RLUK

Student satisfaction and library provision: An analysis of National Student Survey and Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey data.

A CIBER working paper for Research Libraries UK

This report, carried out by CIBER for Research Libraries UK, examines the link between a range of statistical indicators for RLUK libraries and student satisfaction. Most of the analysis is based upon data from the National Student Survey and the SCONUL annual library statistics. A number of interesting correlations emerge from the analysis – some predictable, some less so – including:

• In the 22 questions asked by the National Student Survey, library provision attracts the third highest positive score on average. In the 21 questions asked by the Times Higher Education Survey, library provision attracts the second highest score.

• Library satisfaction is strongly correlated with institutional size.

• The strongest predictors of overall library satisfaction, after institutional size are the percentage of library staff who are professionally qualified, followed by the level of library spending.

• There is a small, but statistically very significant, link between satisfaction with library provision and overall course satisfaction.

• The strongest library predictors of overall course satisfaction were staff hours spent in (library) training per student FTE and annual loans per FTE user.

• In terms of mission group, satisfaction with libraries is highest in the Russell Group, followed by the Million + Group, then the 94 Group.

The paper is available to download below.