Results from the University of Washington’s triennial survey of faculty and students (earlier surveys were conducted in 1992 and 1995) confirmed that in an increasingly complex information environment, the UW Libraries remains central to the library and information needs of the campus community. Indeed, use of library services and resources increased over 1995 and satisfaction rates remained extraordinarily high. Among the highlights:

• More than 90% of faculty were very satisfied with the Libraries (less than 1% not satisfied)
• Nearly 85% of graduate/professional students were very satisfied (less than 2% not satisfied)
• More than 80% of undergraduates were very satisfied (less than 2% not satisfied)
• More than 70% of faculty use the Libraries at least weekly from an office computer
• Nearly 80% of graduate/professional students visit the Libraries at least weekly
• In person library visits increased among both faculty and students compared to 1995
• UW Libraries considered the most important information resource for faculty and students
• 97% of faculty and 98% of graduate students use a computer that can search the Web

The top three priorities for the Libraries were the same for faculty and graduate students:

• Maintaining the quality of library print collections (Faculty 1, Grad Students 2)
• Delivering full-text to the desktop (Faculty 2, Grad Students 1)
• Delivering bibliographic databases through the Web

However, undergraduates had different concerns. Their top five priorities were:

• Add more computers in the library
• Provide course reserve materials electronically
• Provide training in using library/Web resources
• Increase library hours
• Provide consultation on how to do library research

Two of the these priorities dealt with instruction/training and consultation, and this was the first time that undergraduates had identified these as priorities. It is no surprise then to find that library instruction/training ranked lowest in undergraduate satisfaction among a list of library services.

Surveys were mailed in late April to 3750 UW faculty and a sample of 1000 graduate and professional students and 2000 undergraduates. A second mailing was sent in May to those identified as not returning surveys. The return rate for all groups was significantly higher than in 1995 as shown below:

SURVEYS SENT AND RETURNED

Specially formulated inserts were included in surveys sent to faculty and graduate/professional students in the Health and Biological Sciences that asked more specific questions. Special inserts were also sent to faculty and students in the Fine Arts related to planning efforts for a new Fine Arts Library. Survey recipients were encouraged to return a card that would enter them in a drawing for a $50 bookstore gift certificate.

The composition of the faculty group changed slightly from 1995 to 1998, while there were more substantial changes among graduate/professional students.

*Law students were not included in the 1998 survey, they comprised 4.2% of the total in 1995.

The proportion of faculty and graduate students who reported using the Libraries during the past year was similar to 1995 with 97.4% faculty reported using the UW Libraries during the past year (98.7% in 1995), and 98.9% of graduate and professional students (99.0% in 1995). However, the number who used the Libraries at least weekly increased significantly among both faculty and students. While the slight change in group composition accounted for part of this increase, all academic areas generally reported higher weekly use. Although increases in remote use, especially at home, were expected, the growth in in-person visits was somewhat of a surprise.

Percentage of respondents who marked weekly or more often:

This increase in library visits was also reflected in library unit use, especially for Suzzallo-Allen units and OUGL. While some of this change, especially in monthly and quarterly use was due to a change in the response method and the group composition, weekly use was significantly higher than in 1995.

USE OF SUZZALLO-ALLEN AND OUGL
(% of total respondents who marked weekly or greater use)

REASONS FOR IN-PERSON LIBRARY VISITS

The reasons for in-person library visits continued to show sharp differences between faculty and student use. While both faculty and graduate students went most often to look for a journal, graduate students also used the library as a place to work, use library computers and photocopy. Undergrads use the library primarily as a workplace.

% who visit libraries at least weekly for the following reasons

When asked what services they needed when visiting the Libraries on evenings and weekends, these differences in use were also apparent:

USE OF COMPUTERS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

The use of networked information resources and information technology for teaching and research continued to grow.

Most faculty and students used campus computers that could search the World-Wide Web. 97% of faculty used a computer that could search the World-Wide Web from their office or home with 94% able to view Web images. More than 98% of graduate students could do the same.

Graduate students also made much more extensive use of campus computer labs, especially departmental ones. More than 70% of graduate/professional students used a home computer daily.

STUDENT COMPUTING

USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Faculty have incorporated information technology into teaching and learning and are interested in doing more. Of those faculty who taught during the past year:

• 91% used email to communicate with students
• 85% expected students to use library sources
• 59% expected students to use Web sources
• 31% placed course materials on the Web (AND another 23% are interested in doing so)
• 29% placed course syllabus on the Web (AND another 23% are interested in doing so)
• 24% used student to student online communication (AND another 13% are interested in doing so)

When asked if use of information technology and electronic information has changed the way they teach, faculty responded:

• Significant change 44%
• Changed somewhat 30%
• No change 25%

Undergraduate students were asked if any of the courses they took during the past year had done:

IMPORTANCE OF LIBRARIES

The UW Libraries is clearly the most important source of information needed for faculty and grad student work with nearly twice as many respondents marking as "most important" compared to any other source. Undergrads found both UW Libraries and WWW to be equally important.

MOST IMPORTANT SOURCE OF INFORMATION

% marking 5 on a scale of 1 (not important) to 5 (very important)

IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION RESOURCE TYPES

Journals were again the information source most important to the work of faculty and graduate students. The change in group composition was mainly responsible for increases in some other categories such as books, foreign language materials, multimedia, archival materials, and current news.

%marking 5 on a scale of 1 (least) to 5 very)

LIBRARY SATISFACTION

Faculty and students continued to be very satisfied with the Libraries. Faculty satisfaction continues to run higher than student and increased over the previous survey.

OVERALL SATISFACTION

SERVICES SATISFACTION / COLLECTIONS SATISFACTION

SPECIFIC SERVICES SATISFACTION

Satisfaction of specific services was highest for staff assistance, reshelving course reserves, ILL/Article Delivery. Computer access, copy services, current awareness services and library instruction ranked lower. Undergraduates in nearly all cases were less satisfied than faculty or graduate students.

SERVICES SATISFACTION

% of faculty and students who use these services and expressed a satisfaction level (very satisfied marked 4 or 5 and not satisfied marked 1 or 2 on a scale of 1 (low satisfaction) to 5 (high satisfaction).

HOURS

Both faculty and students seemed satisfied with evening hours, a little less for weekend hours, with hours during Interim showing the lowest satisfaction. Faculty and student hours satisfaction are shown below.

ARE LIBRARIES OPEN WHEN YOU NEED THEM?

PRIORITIES

Access to information and local availability (either print or electronic) were the top priorities for faculty and graduate students. Undergraduates were focused on finding and using computers and networked information effectively.

LIBRARY PRIORITIES

*Significant change in question wording between 1995 and 1998 surveys