October 14, 2005

Purdue librarians encourage patrons to speak up

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue Libraries is asking faculty and students to complete an online survey so that user feedback can be incorporated into an upcoming strategic planning process.

"We, the Purdue Libraries, are dedicated to being a centerpiece and keystone to research and knowledge-building," said James L. Mullins, dean of libraries. "That can only be accomplished with the participation of library users."

The LibQual+™ survey will be e-mailed on Monday, Oct. 24, to all full-time, tenured faculty and a random sampling of undergraduate and graduate students. The approximately 6,300 recipients will have until Nov. 15 to complete the anonymous survey. Results are expected in January.

"The results from this survey will help us document and analyze each of Purdue Libraries' strengths and weaknesses," Mullins said. "This information is vital as we embark on several initiatives designed to ensure Purdue Libraries' preeminence."

Purdue Libraries is creating a five-year strategic plan this fall that will lay out goals, describe how they will be accomplished and how resources will be allocated.

"User opinions about what they like and do not like about our libraries matter," said Stewart Saunders, the associate professor of library science at Purdue's Humanities, Social Science and Education Library who is coordinating the survey. "We need them to help determine the libraries' future."

LibQual+™ takes about 13 minutes to complete and gives Purdue library users an unprecedented opportunity to rate the quality of facilities, collections and customer service. The nationally recognized survey, developed largely by Texas A&M University, is the Association of Research Libraries' benchmarking tool. Several Big Ten universities have already implemented LibQual+™.

Writer: Jim Schenke, (765) 494-6262, jschenke@purdue.edu

Sources: James Mullins, (765) 494-2900, jmullins@purdue.edu

Stewart Saunders (765) 494-2829 ssaunders@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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