User survey at Waterford Institute of Technology Libraries: How a traditional approach to surveys can inform library service delivery

This paper describes a comprehensive user survey carried out in an Irish higher education academic library (Waterford Institute of Technology library service) as part of a strategic initiative to engage with library users.

Two major user groups – full‐time undergraduate students and academic staff – were surveyed. The survey instrument was a hardcopy questionnaire. The paper outlines the relative merits of different survey types and the reasoning behind the final choice of survey instrument.

The main results of the survey are synopsised. The paper also includes selected free‐text comments made by survey respondents and the library's response to the results in terms of how issues highlighted will be addressed.

The survey focused on two specific user groups, which leaves scope for future research by this institution into how the library is used by other types of users, such as distance learners.

The survey was a good way of communicating with users. This was the first time such a project has been undertaken at WIT and WIT library service will continue to survey users on a regular basis and to use the results to inform service delivery.

As the first comprehensive survey to be undertaken in the Institute of Technology sector in Ireland, the paper is of potential value to library practitioners in this, or indeed in other sectors, who are considering doing a survey of their users.