Institutionen för ABM Biblioteks- och informationsvetenskap The Linnean Society of London and its Library Evaluating a Library Usage Questionnaire through the IFLA Guidelines and other Methods Yasmin Mandani Magisteruppsats, 20 poäng, vt 2004 Institutionen för ABM Handledare: Sten Hedberg Uppsatser inom biblioteks- och informationsvetenskap, nr 222 ISSN 1650-4267 Introduction .....................................................................................3 Concepts and Terminology.................................................................................... 4 Concept ..........................................................................................................................4 Terminology ...................................................................................................................5 Used Literature ...................................................................................................... 9 Purpose and Method ............................................................................................ 16 Theoretical Background ...............................................................17 The IFLA Guidelines........................................................................................... 17 Evaluating Library Functions According to Lancaster........................................ 24 The SERVQUAL Model...................................................................................... 26 Eighteenth Century Ideology .......................................................28 Carl Linnæus........................................................................................................ 29 Founding of a Society.......................................................................................... 32 The Linnean Society of London .......................................................................... 33 Membership..................................................................................................................33 Organisation ................................................................................................................34 Publications..................................................................................................................35 International Collaboration .........................................................................................36 The Linnean Scoeity of London Library....................................................... 37 Collections....................................................................................................................38 The Linnæan Collections..............................................................................................38 The Smith Herbarium and Collections.........................................................................39 Other Treasures ...........................................................................................................39 The Library ..................................................................................................................39 The Library: An Overview............................................................................................41 Using the Library .........................................................................................................42 Cataloguing System......................................................................................................43 Acquisitions Policy.......................................................................................................43 Activities.......................................................................................................................44 Library in Figures........................................................................................................45 Investigation...................................................................................46 Part One – Library Usage Questionnaire............................................................. 46 Background and Procedure .........................................................................................46 Population and Procedure ...........................................................................................46 Refusals ........................................................................................................................47 Total Response Rate and Refusals ...............................................................................47 Confidentiality..............................................................................................................48 Questionnaire Layout...................................................................................................48 Findings .......................................................................................................................49 Section 1 – About You ..................................................................................................49 Section 2 – About Your Usage of the Library ..............................................................49 Section 3 – Library Environment .................................................................................51 Section 4 – Facilities....................................................................................................52 Section 5 – Finding Material .......................................................................................53 Section 6 – Library Stock .............................................................................................57 Section 7 – Looking to the Future ................................................................................59 Other Comments from the Respondents.......................................................................63 Summary of Findings ...................................................................................................63 Part Two – The IFLA Indicators.......................................................................... 64 Indicator 1 – Market Penetration................................................................................64 Indicator 2 – Opening Hours Compared to Demand..................................................65 Indicator 3 – Expert Checklists...................................................................................66 Indicator 4 – Collection Use .......................................................................................67 Indicator 5 – Subject Collection Use ..........................................................................68 Indicator 6 – Documents Not Used.............................................................................68 Indicator 7 – Known-Item Search ...............................................................................68 Indicator 8 – Subject Search.......................................................................................69 Indicator 9 – Acquisition Speed ..................................................................................69 Indicator 10 – Book Processing Speed ........................................................................70 Indicator 11 – Availability ...........................................................................................70 Indicator 12 – Document Delivery Time......................................................................70 Indicator 13 – Interlibrary Loan Speed .......................................................................70 Indicator 14 – Correct Answer Fill Rate......................................................................71 Indicator 15 – Remote User Per Capita.......................................................................71 Indicator 16 – User Satisfaction ..................................................................................72 Indicator 17 – User Satisfaction with Services Offered for Remote Use .....................72 Summary of Findings ...................................................................................................73 Evaluating Library Functions According to Lancaster........................................ 73 Facet One – Stock – Collection....................................................................................74 Facet Two – Tools – Cataloguing, Shelving ................................................................74 Facet Three – Presentation to User – Services............................................................75 Summary of Findings ...................................................................................................76 The SERVQUAL Dimensions............................................................................. 76 Tangibles......................................................................................................................77 Reliability .....................................................................................................................78 Responsiveness.............................................................................................................78 Assurance.....................................................................................................................78 Empathy .......................................................................................................................79 Summary of Findings ...................................................................................................79 Analysis and Disucssion................................................................80