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Library Customer Satisfaction Survey 2003

6. Electronic resources (eg. databases, ejournals, ebooks) are easily accessed

What you said: What the library will do about it:
Importance: 6.21 / 7 
Performance: 4.73 / 7 
Gap: 1.47

"The databases should be searchable or if they are then tell me how."

"Online resources are great - ability to get full text journal articles on line is fantastic - I work full time and cannot get to the library."

"Increase the access to and usability of journal databases."

"Electronic Journals have been useful"

"Electronic resources are good, particularly digitised references for download. The library seems to be doing a lot more digitisation and remote IT stuff which is good. Saves time and money finding and photocopying references."

"Navigating the databases can be challenging. I find 30 minutes with a staff member is worth at least 5 hours of searching on my own"

"I have found access to electronic journals to be fantastic for research purposes and would appreciate expansion of this service"
  • We will put electronic resources 'up front' on the library's web site
    The library's web site is the access point to the electronic resources provided by the library. The main reason users visit the web site is to access the library's catalogue or on line resources. We will be redesigning the home page to reflect this.
  • We will arrange databases by subject rather than by faculty
    We are also redesigning the Databases page on the library website. The new page will be arranged by subject instead of by faculty, to help you choose the most relevant database for your need. We are also looking at ways to use the my. Monash portal to tailor lists of resources to the courses you are doing.
  • We are working on developing a single search point for all databases
    We are working with other Australian universities to develop a portal which will enable users to search a range of databases with a single search, using a single search interface. Ultimately, this will mean you wont have to learn as many different ways to search databases. We are also implementing OpenURL linking, so that more full text articles are retrieved through a single search.
  • We are providing and improving help when you need it
    We are currently providing "Help" support through email, live chat and by telephone, and try to resolve your problems as quickly as possible. We are reviewing and improving the training that the library provides to help users improve their information skills. This will include improving the online tutorials, providing more relevant classes, and better online help for searching specific databases.

    "The comments indicate that users are having a number of different technical problems accessing the library's online resources. Some of these are beyond the library's control or to do with the degree of skill or knowledge the user may have when it comes to using particular (sometimes complex) databases. That said, there is a lot the library can do to make accessing electronic resources easier for users including increased education and help and reviewing the way the relevant library web pages are structured."

    Jill Wilson, Library Director, Information Resources

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