User Survey 2011: Results

• Q1: How often do you use library services?
• Q2: How satisfied are you with the library services?
• Q3. Which of the following should the library focus on as a priority?
• Q4. How do you rate the library service overall?
• Q5. Please give an example where the library service has had an impact on your work or has helped to improve patient care.
• Q6. Are there any ways in which the library service could be improved? Are there any services or resources that you would like to see?
• Q7. Are there any other comments you would like to make about the library?

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Question 1. How often do you use library services?

The resources and services are ranked in the chart above; those used most often and by most people are listed at the top. The most frequently used resources were Online databases and UCL ejournals remotely with 52 people (or 2.41% of the total population) using online databases 'more than weekly' and 45 people (or 2.09%) using UCL ejournals remotely 'more than weekly'.

If we take into account less frequent use, a wider range of resources and services were being used. More than half of the respondents reported that they use the following services either 'more than weekly', 'weekly', 'monthly' or 'occasionally':

• online databases (n=70 or 3.25% of the total population),
• books (n=62 or 2.88%),
• enquiry service (n=62 or 2.88%),
• UCL ejournals remotely (n=60 or 2.78%),
• library catalogue (n=58 or 2.69%),
• print journals (n=54 or 2.50%),
• general internet access (n=52 or 2.41%),
• study space (n=50 or 2.32%),
• inter-library loans (n=50 or 2.32%),
• UCL ejournals via library PCs (n=46 or 2.13%), and,
• library training courses (n=42 or 1.95%).

Q2. How satisfied are you with the library services?

Library services are ranked in the chart above, with those for which respondents expressed the highest levels of satisfaction listed at the top. Over half of respondents ranked Helpfulness of staff, Knowledge of staff and Support for information as 'Excellent'. Services ranked as either 'Excellent' or 'Good' by more than half of the respondents were:

• helpfulness of staff (n=74 or 3.43% of the total population),
• knowledge of staff (n=71 or 3.29%),
• support for information (n=62 or 2.88%),
• access to ejournals and databases (n=62 or 2.88%),
• library environment (n=60 or 2.78%),
• range of journals (n=51 or 2.37%),
• library website (n=50 or 2.32%),
• study space (n=49 or 2.27%), and,
• library catalogue (n=48 or 2.23%).

Q3. Which of the following should the library focus on as a priority?

Respondents were asked to select priorities from a list, choosing at least one and up to three priority areas. The three most popular choices were:

• electronic journals (n=40 or 1.86% of the total population)
• library opening hours (n=28 or 1.30%)
• electronic books (n=27 or 1.25%)

These and other choices are listed, in ranked order, in the chart above. There were two additional 'other' suggestions for priorities and these have been incorporated into the responses to question 6 below.

Q4. How do you rate the library service overall?

We were very pleased that no survey respondents gave the library service an overall rating of 1 ('needs improvement'). Indeed, most people rated the library service within the positive end of the scale (n=78 or 3.62% of the total population), with 29 people giving an overall rating of 6 (‘excellent’). Just two people (or 0.09%) gave negative ratings of either 2 (n=1) or 3 (n=1).

Q5. Please give an example where the library service has had an impact on your work or has helped to improve patient care.

This was an optional question and not everyone gave a response. We received examples of impact from 49 people. The examples were:

• Access to electronic journals.
• Access to electronic journals off-site enables us to do literature searches for rare variants detected on sequencing patient DNA to determine if the variant may be disease causing or not, thus leading to an accurate diagnosis.
• Access to electronic literature makes me work more efficiently.
• Always has books available in the subject area I want to read around.
• During writing my PhD thesis I often worked in the library as it was a lovely, quiet and inspiring space to work in. The staff helped me a number of times when I had problems with using Reference Manager with Microsoft Word. Being able to access a wide range of e-journals easily from home was always very helpful when writing my thesis.
• Excellent quiet working environment since the refurbishment.
• Finding old/rare references via the inter-library loan service is very useful for research needs.
• Finding reference material on therapy of status epilepticus.
• Great work space.
• Has helped me organise my reading and research methodologies.
• High diversity of scientific journals.
• I don't often use the library (apart from e-journals) but whenever I have had contact, the service has been superb.
• I found the e-journal access invaluable while I was enrolled as a PhD student at UCL.
• I found the training courses most valuable.
• I frequently use the online resources and think they are key to my academic activities.
• I gained a lot from attending the PubMed training course at the library.
• I got one-to-tone help from the library staff on PubMed searching and using Reference Manager. These are the most important parts in finishing my assessments.
• I had to find a German article from 1912, I emailed the night before, the following morning the ladies of the library had located the article and were prepared for me to come in. They then photocopied it for me. They were very kind and extremely useful.
• I have used the library for many years and have always found the staff most helpful and pleasant. If I have a problem the staff try their utmost to be of assistance.
• I like very much the atmosphere in the library. The big windows and the light furniture gives a spacious feeling and freedom to think. It was a pleasure to work here for my MSc research project (it was my main working place during that time).
• I would be lost without the excellent access to electronic journals. High end research would be impossible.
• Staff at the library have been very helpful in securing me a book on inter-library loan. And I preferred to prepare my exam in the the quiet study room.
• In helping me to access information on specific diagnoses allowing development of clinics in these areas.
• My only use is online journals...which I use all the time.
• Obtaining a rare reference.
• Provided a very pleasant work space for me to work in for private study. Easy access to general neurology books enabled me to pop in to browse information on language disorders in epilepsy which supported me to treat a patient... Whilst online papers are important, being able to browse more general information in the form of books was a big advantage.
• Quick access to relevant journals.
• Run by fab, incredibly helpful bods.
• Systematic review of literature.
• The databases and electronic journals are critical to my work.
• The library always had software available which helped my research.
• The library has copies of neuro magazines that supply me with the latest research, articles and practice that are very useful for my job. The knowledge I have gained improved the information I gave to junior staff and helped influence good practice, and also helped patients feel at ease knowing they receive care from staff who know their field very well.
• The online electronic journals and books are very very useful.
• The staff have been very helpful getting some amazingly obscure inter-library loans, which have really helped me to write papers.
• Training courses; book and journal range.
• Training on use of databases.
• Updated journals.
• Very old literature.
• Very resourceful library.
• Was fantastic during my recent MSc.
• When reading in the library, I once came across a journal article that described a rare diagnosis, and a few days later a similar case came up in a case conference, and I was able to suggest the condition as an answer.

Q6. Are there any ways in which the library service could be improved? Are there any services or resources that you would like to see?

This was an optional question and not everyone gave a response. However, we did receive suggestions from 44 people and have grouped them into similar topics below. Within each section we have included replies to the questions raised.

Databases, Ejournals & Ebooks

16 comments were received; most were requests for more titles, for specific titles, or for enhancements to access, e.g. access from home. The comments in full were:

• More access to electronic journals.
• Access to more electronic books would be good.
• Access to more electronic journals and books.
• Even more electronic journals and books would be helpful.
• Better electronic access to some publishers.
• Some electronic journals are not available which are regularly quoted and this could be improved
• Ebooks would be great. With so much online these days, it would be really helpful to have access to a wide range of neurology ebooks.
• Access to electronic textbooks.
• There were several occasions when I found an ebook that I wanted to access, however there was no subscription through UCL.  I ended up paying >£100 to access various book chapters. I think that the library should invest more in ebooks, particularly those that may not be available in hard copy.
• Membership of open access neuroscience journals (* also mentioned by this person as an 'other' priority in Q3).
• Access to ejournals from home.
• I think that the ejournal access should also be available to UCL postgraduate/ alumni and that the NHS access to ejournals is too limited to allow thorough reading/ research.
• Wider access to UCL e-journals for NHNN users. I have to visit the library at the moment to be a guest user but would welcome being able to log on as a guest user (as NHNN Staff) from home/ work computer.
• Access to the Nature Review Cardiology. (Our reply: we would probably not add this title to the Queen Square Library collection because it falls outside our neurology remit, however, we will ask for it to be added to the wishlist, for consideration should additional funds become available.)
• Access to F1000 articles rating service (Our reply: access to F1000 has been purchased by UCL and is also available to NHS staff within the library)
• I wonder whether, as the whole journal environment changes, whether we at ION, should simply produce our own online? (Our reply: this is a very interesting comment! We will pass this on to the ION management.)

Our replies

Requests for more, or specific titles - if there is an ebook or ejournal that the library does not currently offer, please always let us know, giving details of the specific title(s) in which you are interested. Unfortunately, the high cost of online content and our limited library budget mean that it is not always possible for us to purchase access. However, a 'wishlist' is maintained of all requests received and, if additional funds become available, priority is given to wishlist items. See additional comments above about requests for specific titles.

Requests for extended access from home - three people commented that they would like to access online content (especially ejournals) from home. It is always possible for users to access content from home if it has been purchased by their own institution - e.g. NHS staff can access NHS-purchased content at home while UCL staff and students can access UCL-purchased content at home. Additionally, NHS users are also able to access most of the UCL-purchased ejournals from within the library. However, only those who work for or study at UCL can gain access from outside the UCL network because the publishers (who own the online content) have licenses in place to prevent this.

Extended opening hours and access

15 comments were received. There was no consensus about which extra hours would be of most use: 4 people (or 0.19% of the total population) asked for earlier opening; 8 (or 0.37%) for later opening and 3 (or 0.14%) for weekend opening. 4 others asked for longer opening without specifying a particular time. The comments in full were:

• Early morning/evening opening hours would be helpful.
• Extend opening hours until 9 pm.
• Extended opening hours.
• It would also help to have longer hours and possible weekend opening as many of us clinical fellows barely get time to sit in the library during the week due to our clinical commitments.
• Ideally, in the hot-research project time- March to July would be ideal to have the library open until 9pm at least. 
• It would be an additional advantage if the opening hours starts at 8.30am.
• It would be nice if there was more access out of normal hours.
• Later opening hours would help ease of access.
• Longer opening times.
• More flexible opening hours, perhaps early/late/weekends. 
• Saturday opening, accessibility after 6pm.
• To extend the open hours, for example, to close later on week days.
• Was frustrating to have to pack my bags and go home at 7pm when the main UCL libraries were open later they are often noisy and cramped for space in comparison.
• Weekend opening, say for few hours.
• Opening hours.

Our replies

We are very pleased to know how important access to the library space is to our users. Unfortunately, extending library opening hours is not currently possible. The two main reasons are: the absence of a security presence at no.23 Queen Square (the building therefore needs to be locked and secured overnight and at weekends); and, the fact that we operate with a very small library team (unfortunately, extra hours could not be covered by our current staffing levels).

In recognition of the need for access we try to make our services and resources available online as far as possible. We are also investigating the idea of installing a book return box. This would be available when the building is unlocked at 7.30am each weekday and would allow for the return of library materials early in the morning before the library opens. [Update: the library now has a book box in place to cater for out of hours book returns.]

Print journals & books

8 comments were received, asking for specific books and journals, for new subject areas, for additional copies of books we already stock and for updates to older editions. The comments in full were:

• Different books like engineering and medical physics.
• More latest books for hospital management and leadership would be useful.
• Concerning printed books- collection is heavily biased towards clinical literature. I would enjoy more cognitive & network dynamics books.
• More reference books in Neuroscience (not only available to students) would be great
• Newer edition of books to replace the old/outdated ones.
• I think it would be better if there are more copies of some popular books which can be kept for a month.
• Limited books available.
• Have Nature journals as hard copies. Perhaps have hard copies of - Journal of the American Medical Association, Applied Neuropsychology, Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, Clinical Neuropsychologist, Journal of Neuropsychology (Our reply: the journals mentioned here are available online and we would not usually buy a new subscription where a journal has already been made available to our users online).

Our replies

Requests for more, or specific titles - if there is a book or a journal that the library does not currently hold, please always let us know. We try to ensure that our collections reflect the subject areas covered by those studying and working at Queen Square.

Book requests - we are very happy to received your book suggestions so please keep them coming! We aim to buy all books requested where they fall within our subject remit and especially those that will be of use to a range of people at Queen Square. We are also happy to buy multiple copies of books that are in high demand. For books that fall outside our subject area, we may need to refer you to the collections held in other libraries at UCL and UCLH - there are 18 libraries in the UCL/UCLH 'family'.

Journal requests - buying journals is more complicated because they tend to be high cost, and because subscriptions commit the library to an annual recurrent expenditure. Usually we are only able to purchase a new journal subscription where we can cancel an existing subscription of equal value. However, please do submit your requests; we will always consider them requests and will try to accommodate them where possible. A 'wishlist' of journals is maintained and, if additional funds become available, priority is given to wishlist items. See additional comments above about requests for specific titles.

IT provision and support

7 comments were received. Some of the comments relate to IT services that are not provided by the library and so we have referred them comments to the IT support team where appropriate (see our replies below). The comments in full were:

• I would like to see more advanced technology services specially with regards to the increasing use of Mac computers and Ipads on site amongst a lot of students (Our reply: we will forward this comment to IT support).
• There are software issues that could be inproved, for example some software on disks is available to staff only and not to PhD students, however some PhD students are paid on a staff salary and are able to access this, in particular Ref manager, to me this seems unfair.  I'm sure there are logical reasons for this.  I would like to know what software is avaible to use, such as referencing software or photoshop/graphics or statistical packages, if these are not available then where it is possible to get them or why it is not possible to get them (Our reply: we will forward this comment to IT support).
• More PCs (Our reply: we have tried to achieve a balance between provision of PC spaces and study spaces. While this is a difficult balance to achieve all the PCs are in use at the same time only occasionally. We have also asked library users to help us improve matters by only using the library PCs to gather information for study and work, the purpose for which they are intended, rather than using them for social activities).
• Would improve efficiency if I am able to do some writing on the PCs once I have done the lit search. At present these PCs do not have MS Word. (Our reply: the library PCs are provided for access to library resources and are not intended to offer office facilities. In addition, we are not able to offer MSWord on the ION PCs because they are available to visitors and UCL's license does not cover use by visitors.)
• This is not specific to the Queen Square library but the UCL library website overall could be much improved to simplifying access to the online account - it's a bit tortuous at present having to go via the library catalogue. The use of acronyms/names such as eUCLid and Metablib is also confusing - it took me a while to work out the difference, and I now know I need eUCLid to log on to my account, but there are no direct links to eUCLid from the home page. Links with information on renewing/borrowing provide info but don't give links to the actual account page so you can log on and do this, etc. (Our reply: we will forward your comments to the UCL Library web team)
• Perhaps have colour printer and / or colour photocopier if possible (Our reply: we have recently investigated the costs of providing this and, unfortunately, the levels of use required to make the service cost-effective would be unattainable within such a small library. UCL provides colour printers and colour photocopiers at some of the larger sites.
• Knowing how to access UCL wireless system would be nice. I was never given instruction how to connect to network (Our reply: the wireless service is provided and supported by central UCL Information Services Division (ISD) and you will find their online instructions useful; the library has some ISD guides at the desk which you can borrow to help you set up your access).

Space and environment

3 comments were received.

• Individual study spaces, bit too open plan, even a room is shared and that can be distracting, especially if you have a learning disability that requires no distraction for profitable work to be completed.
• Maybe getting more space
• Study tables are quite close together (therefore noisy) if there is a noisy person, or a group of students studying together.

Our replies

Space is at a premium in Queen Square and the library is unlikely to be able to expand. However, working with the space we do have, we have tried to fit in as many useful facilities as possible. We were able to incorporate some smaller study rooms into our recent refurbishment but, unfortunately, there is not enough room to cater for individual study spaces. The library operates a 'quiet', rather than a 'silent' policy, but please do let library staff know if anyone is causing a disturbance as we are happy to police the quiet policy.

Service promotion

2 comments were received.

• Advertising how they can help with our roles (* mentioned as an 'other' priority in Q3)
• It would be good to know a bit more about electronic books and DVDs/CDs, as I wasn't aware that these were available - maybe a small stand on each near the desk?

Our replies

Thank you for these useful suggestions which will help us to improve the promotion of library services.

Document delivery

1 comment was received.

• Like most of us, I'm far too busy.  It would be great if I could email the details of articles that I am interested in and then to receive that article electronically. Perhaps a limit could be placed on the number of requests an individual could make so that you are not bombarded with requests!

Our reply

We appreciate that this would be a useful service at busy times; unfortunately the library does not have the capacity to support this. The library always aims to make content available online where this is possible within license terms and we can provide e-delivery of content that is not held within our collection (although please note that this is a charged service).

Finally, there were a couple of replies simply to say:

• I think the service is excellent and I am quite happy with it.
• So far I am very satisfied with the library's services.

Thank you!

Q7. Are there any other comments you would like to make about the library?

This was an optional question and not everyone gave a response. However, we did receive comments from 38 people. The comments were:

• All is OK.
• Always friendly and helpful, nice environment to work in.
• Couldn't be more helpful in my moments of need.
• Everyone is always helpful.
• Excellent resource.
• Excellent service, thank you.
• Extremely kind and helpful staff.
• I am just not sure what the role of a physical library space is anymore.
• I really love the new face of Queen Square library. It is very well organized but most important, the staff are very helpful and friendly. The E jourmnals are very well arranged.
• I think it is a friendly and helpful library team.
• I think that overall the ION library is fantastic! The staff are brilliant and very helpful! It was a great space to work in during the dark days of thesis writing!
• I think the library is EXCELLENT! The staff are AMAZING! Quick, efficient, reliable, quick responses by email, which is greatly apprciated when books are overdue. The courtesy book notice is invaluble! Overall the library is excellent and looks FAB! I even like the shiny new lift!
• Incredibly approachable and helpful.
• It is a very pleasant environment to work in especially now it has been modernised, it really is a pleasure to visit.
• It is an excellent resource within Queen Square.
• It's a really excellent service.  E-journals, ILLs and training are all outstanding and the new refurbishment has resulted in a wonderful environment.
• Just great!
• Life blood of the Institute - one of the best libraries I have come across - exceptionally helpful staff.
• Looks posh!
• Many thanks to the very helpful staff, and a lovely new refit
• Need separate study areas, not shared areas as the only option.  However, on a positive, the staff are so friendly and helpful, real asset to UCL!
• Nice library, friendly staff and views are good. I come here almost every lunch hour.
• Staff are always very helpful and welcoming. I very much enjoyed attending the course on journal impact factors and found it useful. The library itself has a very nice environment - although I have not had the need to work at the library yet, if I was a student I am sure I would have liked to study at the desks provided.
• Staff are always very helpful, pleasant and willing to assist.
• Staff are excellent. New refurbishment has created a really good space to study.
• Thank you very much for all your help during the year!!
• Thank you!
• Thanks for all your help/support.
• The library staff and facilities are excellent overall and it provides a pleasant environment in which to work.
• The library staff are extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Very user-friendly.
• The staff are very dedicated.
• The staff is amazing! Friendly, patient, helpful!!
• The staff is just fantastic!
• The staff is very helpful and very professional in their work. God Bless them all!
• V helpful staff. Current awareness v helpful.
• Very friendly staff, quiet to study. I like it very much.
• Very helpful staff.