This research proposal aims to study reference services provided to non-student patrons in a joint public/school library during school hours. It hypothesizes that non-student patrons may receive lower quality reference services when students are present compared to non-school hours. An online survey will ask non-student patrons at a California library to rate their satisfaction with reference services based on whether they visited during school or non-school hours. The results could provide insight into how well the library serves non-student patrons during busy school periods.

1. Reference Services in
Joint Use Libraries
A Research Proposal

2. The Problem
• Reference services in a joint use
public/school library must serve both
students and non-student patrons
during school hours
• Limited resources/staff
• Numerous distractions from students
and class visits

3. The Question
• Whether reference librarians are
efficiently attending to non-student
patrons in the joint use public/school
library during school hours

4. The Purpose
• To test the organizational theory that relates
experiences with reference services for non-
student patrons during school hours to the
quality at which they believe they were served
• Determine whether non-student patrons are
more, less or equally as satisfied with
reference services during school hours as
they are during non-school hours

5. Variables
• Independent variable
- Non-student patrons
- During school hours
• Dependent variable
- Results of survey
- Quality of services provided to non-student
patrons
• Control variable
- Non-student patrons
- During non-school hours

6. Research Questions
• How do reference services rate with non-
student patrons who access the library during
school hours?
• What time of day received the highest rating
for reference services?
• Does the time at which non-student patrons
access the joint use library relate to the
quality of reference services that they
receive?

7. Participants
• Franklin Community Library, Elk Grove, CA
- Joint use public/school library (7th-12th
grade)
• All non-student patrons
• Stratification
- Separate those who accessed library during
school hours from those who accessed it
during non-school hours

8. Instruments
• Survey Monkey
- Free Web-based survey service (up to
100 responses)
- In operation since 1999
- Generates reports and statistical
results of survey so data can be
analyzed

9. Survey Design
• Determine if patron is non-student and over 18
• Determine the approximate time the library was
accessed
• Rate patron’s satisfaction with reference and other
library services using continuous scales
• Results will compare the satisfaction rating of non-
students during school hours to those during non-
school hours
• Pilot test to be conducted one month before at the
same location to determine validity
- Results from pilot test will be included in final results

10. Ethics
• No personal information taken
- Each response assigned a given numeral
• No group singled out
- Simply based on access time
• Informed consent will be obtained from head librarian
and school principals
- No students or patrons under 18
• Subject to exempt review by the IRB for approval
• Patrons can access the results after a given date
• Data will be password protected and kept for 5 years

11. Goals of Quantitative Study
• Give non-student patrons a chance to voice
their opinions by measuring satisfaction
levels
• Determine if there is a need for improvement
of library and reference services during
school hours for non-student patrons
• Offer insight to other joint use libraries of any
deficiencies in services to non-student
patrons