Student perceptions and expectations of library services quality and user satisfaction at Walters State Community College.

摘要

The purpose of this study was to explore students' perceptions of library services offered at Walters State Community College. This research involved LibQUAL+(TM), a nationally known academic library assessment instrument that measures three dimensions on a scale of approximately 22 aspects of service, divided into 6 groups (Heath, Kyrillidou, & Askew, 2004, p.264). These 3 dimensions are the following: Affect of Service (AS), Information Control (IC), and Library as a Place (LP). Responses of 666 students at Walters State Community College, Morristown, Tennessee, indicated the students' perceptions of acceptable minimum level of service, perceived levels of service, and desired levels of service. Each dimension was assessed by mean scores and p values to determine students' level of satisfaction with the library.;Independent samples t tests were conducted to analyze the association between perceived means of the 3 service quality dimensions for the following: (1) Walters State Community College compared to 4 other community colleges, (2) male and female students at Walters State Community College, (3) traditional students 22 years old and younger and nontraditional students over age 22 at Walters State Community College. Pearson's correlation was conducted to analyze the relationship between library budgets and library services.;Based on the findings of this study, Walters State Community College Library's mean scores were higher than the other 4 community college's in the 3 service quality dimensions. However, Walters State Community College's results indicated substantial room for improvement in the Affect of Service dimension. The mean scores between male and female students at Walters State College showed no differences among the 3 service quality dimensions. The findings also indicated that nontraditional students over age 22 rated Affect of Service and Information Control higher than did traditional students age 22 and younger. In addition, findings indicated a fairly strong relationship between library budget and the Information Control dimension for the 5 community colleges studied.;The data offered in this study provided useful information for library self-study and ideas for improving the college's library services.