green Library users rated the Library homepage assistance “very helpful”, 41.0 percent rated it “helpful”, 12.5 percent rated it still “somewhat helpful” and 1.4 percent rated it “not helpful”.  The averages of these responses are 31.3 percent “very helpful”, 42.6 percent “helpful”, 22.9 percent “somewhat helpful” and 3.2 percent “not helpful”. 

 

In 2001, 26.9 percent of Biscayne Bay Campus Library users rated the Library homepage “very helpful”, 54.0 percent rated it “helpful”, 16.3 percent rated it “somewhat helpful” and 2.9 percent rated it “not helpful”.  In the same year, 28.3 percent of Green Library users rated the Library homepage assistance “very helpful”, 51.6 percent rated it “helpful”, 18.9 percent rated it “somewhat helpful” and 1.2 percent rated it “not helpful”.  The averages of these responses are 27.6 percent “very helpful”, 52.8 percent “helpful”, 17.6 percent “somewhat helpful” and 2.0 percent “not helpful”.