Customer Service 2001

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"How Are We Doing?" Survey

Results of November's Customer Satisfaction Survey

Customer Satisfaction is high at the Manchester Public Library. During the month of November 2000, the library conducted a Customer Satisfaction Survey as part of a campaign sponsored by a Library Services and Technology Act grant. Patrons were asked to rate their visit on a scale of one to ten, ten being the most satisfied, concerning four areas.  Comments were also received on the survey.  In the months to come the staff will work to improve areas of service to the public. The federal grant will fund staff development, improved signage, and printed material to promote library use in the community.

The four questions:

  1. How easy is it to find what you want?
  2. Was the staff helpful?
  3. Were your questions answered to your satisfaction?
  4. Overall, how satisfied are you with the Manchester Public Library? 

The results:

Question #

1

2

3

4

average

8.2

9.4

9.3

8.8

Comments:

  1. art exhibits
  2. art research materials, more
  3. audiobooks, more
  4. audiobooks, more
  5. audiobooks, more
  6. audiobooks, more
  7. audiobooks, more
  8. audiobooks, more
  9. audiobooks, more
  10. audiobooks, more unabridged
  11. biographies & autobiographies, more*
  12. books on humanities, history, philosophy, religion, more*
  13. books, more*
  14. books, more*
  15. books, more*
  16. books, more (often book I want is at another library)*
  17. catalog instruction
  18. CD’s pop/dance (N’Sync)
  19. children’s books that are easier to find, more
  20. classics in LP
  21. coffee, tea in reading room
  22. comic books, Archie
  23. computers (newer), more
  24. computers, better
  25. computers, more
  26. computers, more
  27. computers, more
  28. computers, more for internet access
  29. current material, more*
  30. current material, more*
  31. expand children’s programs
  32. fireplace to be lit in winter
  33. game CD’s
  34. heat, turn it up
  35. homework center
  36. hours, earlier during week and Saturdays
  37. hours, more
  38. hours, more
  39. hours, more
  40. hours, more
  41. hours, more days, later hours
  42. hours, more morning hours
  43. hours, more, weekend (as we had 15 years ago)
  44. hours, open earlier in day
  45. hours, open mornings everyday
  46. hours, Saturdays in summer
  47. hours, Sunday
  48. hours, Sundays
  49. Internet
  50. lighting
  51. lighting, better
  52. lighting, better in reference room
  53. lighting, better, in stacks (top shelves)
  54. lounge
  55. lounge
  56. magazine inserts, remove before shelving
  57. microfilm/mircofiche
  58. mouse on keyboards
  59. music, more
  60. non-fiction, more choice, i.e. business, biographies*
  61. novels, more*
  62. phone notification
  63. programs
  64. reserve books by phone
  65. sound on computers
  66. space
  67. space
  68. space
  69. space
  70. space
  71. space, more
  72. space, study area for groups to meet
  73. videos
  74. videos
  75. videos
  76. videos
  77. videos
  78. videos
  79. videos
  80. videos
  81. videos, adult & children, travel, educational, classics
  82. videos, free loan like other towns

Summary:

148 surveys were returned, 61 surveys contained comments (41%)

more audiobooks – 8

*more books – 10

computers, more, better. Etc – 6

additional hours – 13

lighting – 4

space, lounge – 9

videos - 10

Focus on Customer Service - Goal: Get a snapshot of ourselves

Three 1 hour focus group sessions were held the week of January 24-27, 2001.  The questions:

  1. If you were in charge, what kind of changes would you make?
  2. What would it take for this library to get a gold star? If this library received an award, what would it be for?
  3. If you were the moderator, what would be the next question you would ask the group?
  4. What would you tell a new resident about this library?
  5. Assume this library could talk, what would it say about itself?
  6. If you could change one thing about this library, what would you change, and what is the main reason that one thing needs changing?
  7. What would it take for this library to get an A?
  8. Can you tell me five positive things about this library, no matter how small that positive thing is?
  9. Can you name three reasons that keep you coming back to this library?
  10. Can you name three reasons that would turn you away from this library?

Summary:

Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library

Customer Service 2001 Focus Group Report

Martha Morgan, MLS

February 15, 2001

 

"I am an architectural treasure - but need to be upgraded to the 21st Century!"

 

"I’m a distinguished older building with loads of charm and character. I want to be modernized only in ways that improve service. My looks cannot be improved!"

 

"I am a small community library where people know each other, children feel at home and the old handsome interior compliments and enhances the experience of being in the world of books."

 

These are just a few of the responses written by the 16 participants of the Customer Service 2001 Focus Group when asked what the Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library would say about itself.

 

Narrative Summary and Main Concerns:

 

The participants of the focus groups, which met on January 17, 18 and 20, spoke passionately about their library and were happy to have this opportunity for input. All participants were generally pleased by all aspects of library service and felt the library today generally was successful in meeting the needs of the community and living up to its mission statement. One participant emphasized how much the library has improved since the League of Women Voters did a survey of local libraries approximately 20 years ago when the library’s excuse for limited programming and collection development was that there was no space.

The biggest issue discussed was the beauty and history of the library building versus the need for more space. Most participants emphasized their "love" of the building for the beauty of its architecture, its sense of coziness (a word used by many participants), its small town feeling and its history. Yet many of the same people acknowledged the community’s desire for more space within the building to allow for a larger and more diverse collection and for more community meeting space. Two separate groups of participants came to the conclusion, however, that the library’s efficient use of Inter-Library Loan works as a solution to this dilemma by allowing for access to a wider collection within the confines of this historic building. Other suggestions included maintaining present building while allowing for better space planning or the possibility of building underground.

Besides the discussion of space versus the present library building, the most common suggestions for changes to the library were: extending the library’s hours to include more time in the mornings and on the weekends; developing the books-on-tape collection to include more fiction and nonfiction; and improving the promotion and publicity of already existing library services and materials such as Inter-Library Loan (some participants did not know its reaches), the library’s web site, the rent-a-book program, and information on the history of the library building. These and other participant responses are listed on the following page.

Responses to Focus Group Questions and Discussion:

 

Space:

Love of the building for the beauty of its architecture, its sense of coziness, its small town feeling and its history

More space for larger and more diverse collection - better space planning

Separate areas in library for talking and public use meeting rooms

Better lighting - especially in the Reading Room

More comfortable seating in the Reading Room

More accessible bathroom (to meet ADA standards)

Better signage to explain layout of the library and to make it more easy to browse

More parking

Collection:

Generally good collection for size of library building and size of community

Great children’s collection

Develop books-on-tape collection including nonfiction titles

Provide more materials that recognize new media technologies - DVD and more CD’s

Increase nonfiction collection especially biographies and religion

Weeding of some outdated materials (i.e. cookbooks), less weeding in children’s collection (retaining more of the older titles)

Provide forms for patron suggestions for acquisitions

Suggestion that overdue funds go directly to library budget

Services:

Extend library’s hours to include more time in the mornings and on weekends

Inter-Library Loan already very efficient

Website very useful

Availability of computers is an asset, but some still felt uncomfortable and reinforced the need for simple computer instruction sheets at every terminal

Staff:

Generally staff were excellent - competent and friendly - two staff members mentioned as true assets

Very child friendly

Suggestion for more sense of welcome to new or infrequent users

Programs:

Wonderful children’s programs

More adult programming including: author series, poetry readings or poetry slams, collaboration with local bookstores

Publicity:

More publicity for existing library services and materials such as Inter-Library loan, library’s website, rent-a-book program, and information on the history of the library

Suggestion of using the Cricket as a source of publicity, perhaps a column

 

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