The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is inviting libraries to join the global assessment community of LibQUAL+ by registering for the 2016 LibQUAL+ survey.
LibQUAL+ is a suite of services that libraries use to solicit, track, understand, and act upon users' opinions of service quality. The program's centerpiece is a rigorously tested web survey paired with training that helps libraries assess and improve library services, change organisational culture, and market the library.
Since 2000, more than 1,300 libraries in 29 countries have participated in LibQUAL+, including college and university, community college, health sciences, and academic law libraries. This growing community of participants and its extensive data set of more than one million completed surveys are rich resources for improving library services.
Participants will receive access to an array of assessment resources, in-person training at the American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting for a minimal fee, free online training, and timely delivery of survey results. The survey registration fee is $3,200. New participants may register by e-mailing LibQUAL+.
Past participants may register on the LibQUAL+ website and may be eligible for discounted fees. For institutions that participated in 2015, the fee is only $2,200. Institutions that most recently participated in 2014 will be charged $2,700. For all others, the standard base fee of $3,200 applies.
As a benefit of registration, participants are able to view results for all libraries participating in the same survey year. For access to the full set of survey results from 2000 through 2016, institutions may purchase an annual LibQUAL+ Membership Subscription for $1,000.
Registration is ongoing and enables participants to implement a survey at any time during the two LibQUAL+ survey sessions in 2016: Session I (January 15–May 31, 2016)—Registration closes May 1, 2016; Session II (July 1–December 9, 2016)—Registration closes November 1, 2016; In-Person Training: January 11, 2016, in Boston.
ARL will offer in-person half-day LibQUAL+ training with lunch on January 11, 2016, in Boston, Massachusetts, in conjunction with the ALA Midwinter Meeting for a minimal registration fee of $20. This training is a set of three workshops designed to provide potential and current participants with vital information to aid in the survey process. You can attend one or more of the three sessions on January 11. Online registration is now open for these in-person LibQUAL+ workshops.
Additionally, ARL is offering a free online training series for LibQUAL+ survey administrators in January–February 2016. Topics covered will include preparing your survey, random sampling, communications planning, survey administration, and data analysis. Online registration is required to participate in these distance learning sessions.
