Please join our new Virtual Focus Group — It’s fast, easy, and will help us provide better library service!  Volunteers will  receive a nifty, suitable for framing, declaration of achievement.

Last spring’s very successful Virtual Focus Group activity (see earlier post)  has already led to some improvements at the Trecker Library including an increasingly popular small group meeting space.  Three individual, private study spaces are also about to be implemented.  More improvements are on the way!

This time, instead of responding to questions about library space or other service issues, a new virtual focus group will be asked to help us clarify the results of a large-scale University Libraries survey conducted last fall.  You do not need to have participated in that 2010 survey process to participate now.

That survey, which came from a vendor and was not developed locally, contained some confusing language which we are having trouble interpreting.  Our expectation is that, by responding to a short list of questions, and also to the comments of others over a two week period, virtual focus group members will provide insights which will make our survey results much clearer.  It is critical for us to more fully understand that survey because it is one of the most important planning tools used by the University Libraries as we strive to improve our services to better meet your needs.

At this time, we are asking for volunteers to join our new Virtual Focus Group.  You will be given a confidential web address to gain access to our survey instrument of just five questions.  We know this is a busy time so we ask only that group members visit the blog site three times (although more visits are welcome) to first respond to each of the questions and then to respond to the comments of others.

The only requirement for participation is that you currently be enrolled in one or more classes at the Greater Hartford Campus.

When the Virtual Focus Group concludes,  we will give each volunteer a colorful, personalized certificate featuring a photo of our namesake, Dean Harleigh B. Trecker.    This certificate, acknowledging your valuable assistance, will make a handsome addition to your career portfolio.

Will you help us?  Please e-mail me with your contact information and let me know if you are a graduate or an undergraduate level student.  We hope to start this process November 7th with a conclusion on the 18th.

Regards,

— Bill Uricchio, Library Director  william.uricchio@uconn.edu