Queen Square Library User Survey results 2020

This page provides an overview of the main results, including a comparison with our previous surveys where possible, and our replies to comments and suggestions.

Please see the following documents for further details:

Question 1. How satisfied are you with the services and resources currently offered?

Over 75% of respondents ranked Helpfulness of staff, Knowledge of staff and Support for information as 'Excellent' (94%, 89% and 78% respectively). 54% of the total rankings overall were Excellent

Individual services and resources ranked as either 'Excellent' by 50% or more respondents were:

Databases (68%)
Ebooks (57%)
Wifi (55%)
Remote ejournals (75%)
Library catalogue (53%)
Literature searching (70%)
Ejournals in library (62%)
Print journals (95%)
Library website (56%)
Inter-library loans (54%)
Training (60%)

A direct comparison with previous surveys is not possible for this question as we removed the N/A option from every line in this question (to try and increase completion rates)

However, more services and resources are listed above than in previous surveys (e.g. ILL and Training) despite only listing services rated as Excellent by 50% of more respondents (as opposed to Excellent or Good in previous survey results) . Opening Hours and Study Space received the lowest Excellent ratings (19% and 33% respectively)

Over half of the services and resources listed had no respondent rankings them as "needing improvement". Only 2% of the total rankings overall were "needs improvement".

Services which received most rankings of "Needs improvement" were:

Opening hours - 7 respondents (15%)
Study space - 5 respondents (10%)
Wifi - 3 respondents (7%)
Print books – 2 respondents (5%)
UCLH PC access – 2 respondents (5%)

These have all appeared on previous surveys. However, access to printing and copying, and social media, which appeared on the last survey had one and no respondents (respectively) ranking them as needing improvement this time

Suggestions for improvement

Respondents who said that a service needs improvement were prompted for further details. We received 12 responses and have grouped them into similar topics below (which are similar to those raised in previous surveys) including our replies:

Range of and access to print and eresources

3 respondents referred to this as an area for improvement.

Our reply:

We encourage users to let us know if there is a print, ebook or ejournal that the library does not currently offer, giving details of the specific title(s). Unfortunately, the high cost of online content and a limited library budget mean that it is not always possible for us to purchase access, but we do purchase all items which are on reading lists which we receive. A 'wishlist' is maintained of all requests received and, if additional funds become available, priority is given to wishlist items.

In terms of print resources, registered Library members have access to books across UCL Libraries, including the LASS and Science Libraries, which also hold resources on related subject areas. Many of these can be requested on inter-site loan for collection at Queen Square Library. We can also obtain items on Inter-Library loan from the British Library.

Opening hours

7 respondents referred to opening hours. Some expressed a preference for extended evening opening and some requested weekend opening.

Our reply:
It is good to hear that access to our physical space is still important to our users. Unfortunately, extending library opening hours is not currently feasible due to the absence of a security presence at no.23 Queen Square (the building therefore needs to be locked and secured overnight and at weekends).

70% of respondents rated the opening hours as Excellent or Good. However, it was cited as the top priority for us to focus on (see Question 5 below) and we will continue to monitor our usage, and investigate submitting a bid to Library Services for extended opening hours.

Registered members of our Library also have access to other UCL Libraries and some of the larger libraries have longer evening and weekend opening - http://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/opening.shtml

IT facilities

4 respondents commented on provision of IT facilities in the Library. One comment concerned charging for copying and printing, one the confusing computer set up, and two the need for more UCLH computers, and privacy for these. Wifi was also in the top 3 of areas for improvement (although no specific comments were added)

Our reply:

Printing and copying access and wifi was listed as a top priority in earlier surveys. In 2019 we had two new hubs installed to ensure reliable wifi throughout the library. We encourage our users to let us know if they do experience difficulties with our wifi connection. As part of the move to Windows 10, we reviewed our computer provision over Summer 2019, and we now have :

three UCL E-Access Points (EAPs) for access to UCL e-resources.
six computers which are UCLH network access only which have been migrated to Windows 10 .These can print to our UCLH printer
six Desktop@UCL computer workstations (which double up as study desks). We also have a print@UCL device.

The computers are in 3 distinct areas for which we have developed signage, but we recognise that this is a change for users, and encourage users to ask at the desk if they are unsure which computer to use for which purpose.

We also monitor usage of the UCLH computers, and will review the balance between UCL e-Access Points and UCLH computers this summer. The issue of privacy was also raised at a recent HEE visit, and we are liaising (along with colleagues at the Cruciform) with the UCLH IT Department over effective solutions.

Please see Questions 5 & 6 below for further suggestions

Question 2. How do you rate the Library overall?

Respondents were asked to choose a rating from 1 ('needs improvement') to 6 ('excellent'). We were very pleased that no survey respondents gave the library service an overall rating of 1. Most people rated the library service within the positive end of the scale (96% of respondents), with 45% giving an overall rating of 6 (‘excellent’). This is a similar pattern to previous surveys. No respondent gave negative ratings of either 1 (n=1) or 2 (n=3). A slight decrease from previous surveys

Question 3: For what purpose(s) do you use library services?

The top 5 cited purposes from a pre-defined list were:

Research Projects - 75% of respondents
Personal / professional development - 60%
Preparing for teaching/presentations - 35%
Exam preparation -29%
Clinical guidelines - 20%

This is similar to previous surveys, with research projects and Personal / professional development being rated highly. It is pleasing to see the range of purposes for which the Library is used, which reflect Queen Square's role in teaching, training, research and clinical practice.

Please see Question 4 for some specific examples of how using the Library has impacted upon work and patient care.

Question 4. 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. We received 32 examples of impact which included:

Use of dietary regimes in an individual ITU patient management
writing review articles on patient care and pathways, running searches on best evidence; my PhD studies were supported by the QS Library and the staff continues to support every clinical or research query.
helped in understanding research outputs across international inst to better understand areas of research improvement from ION
We support authors writing Cochrane systematic reviews, which support evidence-informed decision making and often feed into clinical guidelines.
we frequently use the access to online journals to download relevant information, to be passed on to clinicians (to inform them of the best treatment options) or sometimes also to patients.
The library services were instrumental to my success in writing a literature review surrounding Alzheimer's Disease. Their assistance and resources were extremely helpful in my research and provided me with many useful venues of study
To search literature to guide patient treatment and support case for individual funding request for NHS England

Question 5. 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:

Opening hours - 37% of respondents
Ejournals - 30%
Quiet study space- 30%

All of these have appeared in the top 3 in previous surveys (though only Opening Hours appeared in the top 3 in the 2018 survey).

Please see Question 1 for our reply to suggestions for improvement to eresources, wifi and opening hours.

It is good to hear that access to our physical space is still important to our users. Space is at a premium in Queen Square, and as part of our refurbishment in 2010 we maximised the use of space, increasing the number of study spaces by a third, and fitting in as many multi-purpose facilities as possible. Over summer 2019, we needed to migrate some of our UCL computers to desktop@UCL and introduced multi-purpose computer desks which can also be used for study.

We monitor usage and know that the occasions where there are no seats available is very rare. The refurbishment of no 7 Queen Square has provided more capacity for study space within the Square. Registered members of our Library also have access to other UCL Libraries and some of the larger libraries have longer evening and weekend opening - http://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/opening.shtml

We received additional suggestions for priorities, including

reference management programs

we have extended our training programme to include Mendeley, and provide links to information, including online user guides and Endnote access for UCLH staff. We encourage users to contact us if they have queries about Endnote, mendeley, or other reference management programmes so we can signpost to appropriate training and resources.

one or more bookable rooms, in order to study in group without bothering other students, or to attend online classes

As mentioned above, space is at a premium, and, although we aim to fit in as many multi-purpose facilities as possible, we do not have the space to accommodate bookable areas, and operate on a first come, first served basis. We also do not have sound proofed rooms. We can, however, loan headphones for those wishing to undertake online training which requires audio output.

Selling more books /History of Queen Square Hospital

We also occasionally have surplus duplicate books for sale which are displayed in the library, including the Queen Square: A History of the National Hospital and its Institute of Neurology. We also house and manage Queen Square Archives. Please contact us for further information.

Question 6. 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 15 people.

The comments included further suggestions as below:

Please make sure that people don’t just leave their stuff and take up valuable library space

As mentioned above, space is at a premium, and we discourage users from leaving their belongings, for security as well as space reasons, through signage throughout the library. We also conduct hourly head counts, and support UCL Libraries Share the Space initiative. We encourage users to let us know if library study space is being inappropriately used.

a vending machine for snacks

Although we aim to fit in as many multi-purpose facilities as possible, we do not have the space to accommodate a social area where eating is possible.

Examples of other comments received:

The access to journals is outstanding.
Kate Brunskill is the best! Always very keen to help and accommodate students/employees busy schedules when arranging a meeting/training session.
The staff within the library offered excellent support in finding the right resources.
I often need help in finding books or papers, not immediately available. The help I was given was excellent on all occasions
Having the ability to escape a noisy office environment to concentrate on ongoing projects.
Without access to the computers in the library I would not have been able to perform my clinical job adequately
QS library provides a quiet place to work independently or with a small group of colleagues in the satellite rooms, and I have always had assistance from the knowledgeable staff when I have requested it.
Provided a quiet space where I could get important work done when I didn’t really have anywhere else. The staff are very friendly and helpful, and helped me resolve issues that would have taken a lot longer to sort on my own
The library provides essential services to clinical and academic work.
The library is clean, well maintained and peaceful. The staff are very friendly and helpful.