A comprehensive, benchmarked Library-specific ‘Insync’ client survey was completed by over 1200 Unitec Library customers in September 2014. We also ran this survey in 2012 and 2010. It provides rich data and allows us to compare Unitec Library’s performance in supporting students and staff against 40 other, mainly New Zealand and Australian tertiary libraries, including University of Auckland, Monash University, University of Melborne, QUT and University of Sydney.
This time Unitec Library recorded an overall score of 81.4%. This places the Library in the first quartile (or top 25%) of libraries that have surveyed with Insync over the last 2 years and represents an overall performance score increase of 0.8% since the last survey in 2012.
The survey rates respondents’ perceptions about the importance and the performance of more than 30 factors in the categories of Library staff, Communication, Service delivery, Facilities and equipment, and Information resources. The Library performed highest on the category of Library staff, with a score of 89.9%. Library Staff and Facilities and Equipment both recorded marked improvement since the previous survey. In all five categories the library achieved higher positive results in the ‘aggregated comparison tables’ than 12 other participating libraries, including: Griffith, Monash, QUT, RMIT and the University of Auckland. For example, our ‘positive’ score for Library Staff of almost 90% compares to the aggregated average of 88%.
The data collected through the survey gives us insight into the ‘gap’ between importance and performance.
Only two statements had gaps which indicated opportunities for improvement. These were: “A computer is available when I need one” and “I can find a quiet place in the library to study when I need to”. Significantly, each of these gaps have decreased since 2012, meaning the work we’ve done to address and alleviate issues has been acknowledged by students and staff. To help address computer availability since the survey we have increased the number of laptops available for loan at the Hub Library and Learning Commons. To help address the need for quiet study space we have included more study areas in our Waitākere and Building 1 library spaces. We are also making study space one of the key requirements of the new Social and Study Hub Building planned to open in mid-2017.
Library staff are using the data to prioritise and plan action to continually improve our systems and services.
You can view the full Report here:
Unitec Insync 2014 Library
Key Findings Report
This survey is run every 2 years so we will run it again in mid 2016.
For further information, please contact Gail Dallimore.
