Focus Group Meetings on the Use of Library Space and Collection

Introduction

Three Focus Group meetings were conducted in April 2014 to find out how students use the library space and collection. 46 students, including 42 UGs and 4 PGs participated. They shared with us their experiences in using the Library, helped us understand their behaviors and preferences, and pointed us to areas that need improvement.

Questions Asked

Q. 1	Use a few adjectives to describe your impression of the Library
Q. 2	Name a few frequent activities you do in the Library in this semester
Q. 3	Estimate how many print books / AV materials you check out from the Library in a semester
Q. 4	Estimate how often you use library ebooks / ejournals in a semester
Q. 5	What types of library materials do you use most often?
Q. 6	Your comments on different library materials
Q. 7	How do you find library materials?
Q. 8	What common problems do you have during the process of finding library materials?
Q. 9	What will you do if you do not find what you need?
Q. 10	How can the Library help you find what you need?
Q. 11	Name a few facilities or services you like best in the Library
Q. 12	Name a few facilities or services you dislike most in the Library
Q. 13	What can the Library do to attract you to visit the Library / use our library resources more often?

Action Areas

After collecting students’ comments and suggestions, five major areas for improvement were identified. Below is a snapshot of action points:

1. Promotion

1. Library to organize more engaging and activity-based events
2. Consolidate email notices and use attractive graphics
3. Adopt a comprehensive marketing plan to promote library events / services / resources

2. Use of Collection

1. More training needed for PowerSearch and its difference with Classic Catalog
2. When to make use of ILL / HKALL
3. Allow users to borrow reference books
4. Increase capacity of popular book shelves on G/F
5. Redesign webpages to help users find streaming audios and videos
6. Revamp Library home page. It is too crowded and difficult to navigate

3. Collection Development

1. Provide multiple copies of ebooks if designated as Reserve readings
2. Withdraw outdated and unused books to free up space for current titles
3. Review acquisition policy of books in specific subject areas

4. Access Services

1. Increase patrol to reduce seat occupation by unattended belongings
2. Allow hold requests for 24-hr / 3-day Reserve items
3. Discontinue the “wait 15 minutes” policy when students want to renew Reserve items

5. Facilities Management

1. Improve start-up time of public PCs in the Commons
2. Add a power station for recharging mobile devices
3. Hotter water via the water fountains
4. Onsite guide for operating compact shelves

 

Actions Taken

• Organize fun events for exploring library services and resources – “Welcome Ice-cream Treat” in early Sept 2014 ; “E-Discovery Week 2015” from 9 Feb to 13 Feb 2015. (1a)
• Consolidate email notifications to avoid library information overload since Sept 2014. (1b)
• Face to face training on PowerSearch in first year undergraduate orientation sessions in Fall semester 2014. (2a)
• Prepare e-learning videos “Advanced search in PowerSearch” & “Interlibrary-loan” to boost the use of collection in the 1st semester 2014. (2b)
• Relax loan policy to allow borrowing reference books since late Sept 2014 to boost usage. (2c)
• Install new and distinguishable popular book shelves with bigger capacity in Sept 2014 in response to users’ leisure reading need. (2d)
• Provide multiple copies for electronic reserve once it is recommended for Reserve in response to users’ study need. (3a)
• Plan to withdraw outdated materials on a regular basis and release space for new books. The Library has started to withdraw bound journals which have full electronic equivalents and will identify other possible weeding areas. (3b)
• Improve seat management by enforcing strict procedures of patrolling and removal of unattended materials during busy times. (4a)
• Improve turn-around time for reserve materials by extending the hold requests from 2-hr loans only to 24-hr loans and 3-day loans and discontinue the policy of requiring students to wait for 15 minutes before proceeding with renewals. (4b, 4c)

The Library value your feedback and will continue to work on your suggestions.

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