Binghamton University Libraries launch a 5-minute anonymous online survey to collect information on subject guide awareness and usage. The responses from this survey will directly impact the design and content of the guides in future updates.
The Libraries have a wide variety of subject guides from biology to psychology and from writing to art and design. There are also course-specific guides as well as more general guides on how to do library research. These guides often serve as the go-to resource when we assist patrons who are researching a particular topic. It is challenging, however, to manage and update all 200+ guides! The goal of this survey then is to measure patrons’ awareness and usage of the guides and to identify precise areas for improvement.
Subject guides, also known as library guides or research guides, have a long history in libraries. In the pre-Internet days, subject guides were lists of prominent resources which were printed on a piece of paper and handed out to patrons. As libraries shifted from hardcopies to the web, oftentimes the easiest solution was to recreate the lists of resources onto a webpage. The interactive nature of the websites, however, allows for a much richer experience. Many libraries have since chosen to take advantage of this by including audio and video as well as self-updating elements like widgets to showcase new books and resources.
Take the 5-minute anonymous online survey before it closes on Monday, April 29, 2024.
For more information about research guides, check out: