Using Focus Group Feedback:

1. Using Focus Group Feedback: How the UVU Fulton Library Incorporated Feedback to Make Improvements and Reach More Students Mary Naylor Stephens, MS Annie Smith, MLS

2. Assessing Reference • Tally sheets: directional and research • Brief survey, Summer 2016 • Whiteboard surveys, Spring 2017 • Campus-wide “Student Opinion Survey” (2 reference-ish questions), Fall 2018 Reference “Heat Map,” September, 2018

3. Assessing Reference: Where Things Were What we had done • Continuous tally sheets • Brief survey, Summer 2016 • Whiteboard surveys, Spring 2017 • Student Opinion Survey (2 reference-ish questions), Fall 2018 Drawbacks • Not a large sample • No in depth information • Weren’t getting “non” users, or any answers on non use

4. Partnering with Institutional Research • A focus group seemed like the answer • More depth • Non users could be included • Round out stats with stories • New ground for the library • Institutional Research helped with • Being experts! • Neutral facilitator • Neutral location • Guided questions and follow ups

5. Focus Group • Focus Group 1, June 2018 • N=4 (all non-traditional) • First Summer Semester group try • Focus Group 2, October 2018 • N=11 • First evening group try • Students represented a variety of majors and class levels (except freshmen). • Facilitated and housed by Institutional Research. • Students received pizza, soda, and movie tickets for participation.

6. From the June 2018 IR Summary: “Another participant expressed just thinking of UVU’s librarians as student employees who ‘man the post.’ Jokingly, the participant mentioned that maybe there is a director somewhere--looking at a big screen, surrounded by books--and that’s what the participant associates with the title ‘librarian.’”

7. Findings • The usual suspect: students don’t know what we do and we weren’t the first people they thought to ask for research help. • Students had different definitions and expectations of “research.” • Students were independent searchers, but reported struggling with: • Creating topics • Understanding scholarly writing • Identifying relevant sources • Citations • Students love working with librarians...once they have established contact with one of us. • Kudos to instruction! ... But some students are missing library workshops.

8. Findings • Library is valued for space, atmosphere. • Interlibrary loan and citation builders were big hits. • Sadly, so was Google Scholar. • Students encountered surprising friction points in using the library. • There was so much the students didn’t know about the Library.

9. Closing the Loop • Short Term: • Modify instruction presentations • Update library tutorials • Advertise librarians in new ways • Initiate “Weird Reference” training • Long Term: • Broaden reach of library advertising • Build relationships with faculty • Pilot “book a librarian” • Investigate more ways to provide help at points of need.

10. Perks and Pits of Focus Groups Perks • Got context! Lots of detailed information • Tried something new • Students gave good suggestions • New connections on campus Pits • Cost • Still not as much context as some peeps would like • Sample size • Coordination time and energy

11. Recommendations • Plan ahead • Time • Budget • Ask for help! (and let the experts be experts) • Neutral is a win! • Build a question bank • What questions do you want more details? What stories will help? • Draft, draft, draft, draft • Zen space for results • Feedback is hard

12. Special Thanks Angela Ward: Senior Research Analyst at Utah Valley University Annalyse Kofoed: Student Research Assistant at Utah Valley University

13. Questions? Mary Naylor Stephens mary.nayor@uvu.edu Annie Smith smithan@uvu.edu This presentation is also available on Google Docs: https://tinyurl.com/focus-groups-for-reference