The Pacific University Libraries conducted an all-student survey from November 10, 2020-December 9, 2020. The following is a summary of notable response themes; following the responses are a list of area where the Libraries need to take (or have already taken) action in response to the survey feedback, as well as a description of the student respondent group.
How do students feel about using the Libraries?
Contribution to student success. Students believe that the Libraries contribute to their academic success: 61.34% (303) said the Libraries contributed significantly to their success; 33.20% (164) said the Libraries contributed somewhat; and only 2.83% (14) said the Libraries did not contribute at all to their success as a student.
Obtaining necessary information. Most students (88.26% / 496) were able to get the information the needed for class work or research from the Libraries in the past year. Of the students who shared why they were unable to get the information they needed, 28 could not find what they needed, 27 said the Libraries didn’t provide access to what they needed, and 19 said it was too inconvenient for them to access.
Reasons not to ask for help. If students had trouble finding information they needed, and decided not to ask a library worker for help (46.30% of students), it was primarily because they felt their information need wasn’t that important (34.35% / 146), they didn’t know who or how to ask for help (22.82% / 97), they didn’t have enough time (21.88% / 93), or they weren’t comfortable approaching a library worker (7.53% / 32).
Satisfaction with help received. When students did choose to ask a library worker for help, 87.70% (221) were satisfied with the response they received. Of those who were not satisfied with their response, the only reasons selected were that they didn’t receive the answer they needed or the answer wasn’t comprehensive enough—no students selected that library workers weren’t supportive or respectful.
Sense of belonging. The majority of students—but not all—felt that they belonged in the library and were comfortable using the library: 94.70% (447) were either neutral, agreed, or strongly agreed that they feel they belong when they are in the library; 93.78% (452) were either neutral, agreed, or strongly agreed that they feel comfortable asking a library worker for help; and 92.95% (448) were either neutral, agreed, or strongly agreed that they feel comfortable studying in the library.
Of students who self-identified as BIPOC (all race/ethnicity categories other than White), responses were similar: 94.16% (129) were either neutral, agreed, or strongly agreed that they feel they belong when they are in the library; 97.84% (136) were either neutral, agreed, or strongly agreed that they feel comfortable asking a library worker for help; and 94.96% (132) were either neutral, agreed, or strongly agreed that they feel comfortable studying in the library.
Of students who self-identified with a non-binary gender identity, responses were not as generally strong: 100.00% (10) were either neutral, agreed, or strongly agreed that they feel they belong when they are in the library; 72.72% (8) were either neutral, agreed, or strongly agreed that they feel comfortable asking a library worker for help; and 81.81% (9) were either neutral, agreed, or strongly agreed that they feel comfortable studying in the library.
Inclusive and welcoming. When asked whether the Libraries were inclusive and welcoming, the vast majority of students said yes (262) while 9 said no; of the latter, 4 identified as White, 4 as Hispanic or Latinx, and 1 as Middle Eastern or North African. Of respondents with a non-binary gender identity, 12 either said the Libraries were an inclusive and welcoming space or had no opinion. Of respondents who identified as first-generation, 249 felt the Libraries were an inclusive and welcoming space, and 9 said it was not.
What do students use and find useful about the Libraries?
Importance of online resources. Electronic resources were the only ones that more than half of students felt contributed significantly to their academic success: 53.19% (267) indicated access to ebooks contributed significantly to their success; 72.26% (362) indicated access to online journals/articles contributed significantly; and 73.31 indicated access to online databases contributed significantly.
Use varies by format. Aligned with students’ sense of the importance of different formats of resources, 80.80% (404) respondents have used an online database more than once, 74.00% (370) have downloaded an article more than once, and 54.31% (271) have used an ebook more than once. In contrast, 51.63% (254) have never checked out any physical books or media.
Obstacles to information. When using the library, students indicated that the following were the biggest obstacles to them accomplishing their goals for information-seeking or academic work: 24.60% (168) said the selection of available books, databases, journals, and articles was an issue; 21.67% said that ease of access to books, databases, journals, and articles was an issue.
Peer support. The majority of students—65.23% (334) were aware of the Center for Learning and Student Success (CLASS). However, a much smaller number had actually used tutoring services: 10.02% (50) have met with a peer tutor once and 13.83% (69) have met with a tutor more than once.
Areas for improvement. When asked how the Libraries can do a better job of contributing to their success as students, respondents predominantly provided the following feedback: more availability of study spaces, longer occupation time in those study spaces, longer library open hours, increased access to online resources, and more education/promotion/outreach about library services and resources and how students can use them.
Areas of action for the Libraries
Sense of belonging. The measures of sense of belonging in physical library spaces were noticeably lower for students with a non-binary gender identity. Follow-up is needed to explore the specific reasons for this.
Use of physical materials. With just over half of responding students never having checked out a physical library item, and the majority of students expressing a strong preference for online resources, the role and composition of the Libraries’ physical collections needs to be examined. Preliminary analysis in some areas indicates that materials are more likely to be out of date, which can impact use, but other factors are likely in play as well.
Access to necessary online resources. Students reported that online resources were significantly important to their academic success, and that their most common obstacle was the Libraries’ selection of materials (with increased access to online resources specifically suggested as an area for improvement). The Libraries have been working during the COVID-19 pandemic specifically to expand access to both ebooks and streaming media, and will continue to identify ways to invest further in online resources.
Ease of access to resources. With a significant number of students reporting that ease of access to library resources was an issue, eliminating barriers to access is a priority for the Libraries. In the past year, the Libraries have expanded a pilot program to purchase and deliver physical resources directly to students, staff, and faculty, and have also started a new Accessibility Committee, of which part of the goal is examining accessibility issues with online library resources. The Libraries also plan to review and improve our website within the next year in order to make it more intuitive to navigate and find necessary resources.
Engagement with tutoring. Ensuring that all students are aware of the tutoring support available through CLASS, and expanding the number of academic programs served by CLASS, is an essential goal for the Libraries. New undergraduate and graduate programs are being added/supported by CLASS each year, and CLASS leaders are working on a new assessment plan to help demonstrate both to students and faculty the benefits that peer tutoring can provide for all students.
Use of study spaces. In response to student feedback on the survey, student study rooms in the Tran Library now have extended reservation windows—increased from a maximum of 4 hours/day to 8 hours/day.
Education and promotion about services and resources. In support of the Libraries’ EDI goals as well as in response to student feedback, the Libraries have created a new Communication Committee to help improve Libraries communications to, and with, the Pacific community. In addition, Libraries workers are consistently piloting new outreach activities—this year saw the first “Libraries Week” in September, an opportunity for students to drop into the libraries on the Forest Grove and Hillsboro campuses (with other promotion planned for students in Eugene and Woodburn) and learn more about the different resources and services available to them.
Who participated in the survey?
While acknowledging the socially constructed nature of both race and gender categories, the Libraries also recognize that such categorizations have been (and are) used to discriminate and oppress groups and communities—and that it is critical that we understand if the way we are designing and delivering our services is contributing to disproportionate harm for students who identify with historically marginalized groups.
With that goal in mind, we asked students to provide demographic information as part of their survey responses (all demographic questions were optional). 577 students in total responded to the survey, with 489 complete responses (and varying levels of response to demographic questions).
Of those who completed demographic questions:
- 237 were graduate/professional students and 169 were undergraduate students
- 62% of students identified as White (289/469); 18.34% identified as Asian (86/469); 9.59% (45/469) identified as Hispanic or Latinx; 3.62% (17) identified as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander; 2.13% (10/469) preferred to self-describe (Cambodian, Filipino, multi-racial/multi-ethnic, mixed/mixed raced); 1.71% (8/469) identified as American Indian or Alaska Native; 1.07% (5/469) identified as Black or African American; and 0.64% (3/469) identified as Middle Eastern or North African
- 91% of students who responded with their gender identity identified as a woman (321/412); 17.48% (72/412) identified as a man; 2.18% (9/412) preferred to self-describe (three-spirit, cisgender woman, humankind, non-binary, agender); and 1.21% (5/412) identified as gender non-conforming
- 32% (132/412) of respondents identified as a first-generation college student
Overall, the distribution of respondents across these demographic categories varied in relation to the demographics of Pacific’s student community overall. Of note is that White students are disproportionately represented in these survey responses: less than half of Pacific students identify as White, but more than half of our respondents were White.
Thank you for taking the time to help us continue to improve our library services!