Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Secret Shoppers In The Library, Jennifer Link Jones

Jennifer L. Jones

Purpose: Like many libraries, Georgia State University (GSU) Library consistently evaluates most of its services and resources, but the provision of high-quality reference service is assumed more than it is measured. As part of its fiscal year 2010-2011 Institutional Effectiveness Assessment Plan, GSU Library committed to investigating the quality of reference services provided by library employees in order to get a better picture of this core, and under-assessed, function of the library.

Design/Methodology/Approach: In 2009, the library evaluated customer service skills of library employees using the secret, or mystery, shopper approach often used in retail establishments in the private sector. …

Ipads As Clipboards: Simple, Portable Assessment, Jennifer Link Jones

Jennifer L. Jones

Purpose: Ongoing, systematic assessment can be a challenge for many libraries. Traditional methods like surveys can be time-consuming for researchers to develop and test and are easy for populations to ignore and delete from their inboxes. Scheduling interviews, focus groups, and usability tests with students and their unpredictable schedules can be a hassle. Georgia State University (GSU) Library sought innovative ways of gauging the perceptions, preferences, and satisfaction of its students, while addressing some of these assessment challenges. After participating in a campus iPad pilot program with Freshman Learning Communities, the library was allowed to keep its assigned iPads in …

Tapping Into Student Feedback: Instant Surveying With A Tablet, Jennifer Link Jones

Jennifer L. Jones

Ongoing assessment in academic libraries, particularly the measurement of student perceptions, preferences, and satisfaction, can be a challenge to schedule and execute. Georgia State University Library piloted the use of a tablet computer--in this case, Apple’s iPad--loaded with survey software to poll subjects quickly in the library buildings. The result was a practical model that maximized convenience for both subjects and researchers, and that other campus administrative and academic units easily can adopt. Presenters will discuss methodology, benefits of using tablet computers for formative assessment, recommendations and lessons learned, and ideas for future projects.

Assessment On The Go: Surveying Students With An Ipad, Jennifer Link Jones, Bryan Sinclair

Jennifer L. Jones

Ongoing assessment in academic libraries, particularly the measurement of student perceptions, preferences, and satisfaction, can be a challenge to schedule and execute. This paper describes a pilot project at Georgia State University Library that combined assessment with the portability of the tablet computer. A tablet computer--in this case, Apple’s iPad--loaded with survey software became a digital clipboard with the added benefit of automatic data compilation. Subjects were surveyed quickly in the library buildings, maximizing convenience for both subjects and researchers alike. The result was a model that other libraries, as well as campus student services divisions and classroom instructors, can …

Using Library Swipe-Card Data To Inform Decision Making, Jennifer Link Jones

Jennifer L. Jones

Georgia State University (GSU) affiliates must swipe their campus ID cards at turnstiles in order to enter the University Library buildings. The swipe verifies the individual is a GSU affiliate and unlocks the turnstile for entry. With each swipe, data such as year in school, major, and GPA are sent to a database. The library partnered with Advanced Campus Services, (ACS), GSU‟s high-performance, research computing unit, to create a tool to access the data. The end product has been a valuable tool for the library, one that has been used to inform staffing and operating hours decisions, as well as …

Secret Shopper Project Scenarios, Jennifer Link Jones

Jennifer L. Jones

No abstract provided.

Our Aims As Library Instructors: Context, Value, And Ownership - Selected Resources, Jennifer Link Jones

Jennifer L. Jones

No abstract provided.

Secret Shopper Project Evaluation Forms, Jennifer Link Jones

Jennifer L. Jones

No abstract provided.

Yes, We're Open: Library Hours And What Patrons Really Want, Jennifer Link Jones

Jennifer L. Jones

The Georgia State University Student Government Association (SGA) announced a plan to petition the University Library to extend its hours. Specifically, SGA wanted the library to remain open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The library kicked into assessment mode and gathered data to determine whether longer library hours were appropriate, especially during a time of budget cuts. The library used the data to advise SGA, as well as to inform staffing and hours of operation decisions. Do patrons really want libraries to be open 24x7? Georgia State’s Training & Assessment Librarian will present her findings during this …