Seeking Meaning: Capturing Patron Experience Through a User Survey

ABSTRACT

A well-crafted localized survey is an excellent opportunity to efficiently collect data about library user feelings and experiences on a large scale. 800 undergraduate students and employees of a mid-sized public university responded to an online survey about their feelings on library space, communication, services, and collections. Employing a variety of question types, the authors sought to include measures that would yield both pertinent and meaningful feedback. Results were analyzed and prioritized by significance and librarians culled the results for actionable findings and opportunities for further study or long-term benchmarking.