User Satisfaction Surveys in Two Italian University Libraries: Model, Results and Good Practices

Abstract

We introduce a user satisfaction survey carried out in the Milano-Bicocca University Library and in the Siena University Library in 2012, which is significant with regard to several aspects: we applied a conceptual model transferable to different library contexts (public, academic, and school libraries); we used quantitative and qualitative research methods; we tested a survey tool useful for any academic library; we compared the survey findings of the two university libraries, doing an external benchmarking; we also did an internal benchmarking in the case of Milano-Bicocca, comparing these results with those found in previous surveys; we communicated and shared quantitative and qualitative survey results, and eventually found possible improvements, thus achieving good practices.