University Students’ Changing Library Needs and Use: A Comparison of 2016 and 2018 Student Surveys

Evidence Based Library & Information Practice / March 2020


students talking in library

This study examines differences in university students’ library use and satisfaction (e.g., in-person library visits, online and print resource use, space satisfaction, and library website use) between 2016 and 2018 based on local survey data. The survey results reveal that students’ library visits and use of library resources in 2018 were higher than in 2016 and that the mean score of students’ library quiet study space satisfaction in 2018 was higher than in 2016. However, when compared to the 2016 survey, there was a decrease in students’ ease of library website use in the 2018 survey. Ultimately, assessing students’ behavior and satisfaction associated with their use of library physical spaces, resources, and services should be conducted on an ongoing basis. Over time, the survey findings can be used as evidence based data to communicate patterns of users’ behavior and satisfaction with various stakeholders, identify areas for improvement or engagement, and demonstrate the library’s impact.

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