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The Curtin Materials Availability Survey 2017

David Wells (Curtin University Library, Perth, Australia)

Performance Measurement and Metrics

ISSN: 1467-8047

Article publication date: 5 February 2018

320

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to extend the principles of earlier print-based availability surveys to the context of today’s electronic library, and explores the question of an appropriate methodology. The ability of clients to find what they want remains a central question, as does the library’s ability to identify and address the reasons that clients fail to find what they are looking for.

Design/methodology/approach

Catalogue users at Curtin University Library were invited to complete an online survey indicating whether they had found the electronic item they were looking for, and if not to nominate the reason why. Responses were then verified and analysed by library staff.

Findings

The survey attracted a low number of usable responses, though the proportion of respondents who stated they were able to find what they were looking for was consistent with the findings of earlier studies. It was possible to identify a small number of cases where the library did not hold the item required, though most failures were either due to technical reasons or could not be fully investigated because not enough information was provided by the respondent.

Research limitations/implications

The survey conducted was inconclusive, partly because the delivery method used was quite cumbersome, and also because it focussed on known item searches rather than topic searches. The paper includes suggestions on how the survey could be broadened and technically improved.

Originality/value

The paper shows the value and limitations of conducting a materials availability survey in the electronic library, and makes suggestions on how the effectiveness of such a survey can be maximised.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the Members of the CMAS project team: Julie Clift, Mirela Mercea, Adele MacDonald, Sonja Olsen and Celia Walker, for their contributions to designing and running CMAS 2017.

Citation

Wells, D. (2018), "The Curtin Materials Availability Survey 2017", Performance Measurement and Metrics, Vol. 19 No. 1, pp. 12-17. https://doi.org/10.1108/PMM-10-2017-0046

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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