This presentation was provided by Suzy Szasz Palmer of The Library of Virginia during the NISO Forum "Performance Measures and Assessment" held on June 1, 2009

1. Performance Measures and Assessment:
Critical Tools During Challenging Times
NISO Forum
June 1, 2009 • Baltimore, MD
www.niso.org/news/events/2009/assess09
Thanks to our Breaks Sponsor
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Suzy Szasz Palmer
Director of Research & Information Services
NISO Performance Measures and Assessment Forum: Critical Tools During Challenging Times
Baltimore, MD – June 1, 2009
Considering User Experiences
to Assess Services and Facilities
at the
Library of Virginia
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What Is the Library of Virginia?
• State Library and Archives
– One of the oldest agencies of Virginia
government, founded in 1823 “to preserve
and provide access to the state’s
incomparable printed and manuscript holdings
… the most comprehensive resource in the
world for the study of Virginia history, culture,
and government.”
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©1997 Prakask Patel
– Current building – 1997
– Downtown Richmond / Capitol Square
– 200,000 visits/year
– Approx. 210 FTE*
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2. What Do We Provide?
• Collections
– Virginia, Southern, US history; Virginia authors (some circulate)
• Service Points
– Welcome Desk (1st floor)
– Circulation, Archives Reference, Manuscripts, Microfilm, Library
Reference & Government Documents (combined 1/1/09), (2nd floor)
– Special Collections (“2M”)
• Miscellaneous – Virginia Shop, café, book talks &
lectures
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Who Do We Serve?
• Governor (and staff)
• Legislature
• State agency employees
• Diverse constituency of individuals
– researchers, genealogists, students,
architects, diners, shoppers… people seeking
a quiet place
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Areas of Concern
• Facility – what does the physical layout
communicate?
• Services – do our visitors know what we
offer?
• What obstacles exist for the visitor?
• What improvements would we like to see?
– What can we afford?
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Why Ask?
• We are a CUSTOMER SERVICE
ORGANIZATION specialized in historic
literature, historic documents, and history
in the making.
• All “library functions” are in support of this
principle (e.g., cataloging, preservation,
reference).
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3. Project Background & Methodology
• Began fall 2007
• Conducted by management-consultant volunteer
(Project Director)
• Focus groups & individual interviews
– External Participants (15)
– Internal Participants (21)
– Leadership participants (6)
• Visits to other libraries and cultural institutions
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Delivering the Project Findings
(spring 2008)
• Presentations by Project Director (PD) to Library
Foundation, Library Board, Executive
Management, Managers/Supervisors
• Presentations (by me) to all interested staff
• Original Project Report (with findings and
recommendations) mounted on Library Intranet
• PD sent letter on progress to participants (early
summer 2008)
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Visitor Experience Committee
• Formed in March 2008
• 10 staff members from throughout Library + 2 co-chairs
• Email distribution list created for additional staff feedback
• Reviewed and addressed ALL findings and
recommendations from the study
• VEC report to Executive Management Team (8/31/08)
• EMT review continues today
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We Learned what People Think
about…
• Getting to the Library
• Getting INTO the Library
• Navigating the building
• Finding and using the services
• General observations
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4. Perceived Strengths
• Beauty and inspirational style of building
• Free parking
• Operating hours
• Cleanliness
• Spacious versatile first floor
• Virginia Shop
• Café
• Knowledgeable staff
• Comprehensive collections
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Perceived Weaknesses
• Intimidating spaces
• Inadequate signage
• Navigational difficulties
• Hidden assets
• Visitors’ reluctance to ask for help
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Main Issues to Address
• Navigation (to and into building)
• Signage additions/improvements
• General information, especially for first time
users
• Customer relations/service
• Marketing/visibility
• Miscellaneous questions/suggestions
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Tangible Results, to date…
• New maps to first and second floors
• More visibility for exhibitions and events
• Temporary directional signage throughout building
– More visible “emergency exit” signs (reduced alarms going
off)
• Opening up space near reference desks and in Virginia Authors
Room
• A new “welcome” packet and revised “code of conduct”
underway
• Plans for a “learning lab” for children underway
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5. Getting to the Library….
• Directional signs needed on expressways and
downtown streets
• Library identification not visible from a distance
• Signage should be larger/brighter, and frequently
changed
• Display windows get little notice
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Pierre Courtois
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• Identifying the Library from
a distance
• Improved use of display
windows
Pierre Courtois
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Still more could be done….
Pierre Courtois
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Garage
• Not identified
• Confusing signage
• Not run by the Library
Pierre Courtois
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6. Pierre Courtois
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First Floor Lobby:
What’s Your First Impression?
©1997 Prakask Patel
Pierre Courtois, 2007
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Important but Invisible!
• Front desk
• Coming events
• Conference rooms
• Virginia Shop
• Café
• Exhibitions in gallery (located at rear of
first floor)
• Restrooms/elevator
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Front Desk
Pierre Courtois
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7. Virginia Shop
Pierre Courtois
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Conference Room Corridor
Pierre Courtois
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“Orientation Room”
Pierre
Courtois
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Exhibition Gallery
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8. Café
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Technology Training Room
Pierre Courtois
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Improvements to date…
Pierre
Courtois
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9. Pierre Courtois
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Pierre Courtois
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10. 37
…new services as of January 2009
• Assistance with job
applications & filing for
unemployment
• Computer classes
(Word, etc.)
Pierre Courtois
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©1997 Prakask Patel
Second Floor
Multiple service points for
information and research
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• Confusion coming off elevator
• Excessive “Do Not Enter” doors/areas and
alarms
• Restrooms hard to find
Pierre Courtois
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11. Circulation
• Change name?
• Revise “patron
code of conduct”
– too many “rules”
• Books can be
taken out?
Pierre Courtois
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Hard to Find the Reading Rooms
Hidden
entrance
Signage difficult to read
Vince Brooks
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Hard to see the Reference Desk
from a distance…
… not much better
from close up.
©1997 Prakask Patel
Pierre Courtois
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12. possibilities for signage near all the
“reference” desks on 2nd floor
http://www.woodpeckersigns.info/tritotem.htm
http://magnusongroup.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductID=2713&CategoryID=195
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Barriers in front of desk have been removed.
Pierre Courtois
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Reading Room near Map Reference
Large, green chairs replaced with “Supreme
Court” chairs.
Map Reference Desk
behind case – still needs
more visibility
Pierre
Courtois
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Expand Map Reference area?
- increasing usage of maps
- key component of our collections
add signage to map cases
Push map cases back to
allow for additional tables
Vince Brooks
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13. Archives Research Room
• A “special collection” in an open area
• Add signage for “rules” of use on something visible
from outside the room?
Pierre Courtois
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Archives Reference
Smaller chairs in front of desk – less
“barrier” to the staff.
Pierre Courtois
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“grey on grey” signs: replace all
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Virginia Authors Room
• What’s in here?
• Hidden behind
Circulation
• Poor exterior signage
• Underutilized and
under-advertised
• Lost opportunity to
cultivate VA authors
Vince Brooks
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14. Virginia Authors Room
Replaced chairs.
Easier to use space for events.
Pierre Courtois
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Still need to better advertise space or re-vision
purpose of room.
Consider relocating to another area?
Pierre Courtois
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Hidden Asset: Special Collections
- Staff escort required to “2M” (secured floor)
- More limited hours (staffing issue/demand)
©1997 Prakask Patel
Pierre Courtois
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(selected) Committee
Observations/Conclusions
• (Small) size of focus groups must be taken into
account
• Agreed with almost all signage issues
• Agreed with need to address customer service
• Disagreed with future of café
• Disagreed with future of exhibitions
Biggest Lesson Learned:
Don’t Assume People Know What You Do!
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15. Unintended (Positive) Consequences…
• Heightened awareness of staff
• Noticeable impact from small changes
• Request (from staff) to “study” our off-site facility (State
Records Center)
• Review of space devoted to Maps
• Creation of virtual suggestion box for staff (still need to
publicize more)
– Have print suggestion forms for public…. Consider online?
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$$ Next Steps $$
• Recommend hiring design firm to address
major signage issues
• Recommend providing customer service
training for all Library staff
• Follow up with more “visitors”??
• Development of “Learning Lab”
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16. • Several possible locations identified by
Visitor Experience Project
• Strong demand for primary source based
educational materials
• Expanding our audience
• SunTrust seed money secured and other
possible funding sources identified
The SunTrust Learning Lab
Opportunity
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The SunTrust Learning Lab
Meeting a Need
• No current dedicated location for K-12
programs
• Reaching our future patrons/supporters
• Fulfilling our broad educational mission
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Developing the concept
• Library-wide committee to
review and develop proposal
(4/08)
• Site visits to NARA Learning
Lab (8/08)
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Planning Phase
• Interviews and LVA site visit with selected design firms
• Follow-up discussions with design firms’ clients
• Visits to installations by design firms
• Selection of firm Quatrefoil
• Design charette (11/08)
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17. Implementation Begins
• Review of
underutilized space
• Proposed use of B-1
space – currently a
non-public floor
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18. Estimated Costs – Funding
Possibilities
• Approx. $425,000
– Fundraising from Private Sources
– “Bricks & Mortar” Grant Opportunities
• Parsons, Cabell, Morgan & Gwathmey
– Individual and Corporate Opportunities
• Current funding for Programmatic
Elements
– “Shaping the Constitution” - $30,000
– Children’s Book - $25,000
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Staffing
• Creation of Docent Program
– Launching May 2009
– Partnership with University of Richmond’s
School of Continuing Studies and Osher
Institute
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Project Timeline
• Installation
– February – March 2010
• Program Evaluation
– Spring and Summer 2010
• Official Launch
– Fall 2010
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Questions, Comments?
Contact me!
Suzy Szasz Palmer
Suzy.Palmer@lva.virginia.gov
804-692-3620
Library of Virginia
800 East Broad St.
Richmond, VA 23219
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