Home Grown:
Assessment and Outreach Techniques Without Using LIBQUAL+

Eric Robinson
Dan Vinson
Mount Mary University

Outline for Today:
Some history
What we improved
Moving forward

A Brief History

• Floor counts and Reference stats--just in case only
• Data on paper and MS Access--no easy way to use
• Library perception was poor and it seemed *secretive*

external forces, 2010-2013

• The Renovation
• College to university transition
• Full Website redesign
• New Library Director

So, why change?

• To gain control of our data
• To stay ahead of the question "What's the value of the library?"
• The staff was ready

how we did it

• We just started doing stuff
• We tried not to overthink
• We accepted the risks
• We prepared for a long road

what changed

• Job descriptions reworked
• Liaisons aligned to schools
• Thought more about patron experience
• Major new tools: WorldCat, LibGuides, Gimlet

data we are collecting

• Qualitative: surveys, requests, feedback
• Quantitative: patron counts, use stats, Reference stats
• Tools used: Gimlet, MS Excel, Library H3lp, SurveyMonkey, OCLC

working with surveys

• Assessment Plan
• Read LibQual articles and assessment books
• Considered survey aims
• Designed surveys, which took some time
• SurveyMonkey free version is brief and can be malleable
• Library Survey Week--with bribes!

outcomes

• Collection development decisions
• Technology upgrades
• Library space changes
• Library perception change
• Created an "assessment ecosystem"

Marketing & outreach

• Marketing Plan
• Shiny new stuff + old stuff
• Email, signs, blog, infographics, online flyers
• As many places as possible, as often as possible--especially for faculty
• Tools used: MS Publisher, WordPress, Smore, Librarian Design Share

what's next

• CORAL
• Evolving the library space and services
• Continuing to be a part of larger campus conversations
• Focus groups and other qualitative techniques
• (And a real iPad charging station)

fin