Supporting research through an academic staff questionnaire: preparation, implementation and results. Okolo & Johnson
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The document summarizes the results of an academic staff questionnaire conducted by librarians at the University of East London to understand staff research needs and awareness of library services. 369 academic staff were interviewed through the questionnaire. Key findings included that most staff were aware of their subject librarian and electronic resources but wanted more training opportunities. Based on the results, the librarians provided more user education sessions, outreach to academic departments, and a "Research Support Day" to disseminate results and promote services. The questionnaire helped the librarians better support academic staff research and improve relationships.
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Supporting research through an academic staff questionnaire: preparation, implementation and results. Okolo & Johnson
- 1. Supporting Research through an Academic Staff Questionnaire: Preparation, Implementation and Results www.uel.ac.uk Simone Okolo Academic Services and Skills Manager Catherine Johnson Subject Librarian
- 2. Paper Outline • Overview of UEL • Aims of Staff Questionnaire • Design • Implementation • Analysis of Results • Dissemination • Initiative – Research Support Day • Outcomes – Present and Future
- 3. UEL - overview • 21,000 students • 716 FT/PT academic staff • diverse university • innovative survey of academic staff • acted on the results
- 5. Our aims for the questionnaire • To nurture effective professional relationships with our academic staff within Schools • To raise awareness of our services • To ensure users make effective use of the resources available on campus and beyond • To gather useful feedback from new and existing academic staff • To introduce the subjects librarians • Last survey was conducted in 2001
- 6. Questionnaire Design • Printed questionnaire • Face to face interviews • Concentrated on 9 key areas – Communication – Library buildings, spaces and access – Library catalogue – Subject/electronic resources – Training – Scholarly activities – Equality and diversity
- 8. Implementation of questionnaire • Email from Associate Library Director to Deans of Schools • Email from Subject Librarians (10 a week) to all staff • Staff replied with convenient times • It all very time consuming – diaries very busy! • Ad hoc meetings arranged while over in the department • Follow up email sent date • Most of the staff were very happy to participate – very few negative responses • Excellent opportunity to introduce both the subject librarian and library resources • 369 academic staff interviewed – 345 face to face
- 9. Results of our academic staff questionnaire
- 10. Communication • 349 knew their Subject Librarian • 5% (20) did not • Majority of staff use email, face to face, telephone, go via website • 281 said they hear enough about library services. • 20% (71) said no Do you know who your subject librarian is? Yes No Do you hear enough about library and information services from us Yes No
- 11. Communication • 95% knew how to recommend books, periodicals and electronic resources • 20 did not know • 322 thought the links were good to very good • 8 said there was no link Do you know how to recommend books, periodicals and electronic resources for the libraries Yes No How good do you consider the links between the library and your school to be? Very Good Good No links Proactive, approachable, Wow Service, professional, creative, wikis & blogs, links excellent and better than in other institutions
- 12. Suggestions for improving communication • Book covers on Library catalogue • More updates, more targeted information and contact throughout the year • Explicit links to PhD students • Need to be aware of more than just the SL in case of sickness and annual leave Periodic updates on skills, loan periods, library inductions for new staff, better website, accessions list
- 13. Library buildings, spaces and access • 250 said yes • 73 said no • 313 were aware of study spaces • 39 were not Do you know that we have three libraries - Docklands, Stratford and DHSE Yes No Not enough study spaces in ST and DL. Noise is an issue in the ST and DL. Are you aware that the library has group and quiet study spaces? Yes No
- 14. Library buildings, spaces and access • 188 knew our opening hours • 34 did not • 134 partially • 227 used the self-service machines • 120 did not • 18 were unaware Do you know the opening hours of the libraries Yes No Partially Do you use the self-issue/self return machines? Yes No Unaware of service
- 15. Library catalogues • 256 use it weekly to monthly • 30 use it daily • 16 rarely use it • 234 use the self service • 118 do not How often do you access the library catalogue from your PC? Daily Weekly Monthly Very rarely Do you use the self-renew and self-reservation facilities online? Yes No Unaware of service
- 16. Library catalogues • 118 do not access it • 16 were not aware • 139 access via library website • 226 gave reading lists to their Subject Librarian • 58 said No • 57 usually do Do you access the library catalogue of other institutions from the library website? Yes No Not aware Do you provide your subject librarian with reading lists for all your modules? Yes No Usually
- 17. Electronic resources • 262 use electronic resources • 91 did not • 118 accessed them via library catalogue • 81 via Find an e-journal • 176 go via individual databases Do you use the electronic journals to which the library subscribes Yes No No relevant e-journals Unaware of electronic journals Other if yes, how do you access these? Library catalogue Find an e journal Online databases
- 18. Electronic resources • 272 downloaded electronic articles • 84 said no • 240 have ATHENS • 104 do not • 10 were not aware of ATHENS In the last year have you downloaded any electronic articles? Yes No Do you have an ATHENS username and password? Yes No Unaw are of service
- 19. Electronic resources • 69 used it • 287 did not use it • 199 would welcome a familiarisation session • 154 would not but welcome a refresher course Do you use the Subject pages on the library website? Yes No Would you be interested in a familiarisation session with your subject librarian on electronic resources? Yes No
- 20. We would like training in…. • 62 said online databases • 62 said electronic journals • 50 said current awareness • 48 want search engines • 57 want all of the above • 15 want sessions on e-books, scanning, podcasting, Athens, photocopy facilities and copyright
- 21. Research and Scholarly Activity • 232 are satisfied • 58 are not satisfied • 22 were unaware • 36 do not use • 225 visit other libraries • 129 said no Are you satisfied with the inter-library loan service? Yes No Unaw are of service Do you visit other libraries to support your research or teaching? Yes No
- 22. Research and Scholarly Activity • 67 use SCONUL Access scheme • 136 did not • 151 were not aware of the scheme Are you a member of SCONUL Access? Yes No Unaw are of scheme
- 23. FINALLY • 195 found our staff to be very helpful • 99 said our staff are helpful • 68 had no contact • 175 had students with a disability • 130 did not How helpful do you find the service offered by Library Enquiry Desks? Very helpful Helpful Unhelpful Do you have students who have particular requirements? Yes No
- 24. Dissemination • Questionnaire away day • Result disseminated to staff via the internal newsletter.
- 26. Research Support Day • Organisation • Promotion • How the day went • Feedback • Recommendations for future
- 28. Reference Crosthwaite, S. and Johnson, C. (2009) ‘Research Support Day: Bringing Library Resources to Academic Staff’ Cilip Update, March 2009, pp.42-44.
- 29. Outcomes Present and Future • More user education • Off air recording • Opportunities to embed user ed. In modules • More Athens account/SCONUL cards • Increased use of Web 2 • New booklists • Electronic delivery of interlibrary loan • User ed sessions with lecturers • Zoning of space in library • Generic training sessions via staff development • Ongoing issues – action plan • Raised our profile • Improved relationships
Editor's Notes
- UEL has approximately 21,000 fte. We have about 700 academic staff. We are one of most diverse universities in London both in terms of the social backgrounds of our students as well as their countries of origin with our students coming from more than 100 countries worldwide.We also thinkg that surveying academic staff the way we did it was innovative and the most important thing we are proud of is that. I am realiably informed that surveying academic staff is an innovation in itself but we are particulay pleased that we acted on the results of the survey and continue to do so.