Williams
Library: Annual Report 2005
In the spring of 2004, the library
conducted an online survey of its users. As a result of that survey,
the library requested and received upgraded computers in the reference
area and in LIB213 and opened LIB213 to students during daytime hours,
except when classes are scheduled. We also lobbied unsuccessfully for
creation of an Information / Learning Commons in the library that would
provide collaborative workstations for group projects, and technical,
software, and instructional design support. We are redesigning the
library’s web pages and have created a “Databases by Subject” page to
help focus resource access by subject. And, we also had a discussion
with Doug Nieman regarding a library coffee shop; he views it as not
cost effective.
During the 2005 academic year, the
library committee met several times, as it has in previous years, to
discuss the results of the 2004 online survey of library users and to
revise it. The revised survey was administered this past April. We are
proud that the results of the 2005 survey indicate that students are
quite well satisfied with the library and the services it offers. There
are things, though, that students would like to see improved. The most
important items listed under future needs were:
-
More online
full-text databases;
-
Coffee shop (about
which, unfortunately, see above);
-
More computer labs
in the library;
-
Longer weekend
hours;
-
Collaborative
workspaces.
Students tell us they use computers in
the library because of our location on campus and because of the close
proximity to library resources and librarians. They like the atmosphere
in the library as opposed to the computer labs. Their complaints dealt,
first of all, with computers in the library: there are not enough
computers, they are not set up the same, and they are very slow and
out-of-date. Students also expressed a strong desire for wireless
access in the library. Additional areas of complaint were Saturday
hours, the library’s web site, and availability of books.
As a result of this year’s survey, we
will:
-
Investigate
additional full-text databases. To begin with, we are switching
from sociological abstracts and Criminal Justice Abstracts
to an EBSCO-hosted full text sociology and criminal justice database
(SocIndex with Full Text) that indexes the same titles but offers
considerable full-text coverage as well, and at a reduced cost.
-
Purchase more
books (although this is quite difficult in light of our stagnant
((=declining due to inflation)) budget). We are investigating
participating in a tri-state cooperative book purchasing plan to
further our budget dollars.
-
Continue to press
for better computers in the library and for wireless access in the
library. Both have been promised for this summer.
-
Change our
Saturday hours from 1 – 6 to 10 – 5.
-
Investigate
placing some computers (from the first floor and from lap-top
checkout) into our group study rooms.
-
Are completely
redesigning the library’s web pages, which will be made public
before the start of the fall 05 semester.
We are also very
proud of the library’s results in the most recent ACT Evaluation Survey
Service (ESS) of graduating seniors in FY04. Continuing a long
tradition, students are more satisfied with library services at NSU than
with any other college service: 95.3% of graduating seniors used
library services (national norm is 81.6%) and, on a scale of 1-5,
students ranked satisfaction at 4.34 – higher than any other service at
NSU and higher than the national norm of 4.02.
Use of materials continues strong.
Circulation of books per student continues at roughly the same level as
it has since FY99; then, 28 items circulated per student, in FY05, 24
items circulated. Use of our electronic resources continues to grow
rapidly. In FY04, we tracked over 114000 online searches of our
subscription databases (not including the library catalogue). In FY05,
this number grew to over 142000 searches. By contrast, in FY98, the
number was ca.500 searches. In addition, at the request of faculty
members, librarians conducted 85 class sessions for 1852 students.
These numbers are strong, and we could
not have them with out the strong support of the faculty. Thank you.
