Library User Survey 2026
The Library conducted its annual Library User Survey in March 2026 to gather feedback from students, faculty, and staff on the quality and effectiveness of our services and resources. Your valuable opinions helped us identify areas for improvement and better serve the university community.
Survey Period: 16 March – 2 April 2026
Result Highlights
Thank you to the 1,777 members of the HKUST community who took part in our user survey. Below is a snapshot of who responded, how the Library is making a difference for our community, how each part of the Library’s services and facilities was rated, and what users said in their own words.
Participation Snapshot
Who responded, by role at HKUST
Who responded, by School or Unit
Overall Satisfaction
At the end of the survey we asked everyone one simple question: how satisfied are you with the Library overall? Here is what they told us.
“Overall, how satisfied are you with the Library’s services?”
Library Impact: How the Library helps students, staff, and faculty
We asked respondents whether the Library makes a real difference to their studies, teaching, research, or work. Each bar below shows how people responded across the agreement scale (Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree); the number beside each bar is the average score out of 5.
Ratings on eight library service areas
We asked respondents to rate the Library across eight areas of what we do, from collections and study spaces to staff help and research support. The left chart shows the average score for each area; the right chart shows every individual rating question, colored by service area. Hover any point on the right chart to read the full question and its score.
Average score for each service area
Bars in grey indicate a service area below the survey-wide average rating of 4.13.
Every individual rating question
Emerging Services: Importance vs. Satisfaction
For three newer Library services (AI research tools, hexagon study carrels, and Library instruction on AI), we asked respondents both how important the service is to them and how satisfied they are with it. The chart positions each service by its average importance (horizontal) and satisfaction (vertical). Up-and-to-the-right means highly valued and well-delivered; down-and-to-the-right means valued but where users would like more.
Three emerging library services
Where Awareness Lags Behind: Three stories
In many of the rating questions, respondents could choose Never Used or N/A if they hadn’t tried the service. For some Library services, many people picked these options, while the people who had tried them rated them highly. The gap reflects outreach opportunities for us to act on. Here are three of these stories, and we’d love more of our community to discover what is already on hand.
1. Library Material Pickup Station
Launched in summer 2025, the Library Material Pickup Station lets you collect requested items from a self-service locker on your own schedule, with no queue at the service counter and no need to time your visit around opening hours.
2. Cultural programs: exhibitions, talks, and themed displays
The Library runs rotating exhibitions in the Library Gallery on the ground floor and the KPS Gallery on the 1st floor, themed book and movie displays, and talks on culture, innovation, and well-being.
We asked attendees how these programs contributed to them. Just over a thousand people responded, and their answers paint a clear picture: cultural programs give a moment of respite from study or work, a chance to learn something new, fresh perspectives, and a stronger sense of belonging to the campus community.
What cultural program attendees told us
The open-ended comments give a sense of which programs have left a mark. One faculty member writes that the thematic exhibitions and guided tours at the entrance of the Library are always very interesting.
Others remember particular favorites: a research postgraduate fondly recalls the special exhibition in G floor, I like the map show in 2024,
and an undergraduate, perhaps at the same exhibition, writes that they really like the map exhibition where I can sit and talk with people who are also interested.
Another respondent shared a recent favorite, the wartime diary exhibition 唐樓中的二戰日記, and added: Please continue to bring us high-quality exhibitions!
Last year’s talk by science-fiction author 劉慈欣 (Liu Cixin) drew its own warm response. An undergraduate wrote, simply, that the talk sparked my interest in studying science
(translated from Chinese). Another respondent described the event in even more personal terms: It let me meet Mr. Liu Cixin, my idol since childhood
(also translated from Chinese). A research postgraduate echoed that warmth, then added a wish: Last year, the library organized a talk with Cixin LIU, but the quota was very limited. Hopefully expand the quota in the future.
3. Hidden gems: University Archives and Special Collections
Some of the Library’s most distinctive holdings are also its quietest. The University Archives preserve HKUST’s institutional memory (documents, photographs, and records of the University’s growth), while the Special Collections hold antique maps, rare books, and unique primary materials.
For most respondents these collections are still unfamiliar territory. But for the ones who have explored them, the response is often one of discovery. “I didn’t know the university has an archive, or antique maps and rare books!!” one undergraduate wrote, going on to suggest guided tours organized around different themes.
Others have found these resources practically useful in their academic work. Another undergraduate told us that the FYP and MPhil archive really helped
when they were looking for examples for a UROP research project. A staff member describes the Archives as a solid collection of historical documents, great reference material for reports on University development.
Selected Comments
We received a total of 4,561 comments from our survey. Here are some examples across the topics raised most often. Appreciated ones are marked in green and constructive ones in orange.
Lucky Draw Prizes
Lucky Draw Rules & Terms
- The lucky draw is open to all current students and staff (except library staff) of the University who complete and submit the Library User Survey by 11:59 pm on 2 April 2026.
- Each eligible participant may enter the lucky draw once only. Duplicate or incomplete submissions will not be counted.
- Winners will be selected at random. The lucky draw will be conducted on 9 April 2026, and winners will be notified by university email on 10 April 2026.
- Grand prize and second-tier winners must acknowledge receipt of the winning notification email and confirm their attendance at the prize presentation ceremony within 3 working days of being notified.
- A prize presentation ceremony is tentatively scheduled on 21 or 22 April 2026 around lunch time. Grand prize and second-tier winners are expected to attend in person. Exact date and venue will be communicated to winners directly.
- Third-tier prizes (supermarket vouchers) will be distributed separately without a formal ceremony. Winners will be advised of the collection arrangement by email and must collect their voucher within 10 working days of receiving the collection arrangement email.
- All prizes are non-exchangeable, non-transferable, and are not redeemable for cash or other prizes.
- The Library reserves the right of final decision in case of any dispute and the right to determine whether a person is eligible for the lucky draw.
If a grand prize or second-tier winner fails to acknowledge receipt of the winning notification email or fails to confirm their attendance at the prize presentation ceremony within 3 working days of being notified, or if a third-tier winner fails to collect their supermarket voucher within the designated collection period, the prize will be forfeited and reassigned to the next eligible participant on the lucky draw waiting list.
Lucky Draw Prize Presentation Ceremony
Two prize presentation ceremonies were held on 21 and 22 April 2026 to celebrate our grand prize or second-tier lucky draw winners. We sincerely thank all students and staff for participating in the Library User Survey 2026 and for joining us in this cheerful occasion.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or encounter any issues, please reach out to us:
“The library is like an oasis on campus. I’ve spent many hours studying and revising peacefully here, and it wouldn’t have been possible anywhere else.”
“Its vibrancy and openness to comments. It’s not easy, but the Library did listen to all the opinions and make itself a better place throughout these years.”
“I attended a Library Research Workshop through a course and it was really useful. It would be better if it was open to all and promoted more widely.”
“The library feels like home. I come here every day. Seeing the books, the art on the walls, the calligraphy and photography exhibits, switches my mood and lifts me up. It’s the pit stop on my study journey.”
“I was able to print urgently needed documents at 2 in the morning. I also found e-books from my country that I previously wouldn’t have been able to afford.”
“Some broken facilities such as screens or power sockets need to be repaired timely.”
“I would most like the Library to improve the availability and accessibility of study spaces during peak periods, with more quiet individual seats, more reservable group study rooms, and clearer real-time availability.”
“Wi-Fi signal needs to be stronger and more consistent, particularly on LG4 and the lower ground floors.”
“I think the individual study pods should be frequently cleaned.”
“More room bookings per week per user, and more solo study areas (e.g. hexagonal carrels).”