The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) has opened 2023 registration for LibQUAL, a leading tool for assessing library customer satisfaction. For more than 20 years, libraries have depended on LibQUAL survey data to evaluate the needs and satisfaction levels of their users. With LibQUAL, libraries are able to access raw data and comments to identify priorities, successes, and concerns. First-time users of the tool can use it to measure progress against peer institutions. Repeat users are able to track progress over time and assess changes made to their library since the previous survey.
Since 2000, LibQUAL has been utilized by almost 1,400 libraries in 35 countries. The survey has helped libraries gather over 2.8 million responses, with 37% of respondents providing additional comments.
LibQUAL provides libraries with the necessary tools and data for effectively allocating resources, analyzing deficits, and identifying best practices. Additionally, with LibQUAL, libraries are able to assess users’ perceptions of customer treatment and overall library staff performance, and evaluate information resources available for users and accessibility of those resources. Libraries can also review their implementation of “library as place,” including their library’s environment, individual and group study spaces, and equipment. This institutional data enables libraries to determine whether their services are meeting user expectations—and develop services that better meet those expectations.
Registration
The LibQUAL 2023 survey will open on January 15. Registration is ongoing and enables participants to implement a survey at any time during the two LibQUAL survey sessions in 2023:
- Session I: January 15–May 31, 2023
- Session II: July 1–December 9, 2023
New participants may register by emailing libqual@arl.org.
The registration fee is $3,200. Past participants may register on the LibQUAL website and may be eligible for reduced fees. Institutions that participated in LibQUAL in 2022 will receive a discount of $1,000 on their 2023 survey registration, and institutions that last participated in 2021 will receive a discount of $500.
Registration for the 2023 survey year will close on November 1, 2023.
About the Association of Research Libraries
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit organization of 127 research libraries in Canada and the US whose mission is to advance research, learning, and scholarly communication. The Association fosters the open exchange of ideas and expertise; advances diversity, equity, and inclusion; and pursues advocacy and public policy efforts that reflect the values of the library, scholarly, and higher education communities. ARL forges partnerships and catalyzes the collective efforts of research libraries to enable knowledge creation and to achieve enduring and barrier-free access to information. ARL is on the web at ARL.org.
