Beyond Satisfaction: Understanding and Promoting the Instructor-Librarian Relationship

Abstract

This article reports upon the assessment and research activities undertaken by a research group of faculty librarians at Hunter College regarding the perceptions, awareness, and usage of library services by non-librarian faculty members. Given the initial directive to measure faculty satisfaction with library services, the research group developed an ongoing action-research protocol to pursue more meaningful assessments of faculty awareness and use of library services and resources. The researchers employed both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, gathering data through informal information groups with faculty members and through an online survey measuring faculty awareness of library resources and services (Faculty Awareness of Library Services (FALS)). The findings show that while Hunter faculty value relational engagement with the library, they are more frequently aware of non-relational, self-service library resources. Further, the data suggest that tenured faculty members are aware of library services at a higher rate than tenure-track faculty. This data forms the foundation of an on-going action-research protocol to assess long-term trends, the products of which will continue to inform faculty services, outreach, and programming.