NEEDS ASSESSMENT- HUB ZEMKE LIBRARY

LIS-650
LUCAS BERRINI, MEGAN FRANKS, SALLY MORRAL, JAMIE ZOCCI
NOVEMBER 30, 2016

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

II. INTRODUCTION

III. METHODS

IV. RESULTS

V. CONCLUSION

VI. RECOMMENDATIONS

VII. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT EXPERIENCE

VIII. APPENDICES

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 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This needs assessment was conducted for the Hub Zemke Library (HZL) an Air Force

Library located in Northern California. Since Group Sevens members are geographically

scattered, this library was selected as Sally Morral is currently employed with the library and

there was no feasible way to select a library that was close enough to everyone in the group.

Over a two-month period, September to October 2016, patrons were surveyed via comment cards

and the eight staff members were surveyed via qualitative survey questions. The goal of this

needs assessment was to survey a current satisfaction rating at the library for patrons, determine

how the observations and experiences of the staff measure up to the vision of HZL library

administrator, and gather what improvements should be made to the library based on staff and

patron recommendations.

The administrators vision for the library consisted of seven categories which were then

presented to the staff as questions. The staff then offered their opinions based on their work

experiences and observations. In line with the administrators vision, these questions asked the

following of the current staff of eight employees:

1. What would it take to make the library a social hub for events and fun learning?

2. Why is the library not the go-to facility for computer needs?

3. How can the library promote its digital resources better?

4. Does the library offer enough new and best-selling fiction and nonfiction?

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5. Is there enough study space for both quiet study and meetings or group study?

6. What would it take for squadron leadership to show off the library to VIPs?

7. How can the library be the facility with unmatched customer service?

The eight employees presented with these questions expressed a desire for updated

library accommodations in regards to space, atmosphere, layout, needed upgrades, and fostering

of a more social atmosphere and activities to promote socialization. Employees also suggested

weeding of the current collection is needed in order to make room for a newer selection of fiction

and nonfiction. While the employees earn high marks in their customer service capabilities, they

expressed a need for marketing in regards to social media, promotions, updated website, and

socialization spaces.

The patron questionnaire asked for customer feedback on the following aspects of

customer service at the library: facility appearance, employee/staff attitude, timeliness of service,

hours of service, and whether or not the product or service met the needs of the customer. The

patron was then asked whether or not they were satisfied with their experience and given space

to leave optional comments or recommendations for improvement. All of the comment cards

ranked these aspects as excellent or good. Only one card expressed dissatisfaction with their

experience specifically with the need for an update to the JAVA application on the computers.

Encouragingly, the majority of positive comments concerned the warmth, friendliness,

and attentiveness of the staff. The selection of the 35,000 item library collection also received

positive comments although two patrons suggested an addition of video games to expand the

collection.

The Hub Zemke Library needs assessment presented a unified customer service strength

from the perspective of both staff and patrons. However, the library staff is largely unified on

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their need for improvement and changes to what the facility currently has to offer. Once such

changes and upgrades are made to the facilities, the library then needs to pursue marketing (such

as through social media and website improvement) to promote these changes in order to bring

more patrons in and to cultivate a more social atmosphere.

INTRODUCTION

The Hub Zemke Librarys administrator developed a new vision to ensure her facility

thrives after surviving a difficult sequestration. In order for her new vision to become a feasible

venture, she must conduct a needs assessment. The administrator developed an employee survey

and gathered customer satisfaction data. From the results of the surveys, the data was gathered

and analyzed, resulting in useful recommendations.

Both qualitative and quantitative questions were used to determine needs. Questions

based on the administrators vision, the staff members answered the qualitative questions with

thought provoking and constructive answers. The librarys patrons answered quantitative

questions that helped the administrator to know the needs of her patrons.

The results of the staff and customer surveys showed an overall high customer

satisfaction rating. The needs of the patrons did reflect the opinions of the staff members. Even

though the number of customer surveys and staff surveys were few, the results were clear and

compelling. The results of the qualitative opinions of both staff and customers led to a

comprehensive list of recommendations that will both enhance the vision of the administrator

and add better customer service to both patrons and the staff members.

The Hub Zemke Library is a facility that has been in turmoil for three years. The library

was a casualty of the government sequestration. The library is an Air Force library located in

Northern California. The library is a small facility of 10,570 square feet that houses 34,997

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items. A current staff of eight employees works a full-time equivalent of 5.03. Although Air

Force libraries mission is to support the Mission of the agency, its other missions are to support

the education of active-duty military members and their dependents and to provide traditional

library services and resources. The people the library serves are active-duty, reserve, and retired

military and their dependents, Department of Defense civilian employees, and base contract

workers.

The budget cuts during the sequestration lasted 12 months. During the first six months,

all staff members lost their jobs, except for the director and the technician. The hours open to the

public were cut from 52 to 28 hours per week. During the last six months of the sequestration,

the director and technician were let go. The library was run by active-duty military personnel for

two weeks before three of the library aids were re-hired at minimum wage. The library aids

maintained library operations at 16 hours a week. The only leadership the library aids had was a

chief, who was very ill, suffering from cancer. The chief did not supervise the library aids, and he

did not communicate with the headquarters. As a result, Hub Zemke Library lost all funding for

resources. The only funding received was from the local base to pay the utilities and the three

minimum-wage salaries. Another casualty was that untrained personnel made many errors in the

ILS.

After 12 months, the sequestration was lifted; however, the new budget was less than half

of what it was before the sequestration. Many Air Force libraries were closed permanently

because they were not kept open by their local bases. The library was fortunate to have been kept

open by its local base. The technician was re-hired but at a lower wage. The director position was

advertised for eight months and remained unfilled. In the meantime, the technician worked to re-

open the library, gain funding for resources, and clean up the ILS--all without a working

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telephone or computer for four months (she used her personal laptop and cell phone). The chief

resigned, and a new chief took over leadership of the squadron. One of the first acts of the new

chief was to offer the technician the directors position with the provision that she obtain a

library degree, in addition to her graduate-level business degree she already possessed.

For the first few months, the new director was busy selecting staff, re-designing position

descriptions, cleaning up the ILS, and gaining funding for programs and resources. The library

has survived the sequestration, but now, the director wants the library to thrive. The director must

now turn her attention to growing the patronage, changing the scope of established programs,

adding new technology, and including new events. In order to do this, the new director developed

a vision. To ensure her vision is feasible, she must conduct a needs assessment that will help her

decide how to accomplish the new vision she has drafted.

The directors vision includes seven areas that she believes will ensure the library will

thrive and be secure from another drastic budget cut. The directors vision of the Hub Zemke

Library is for it to become the social hub for events and fun learning; be the go-to facility for

computer needs (military network and public); have a modern website featuring cutting-edge

digital resources that are promoted by knowledgeable staff; have shelves filled with more new

and best-selling fiction and nonfiction; create more people space for meetings and quiet study; be

the first, most interesting stop for visiting VIP tours; and have unmatched and superior customer

service on the base.

METHODS

The participants in this assessment came from two main groups - employees of the library

and patrons of the library. There are eight staff members at this library and each answered a

series of seven questions in a free-response format. These responses were collected over a one-

week period. Twenty-eight patrons responded to a comment card which included two yes-or-no

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questions and four questions with the following range of answers: Excellent, Good, Ok, Poor,

Awful. All six questions on the comment card also had N/A as an answer option. The patron

responses were collected over a two-month period.

The employees were chosen as part of the needs assessment because of their familiarity

with the library and what it needs, as well as their knowledge of the librarys goals and the

administrators vision for the library. The survey questions for the employees focused on the

should bes for the library. Patrons were given the option to answer the comment card survey

at-will. The survey questions for them focused on satisfaction with the current situation of the

library. As users of the library, patrons were included in the needs assessment because they are

familiar with using what is currently offered to them through the library.

The employee survey questions were based on library goals and the administrators

vision. The free-response format was used in order to garner the most complete responses

possible. As there are only a small number of employees in this library, these qualitative

responses were determined to be the most helpful for this portion of the needs assessment. The

larger pool of patrons warranted the use of more quantitative answers, for a quick and easy

response time on the provided comment cards. Patron answers to the yes-or-no questions were

allowed expansion through the rating scale (Excellent to Awful) as well as a free-response area

for comments or recommendations for improvement.

RESULTS

With a total of 28 user responses, the customer satisfaction rate was 93%. This indicates

that the library is doing a good job overall in response to its customers needs. While the total

number of respondents could have been much higher, the consensus of the group is that the

concerns raised would not have necessarily changed the percentages or overall outcome of the

survey. Using a system of user response forms, the collected data reflects a good cross section of

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the libraries core patron base. As this is a military library, there is reason to believe that similar

surveys taken at a later date would reflect many of the same concerns and suggestions for

improvement. A military base provides a built in patron base. While people may move on from

their current assignment, the main type of user, military, would remain the same and as such the

concerns for improvement would remain constant. The data collection was done anonymously

and each patron was allotted space to write in any comments or concerns that might have

regarding library services.

The Library is tasked with providing library services to a military population. In general

the function is very much aligned with that of a public library. An Air Force libraries mission is

to support the mission of the agency, in this case. To support the servicemen and women who are

stationed at the base. The librarys other mission is to support the education of active-duty

military members and their dependents and to provide traditional library services and resources.

The patrons served are active-duty, reserve, and retired military and their dependents. The library

also serves Department of Defense civilian employees, and base contract workers.

Because of the aforementioned budget cuts, the library is facing serious cutbacks to its

mission. The ideal state for the library would be one of total funding. With a more robust funding

package, the library would be able to address some patron concerns such as more video games

and staying open later on Friday evenings, surely a popular time for patrons and their families.

Based on our assessment, the library is a popular recreation outlet for the military

community. With an overall customer satisfaction rating of 93%, the library is doing a great job

of providing services.

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 FIGURE 1

The few concerns that patrons voiced in the survey were valid and even in terms of the

number of surveys received, the library is doing a great job with the resources they have.

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 FIGURE 2.

The feedback received was overwhelmingly positive. The four areas under review

included facility appearance, employee and staff attitude, timeliness of service and hours of

service. In the responses received, the hours of service were specifically mentioned, but

otherwise the library itself as well as the staff received high marks.

FIGURE 3.

Customer satisfaction was again highly rated. An overwhelming majority of respondents

were satisfied with their experience. When asked about their satisfaction with services, the

results were mixed. The patrons who were not entirely satisfied were seeking items or services

that are budget dependent. Asking for an increase in media requires a budgetary adjustment. The

other area of concern, having longer operating hours, also falls under the budgetary restrictions

currently in place at the library.

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 Customer Survey Positive Comments

FIGURE 4.

The comments received by the library were overwhelmingly positive. Most patrons were

satisfied with the selection of material available and the resources offered. Customer service and

and an attentive staff were repeatedly mentioned by respondents. The demeanor and work by the

staff is a positive asset to the library and will go a long way in keeping patrons as repeat

customers. Going above and beyond to serve the patron when faced with budgetary restraints is a

key component of the +1 customer service mantra and by all accounts is in play at this library.

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 Customer Survey Suggestions for Improvement

FIGURE 5.

From the responses received, the library is generally serving the patrons needs. Some of

the complaints, such as heating issues or application updates are easily fixed. A majority of the

complaints centered on a lack of material, specifically video games. Complaints of this nature

can be explored in budgetary terms and it could be a long-term goal of the library. One last

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complaints that stood out was the operating hours. That too falls under a budgetary item and

could also be explored as a priority item for the director.

FIGURE 6.

The employees of the library also had their own concerns. Overwhelmingly the concern

is the lack of new technology in the library and adaquate study and social space for patrons. The

lack of technology echoes some of the patrons concerns regarding outdated applications. The

technology concerns are easier to rectify with a dedication by the library to implement updates as

the budget allows. Upgrading or expanding physical space is not as easily achieved and should

be considered a potential long-term item. Other areas of concern focused on marketing the

library. Depending on the criticality of that item, staff could implement social media channels or

partner with the base for marketing and public relations advice.

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 RECOMMENDATIONS

The 93% customer satisfaction rate indicates that the Hub Zemke Librarys customer

service is good; however, it could be improved to gain a higher customer service satisfaction

rate. Additional, upper level customer service training could increase the library's customer

satisfaction level. Trainings may consist of interpersonal skills, personality assessment, general

customer service, and library customer service training. A combination of customer service

trainings, interpersonal/personality, and refresher courses should be added to the library's

employee training plan.

Good customer service is also delivered in the form of a good website. The library's

website needs improvement and a more modern feel. Patrons could get a sense of belonging and

connection with the library with an improved website. The recommendation here is to consult a

professional website company to design an interactive and inviting web presence. Additionally,

the librarys OPAC needs to be updated.

Because having knowledgeable staff to promote the digital resources is one of the goals

in director's vision, additional training for the circulation staff is recommended. This training can

be a combination of webinars and screen-shot videos for each digital resource. The director

should add digital resource training to the library's training plan. Additionally, a newly designed

website should offer easy-to-find access to digital resources.

The library cannot be the "go-to" place for computer needs without computer upgrades.

The current collection of patron computers is outdated. The old patron computers need to be

replaced with new computers. Additionally, the computers should be upgraded at least every

three to five years. In addition to upgraded computers, the director should attempt to get

upgraded bandwidth for more complex computer use. If the library is to be the "go-to" computer

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place, the director may want to consider offering both Mac, as well as PCs. The upgrades and

addition of Mac computers needs to be part of the director's Technology Plan.

As stated in Results, the staff indicate that the people space for quiet study and group

study is a real problem. The recommendation is to exchange empty shelf space with a table and

chairs or a study carrel in the corner furthest from the children's room and the circulation desk.

There is a vacant office in the stacks. This room should be used for group study.

CONCLUSION

The librarys new administrator created a vision based on the needs she viewed as

necessary for the success of their library. Having been closed temporarily and then has been

struggling with a limited budget, the administrator wants to ensure that her library not only

survives but thrives. Based on her vision, the administrator developed a survey for her staff.

Additionally, she gathered data from the librarys customer satisfaction comment cards.

The customer surveys were both qualitative and quantitative, offering a good amount of

information. The overall satisfaction rate reveals that the customer service is good. Other

dissatisfied data show the need for upgraded computers and a need for both separate quiet and

group study space. In comparison, the staff survey was qualitative in nature. Results revealed that

the staff agree that the customer service is good but more training would enhance customer

satisfaction further. Additionally, the staff overwhelmingly agree that the library needs new

computers for both the staff and the customers. Again, the staff agree with the customers that

separate quiet and group study areas are needed.

The recommendations based on the customer satisfaction and staff surveys are

encouraging and fit in well with the administrators vision of a library to offer more modern

features and resources for their patrons. Recommendations include more employee training that

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focuses on navigating and promoting digital resources, as well as next-level customer service

education. Other areas include upgrading the website, computers, and appearance of the facility.

STRENGTHS

One of the main strengths of this needs assessment is that Sally works for the Hub Zemke

Library and therefore had a strong incentive to seek to improve her workplace. This also means

Sally has the experience as an employee to see where the problems are and to then cater her

questions towards the right issues that she has noticed. As mentioned previously, the library has a

lot of room for improvement in the eyes of the staff and patrons, so conducting a needs

assessment allows for a collection of data on where the library is excelling while also being able

to point to the problem areas (mainly a lot of upgrades and changes to the layout in order to

create a more social atmosphere).

Another strength of this needs assessment comes in the form of qualitative data. In

particular, the employee interviews offer crucial information about the experiences of the staff

and what they see is their workday. The staff members offered valuable information and

genuinely seemed to want to contribute to the betterment of the Hub Zemke Library. Most of the

staff agreed on what needs improved, so if the whole or most of the staff is asking for technology

upgrades, new floorplans, and fostering a more social atmosphere, then that indicates that these

are valuable areas to devote resources.

The clear winning strength of the library is the customer service and staff. While a few

staff members noted that the staff may need more training, the overwhelming response of the

staff was to sing their praises. This is especially evident in the customer comment cards where

patrons named specific employees who helped them and made them feel special. Hopefully this

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needs assessment can help the Hub Zemke Library staff get the workplace for which they are

asking, as the staff is clearly highly valued by their patrons.

Of course, in helping the library with a needs assessment, this helps the them to improve.

In improving, this helps the lives of those who are fighting for or have fought for our country, as

well as their families.

WEAKNESSES

One of our groups weaknesses it that it took a long time to select a library so we did not

have as much time as we could have to put forth in order to gather more patron responders to the

survey questions. Since there is a time difference. as well as a great deal of distance among the

group members, this sometimes made things difficult when trying to coordinate available times

to meet. However, the group was always prompt when responding to emails to one another.

Another weakness of this needs assessment would be that we could have tried to gather

more quantitative data. The staff also noted being confused by some of the wording of the

questions particularly question six (what would it take for squadron leadership to show off the

library to VIPs?). Concerning the questionnaires for the patrons, a lot of the comment cards

showed patrons skipped answering: Did the product or service meet your needs? even when

they would check yes to the following question: Were you satisfied with your experience at

this office/facility? This creates some confusion as to whether the patrons skipped the question,

werent actually having their needs met, or just overlooking that question. Perhaps a restructuring

of the comment card could help make sure the question would not be skipped in the future.

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 APPENDICES

Appendix 1 - Patron Comment Card

Appendix 2 - Employee Survey

1. What would it take to make the library a social hub for events and fun learning?
2. Why is the library not the go-to facility for computer needs (.mil network and public)?
3. How can the library promote its digital resources better?
4. Does the library offer enough new and best-selling fiction and nonfiction?
5. Is there enough people space for both quiet study and group study?
6. What would it take for squadron leadership to show off the library to VIPs?
7. How can the library be the facility with unmatched customer service?

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