Dear Colleagues


 

I am an Information Advisor at Kingston University currently working on
my dissertation towards an MA in Information Management at London
Metropolitan University. 

 

My research is focussed on self-issue and other self-service options in
higher education libraries, looking at how institutions plan, introduce
and manage such services. Most importantly, I seek to identify best
practice in methods and strategies being used to equip library users
with information, skills and confidence to exploit self-service options
fully.

 

I want to gather information from as many academic libraries as I can. I
would be very grateful if any list members are prepared to share any
relevant information about their own institutions experiences with
self-service. This survey has not been commissioned by Kingston
University, but is a piece of independent research for my dissertation.
The results will however be made available to Kingston University
Library Services and to any interested parties on request.

 

I am including a brief questionnaire in this e-mail (see below) which I
hope colleagues will complete and return to me. If anyone would be
willing to send me any other information this would be most welcome. Any
information received will only be used for my own research and any views
or comments will not be attributed to individuals.

 

The areas I wish to explore are:

 

*         The driving forces and motivation behind a decision to invest
in self-service technology.

*         The challenges faced in planning, implementing and managing
such services.

*         The methods and strategies used to encourage use of the
services, in terms of user education, help, promotion, publicity,
ongoing support.

*         The benefits gained from the introduction of self services,
and how success is measured and evaluated.

*         Lessons learned about what works well and what might not work
as well.

 

 

Please either e-mail your responses back to [log in to unmask]  or
send written material by post to:

 

D Salliss

Penrhyn Road LRC

Kingston University

Kingston on Thames

Surrey KT1 2EE

 

Thanking you in anticipation

David Salliss

 

 


Self-service options in HE libraries        A brief questionnaire 


 

Please answer as many questions as you can but leave any you are unable
to respond to.  Feel free to add any additional comments where
appropriate.

 

1)      Name of
institution.............................................................

 

2)      No of library sites...........................................

 

3)      Approx. no of students (or JISC banding if
known)....................

 

4)      Please list which self-service options are available at your
library.

self issue......................................................Y/N

self return (automated rather than drop box).........Y/N

self renewal of loans by phone........................ Y/N

self renewal of loans online..............................Y/N

placing of reservations....................................Y/N

placing of inter library loan requests..................Y/N

self registration or enrolment...........................Y/N

other (please give details)......................................

 

5)      How many self-issue machines do you operate? (if "none" please
skip to question 10)

..............................

 

6)  How long have you offered self-issue to your users?

     Less than 2 years...............................

     2-5 years..........................................

     More than 5 years..............................

 

7)  Where are these units placed within the library?

Close to the staffed issue desk (s).......................

In other locations (such as other floors or near books/journals)

Please
specify...............................................................

 

8)  What types of library material can be self issued?

Books.................................Y/N

Journals..............................Y/N

Videos and DVDs..................Y/N

Audio CDs and Tapes............Y/N

Other..........................................

 

9)  Please indicate the current percentage (if known) of issues done as
self- 

issues (i.e. not mediated by library staff).

 

 70% or more.......................................

 between 50 and 70%.............................

 between 30 and 50%.............................

 between 10 and 30%..............................

      less than 10% .................................

 

 

 

10)  What do you see as the main benefits of self-service options?

       (if selecting more than one please rank in order of importance
i.e.

       1 = most important 5 = least important) 

 

 Greater convenience for library users .....................

 Reduced operating costs.......................................

 Reduced queues at staffed service points..................

 Enables longer opening hours................................

 Releases staff to engage in other activities...............

 Other (please give
details)................................................

 

 

11) Indicate which of the following methods were used when introducing

      self- issue and other self-service options. Please tick those that
apply.

 

Publicity on library web pages........................................

Production of leaflets or help sheets to aid use.......................

Signs or posters advertising the new services.........................

Placing of existing library staff at machines to assist
users...............

"Queue-busting" where users are shown what to do.....................

Employment of extra staff or helpers to assist
users........................

Encouraging users to help one another..............................

Reliance on intuitive ability of users to use self-service...........

Other (please give
details)................................................

 

12) How long after introduction of self-services did specific strategies

       to help users carry on for?

 

  1 month......................................

  2 months....................................

  3 months or longer........................

 

13)   Do you still use (or intend to use) any of these strategies on a
regular

        basis e.g. at beginning of each academic year?   

         ........................................

 

 

14)  If you feel that your library users under-use the self-service
options,

  please identify any possible reason(s).

 

 Prefer to take items to a staffed
desk.....................................

 Do not feel confident with using the technology........................

 Automated system perceived as unreliable..............................

 Bad first experience has put user
off.......................................

 Problems on library accounts which block use (fines etc).............

 Reasons which aren't
clear...................................................

 Other reasons (please
specify)..............................................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15)  During an average 3 month period, approximately how often 

        have your self-issue units been out of order or out of use for

        any reason?

 

  Never been out of order.........................................

  Once or twice in total.............................................

  About once a month..............................................

  About once a fortnight...........................................

 

16)  What methods do you use to measure the success of 

  self issue and other self-service options with both library users and
staff.

 

 Statistics on usage (e.g. % of
loans/returns/renewals)........................

 User surveys on levels of satisfaction...............................

 Feedback from students via a comments box.....................

 Feedback from student committees...................................

 Feedback from library
staff.............................................

 Other measurement (please specify)................................

 

17) How successful is the interface between the self-service equipment
and  

       the library management system that you use?

 

       Very successful..............................

       Fairly successful............................

       Not very successful........................

 

18)   Please use the space below to record briefly any other comments

        regarding your experience of self-issue and self service in your

        institution.

 

 

 

 

Many thanks for taking the time to complete this questionnaire.

 

Please either return this questionnaire via e-mail to
[log in to unmask]  or print a copy and then return completed
document to:

 

David Salliss

Penrhyn Road LRC

Kingston University

Kingston on Thames

Surrey KT1 2EE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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