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Submitted DocumentsApril 3, 2019 Santa Clara County Library District Patron Satisfaction Assessment Focus Group Findings Learning Memo This memo summarizes key findings from the focus groups that Harder+Company conducted in March of 2019 with Santa Clara County Library District patrons. This memo also provides key considerations for the development of the patron satisfaction survey, which will be implemented in May. Introduction In 2015-16, Harder+Company Community Research worked with the Santa Clara County Library District (SCCLD) to refresh its patron satisfaction survey design and dissemination strategy in order to hone in on findings that are useful and actionable. Since December 2018, Harder+Company has again partnered with SCCLD to launch an enhanced series of data collection efforts that provide practical information for library staff and leadership, the Joint Powers Authority, library commissioners, city managers, support groups, and the library field more broadly. The Harder+Company evaluation team will be conducting a follow- up patron satisfaction survey informed by the 2016 findings, and led two focus groups with library patrons in March 2019. The purpose of these focus groups was to learn more about library services and patron assessments of those services in order to improve the design of the follow-up survey. The evaluation will also entail a programmatic data tracker at Reference and Accounts desks in order to learn more about how library staff respond to patron requests. This memo highlights key findings from the focus groups. Harder+Company conducted two focus groups with 20 total library patrons from six different community libraries. The focus groups were held at the Gilroy and Milpitas community libraries and included patrons from these libraries as well as from Cupertino, Los Altos, Morgan Hill and Saratoga community libraries. In consultation with library staff, Harder+Company identified a diverse group of patrons for recruitment that varied in age, race/ethnicity, spoken language, and caregiver status. See the Appendix for a demographic summary of the patrons who attended each focus group. Each focus group was facilitated by two Harder+Company researchers who took turns asking questions and taking notes. The focus group protocol included questions relating to general library significance and impressions, library services used, satisfaction with services, and recommendations for improvement. Patrons also engaged in two thought exercises to encourage them to think about library use in different ways. One exercise asked patrons to lead the group through a "walk in their shoes" as they described the steps of a typical library visit. The second exercise involved a group brainstorming activity with markers and a flipchart that allowed the room to identify categories of shared library experiences around which we could engage in deeper conversation. This memo proceeds with an overview of insights and recommendations from the focus groups. It concludes with a summary of considerations for survey development and a discussion of evaluation next steps. �ty h a rd e r co I r search SCCLD: Focus Group Findings — page 2 Findings on Library Use In general, focus group participants used the library for a variety of services. The group brainstorming exercise identified uses including but not limited to: library collections, electronic services, equipment and facilities, in -person assistance, meeting spaces, and programs/classes. Importantly, two particular types of programs were highlighted by patrons as beneficial that were not identified in the 2016 patron satisfaction survey: cultural education events and systems navigation services. Additionally, patrons described the important role that libraries serve in strengthening community through enhanced social connections. Many focus group participants valued the variety of programming offered through the libraries related to cultural education. When patrons reflected on the importance of "cultural" events offered through the library, they used the terminology broadly to encompass an array of programs that exposed them to new knowledge and opportunities to connect with other community members. For instance, one patron stated, "If I go on the weekend, sometimes they have live music or programs on all different cultures." Other patrons chimed in about appreciating "dancing events" and "cultural programs like Chinese New Year!" In addition to providing an opportunity to learn about customs from around the world, these events appeal to a variety of community members. "It's awesome to see just the diversity of folks that come in. And they end up collectively singing together - strangers and their families. So, that's really cool." Cultural education can refer to opportunities to expand one's knowledge of racial/ethnic or national cultures in addition to informational content related to the arts and the creative fields. Focus group participants noted that often these opportunities were in such high demand that not all could participate. For example another patron said, "We have a poet laureate of the city. And she hosts poetry, which is very hard to get into, because they only have a few openings. They always release it at 10 in the morning. If you're not right there on your computer, trying to get yourself into it, you can't." Another patron explained, "Our library gets us. free museum passes. It's.under'Discover and Go' in the digital library. They run out really fast. The Marine Mammal Center in Santa Cruz and stuff like that - those are wonderful passes." The popularity of programming related to cultural events indicates a strength of library services and an area that SCCLD might consider expanding. Patrons.also said that libraries offer essential services related to understanding and navigating government systems. While many patrons described entertainment and informational services offered by the library which enhance their lives, they described some services as more essential to help residents meet their needs and access full benefits as members of society. Patrons described a variety of government -related functions like, "providing help for immigrants to get citizenship," "you can get librarians to sign passports," and "I think they support tax returns for free." These services all relate to how people navigate complex administrative systems in our society. Another important service related to systems navigation comes in the form of language classes. For example, non-native English speakers benefit from English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. One patron explained, "I usually have to sit at various libraries for ESL composition group. The tutors are all very enthusiastic, and they are very helpful in getting us to speak and giving us a lot of information, encouraging us to have interactions." Due to the essential functions met by these services, the patron satisfaction assessment can be designed to learn more about how libraries are meeting patrons' needs in these important areas. "They have [this program]: 1,000 books to read to your child before they turn six. Then they just recently did a genealogy [event]: 'Finding your Identity.' There were six books you could pick from - three were kids' books that you can read to your kid to get them to participate. It was really neat!" SCCLD: Focus Group Findings - page 3 Patrons described how libraries fulfill an important social function in their lives through organized events and chance encounters. A final category of library use that deserves particular attention in the development of the patron satisfaction survey relates to the social use of library space. This was a theme that came up strongly in both focus groups. One Gilroy focus group respondent expressed, "I go there because it feels like community. I know some people go to have a peace and quiet, I don't go for that. I like the personal interaction." Since libraries appeal to those seeking quiet as well as those seeking conversation, different spaces fulfill these distinct functions. For example, one patron explained, "The meeting rooms are so important for people to be able to use to get together for gatherings; youth use them, all sorts of community members utilize them." Families with small children, in particular, valued the chance to connect with others, with one parent stating, "When the weather is terrible outside we use [the library] consistently, because it's somewhere to get out and go and move around. It's free to go, which is always nice. There's always other children there playing, so it's an easy built-in playground." A Milpitas focus group respondent described, "I volunteer at the library about once a week, usually for the story times for kids. So, I think that it helps me fulfill the whole giving back to the community aspect." Libraries provide the opportunity for children and parents to socialize outside of the home. Services for children also provide volunteering opportunities and the chance to contribute to the community. Given the many ways patrons gather and socialize at libraries, the patron satisfaction survey should also measure this type of engagement. Findings on Patron Satisfaction Overall, focus group participants were incredibly happy with the services they accessed through the library. It is important to consider that there may be selection bias in this result, since librarians recruited participants and identified those who were frequent library users. However, the evaluation team encouraged recruitment of less frequent users and focus group participants did reflect some variation in their level of library use (see Exhibit 2 in the Appendix). Additionally, focus group facilitators asked several questions to promote critical feedback to help SCCLD identify possible areas for improvement in services. While patrons were generally happy with the breadth of collections, they did offer some specific recommendations to improve the variety and organization of content. Additionally, patrons across the two focus groups differed in how they preferred to receive services (in -person versus automated). Patrons appreciated libraries' expansive collections, identified specific content they'd like more of, and suggested improvements to organization. The type of content that patrons desired more of varied greatly within and between focus groups - so much so that categorizing their requests would overly simplify them. Patrons variously requested things like: "more self-help books," "keep the travel materials in stock," and "less fiction and more nonfiction." Additionally, one Vietnamese -speaking patron expressed that she'd like more material in that language. Overall, patrons reported not having good sense of the various ways. they could request new material from librarians or online. In addition to these requests relating to collections, some patrons made remarks about the organization of content. For example, one patron wanted to know how to determine the reading level of material (see sidebar quotation), and another stated, "I usually cruise the new acquisition section. I get that they're roughly organized, but it's kind of time consuming to find something of interest. So one thing I would really like is that index or some sort of written Layout that I could quickly scan to find what I want." As with content requests, focus group participants' assessments of how collections are organized were varied and did not spark wide agreement. "I think library is not just a place to read books. It is also a place where you socialize with other people - it's a community place." "Our local elementary and middle schools use Accelerated Reader, and so our students take assessments and then they're encouraged to read within a specific range of book levels. It can be difficult for parents to figure out, `Okay, my child likes this book, but what level is it?' The library's interface is a little bit tricky." SCCLD: Focus Group Findings - page 4 Participants reported frequent use of e-books, although some had difficulty with accessing and downloading content. Among focus group participants, e-books were a popular but not universally used service, and there was some evidence of a generational division in how they access content. One patron explained, "My daughter is an active Harry Potter reader. Her teacher introduced her to Libby which I didn't know what it was, and so she downloads books and listens to them." There was shared acknowledgement among e-book users that the system for downloading e-books lacked clarity. One patron explained, "If I check out any electronic book, you've got like, Libby, Overdrive, you've got four or five different things. I actually have to keep notes to myself on which book have I checked out and on what program." Another patron said that rather than access audio books through the library he pays "for a subscription to this commercial service because the access and the way the books are organized [through the library], it's kind of a big deal to download them." The variety of mechanisms to find and download e- books speaks to the Library's vast offerings, but also poses complications. As one patron described, "Electronic search is infinitely customizable so that you can zero in on a pretty specific thing even if you don't really know what it is that we will eventually get to. So you can come up with a pretty sophisticated search based on a lot of different criteria." Since other patrons found the search customization tool to be too complicated, the patron satisfaction survey could further examine the e- book download process. Patrons reported going to library staff for needs that can't be met electronically, and are generally very happy with the service they receive. Almost all of the patrons expressed that they use both automated and in -person library services depending on their needs. For instance, one patron highlighted the variety of options by saying, "I contact the library in a variety of ways. I call on the phone, use the website, and come in if I have time. I find the website super helpful. You can always see what new programs there are if you go to the webpage. You can see the timeframe, the schedule, and whether you can bring your kids, etc." Another patron said that time was the main factor that determines whether they use in -person or automated services, explaining, "I utilize the self - checkout most often. When you have 30 books, you don't want to wait in line." Finally, several patrons said that librarians were helpful when they are stuck on a question they just couldn't answer otherwise. "If there's something I can't figure out from reading the Library catalogue, I've got to go to the reference librarian and say, 'What am I missing here? Why can't I find this author?' or something. It only happens once a year though. So it's rare, but I get stuck." Patrons had positive remarks about librarians' abilities and interaction styles. One patron said, "At [my community library], I live there and I say the staff is, on a scale of 1 to 10, 9 or 10. They are terrific." They described librarians as "knowledgeable and helpful." When pressed to think of even one area where staff might be able to improve their services, one patron stated, "Sometimes I've asked on the rare occasion and maybe the staff person was frazzled or had been already asked the same question several times and was maybe a little bit impatient. But, there's very little room to improve." Recommendations from Library Patrons As with patrons' assessments of the collections, the specific recommendations they provided were varied depending on their particular engagement with library services. For example, some patrons had difficulty using the website and suggested a clearer interface. Other patrons said there was limited parking at their local community library and requested a curbside drop -box. By and large, the variety of requests indicates that a follow-up on the 2016 survey will identify areas for "With [the children's librarian, I ask them any recommendation. Bang! They know. It's incredible." SCCLD: Focus Group Findings - page 5 improvement that vary across local community library locations. That said, one particular recommendation came across strongly in both focus groups related to the relationship between community libraries and the school system. Patrons identified increased partnership with schools as an area where libraries could augment their positive impact on the community. Since the focus groups involved a number of youth caregivers and educators, many people had strong feelings about children's education. In particular, they desired stronger partnerships between schools and libraries. One participant at the Milpitas focus group stated, "Our main library is walking or biking distance from six elementary schools, two middle schools, and a high school. I don't get the feeling that there is a really tight knit communication between the schools and the library. I just found out that the charter school doesn't even have a library, so that would be a terrific way that the library could serve our kids." This concern was particularly pronounced for under resourced areas, as one patron said, "I just wish that we could find a way to partner and bring [students] here to have access to the books. There's obviously more affluent schools that have parents that can bring them here, but Eliot doesn't have that many parents that drive." Similarly, a respondent at the Gilroy focus group highlighted that this type of partnership goes both ways stating, "I think as [schools] we need to do some outreaching as well and partner together... I'm exhausted [as an educator], but I think it's in the best interest of my students for me to reach out [to get the library to do events at our school]." Focus group participants suggested that one form that school -library partnerships could take would be through the distribution of library cards. One patron shared that "the library came by to my class and passed out ...,library cards to each of the students. And so I think that's like a really great way to get the kids involved in the library early on." While there was extensive agreement about these important relationships, Harder+Company does not recommend further exploration of this finding through the patron satisfaction survey. Community library staff and leaders are best equipped to examine the state of their current partnerships. Conclusion The two focus groups conducted through the Milpitas and Gilroy community libraries produced insights relevant to the patron satisfaction assessment, particularly the development of the survey. Findings related to library collections and general recommendations produced a great variety of responses, and the follow-up survey can uncover patterns across community libraries to identify areas for intervention. Survey questions on library use could also be expanded to capture the array of cultural events and crucial systems navigation services offered through the library. Other questions produced more consensus among focus group. participants, indicating that a more specific line of questioning in the survey would be appropriate. For instance, the process of e-book downloads and the social function of library spaces are areas in which further interrogation could shed light on specific problems and opportunities. Finally, the focus groups also produced in- depth knowledge about patrons' experiences that is an important source of data in itself. In particular, patron descriptions of staff interactions and recommendations about increased school partnerships provide considerations for how libraries can continue and expand exemplary service. For the next phase of the evaluation, Harder+Company will facilitate a meeting on April 10, 2019 with library leadership and the task team to gather recommendations for designing the 2019 survey. This discussion will be informed by results from the 2016 survey, findings from this memo, recommendations from library leadership, and library staff's own in-depth knowledge of services. "I would like to tell them to continue what they're doing. How much I appreciate the thought that has been put into all these activities - free to everybody, the public, and a wonderful variety. It shows how they care, how much community building they're doing, and how much they value us as people." SCCLD: Focus Group Findings - page 6 Appendix: Focus Group Participant Survey Results *Totals may not sum to 100% due to rounding Exhibit 1. Which community library do you visit most often? Gilroy 33% 6 Milpitas 22% 4 Morgan hill 17% 3 Cupertino 11% 2 Los Altos 11% 2 Saratoga 6% 1 Total 1000/0 18 Exhibit 2. On average, how often do you visit the library? At least once a week 33% 3 80% 8 56% 11 Once every two to three weeks 44% 4 10% 1 26% 5 About once a month 11% 1 10% 1 11% 2 A few times a year 11% 1 0% 0 5% 1 Total 100%* 9 100% 10 100%* 19 Exhibit 3. What is your age? 18-29 years old 0% 0 11% 1 5% 1 30-39 years old 20% 2 22% 2 21% 4 40-59 years old 60% 6 22% 2 42% 8 60-64 years old 10% 1 44% 4 26% 5 65-75 years old 10% 1 0% 0 5% 1 Total 100% 10 100%* 9 100%* 19 SCCLD: Focus Group Findings - page 7 Exhibit 4. What language do you speak at home most often? English 80% 8 80% 8 80% 16 Spanish 20% 2 0% 0 10% 2 Chinese (all dialects) 0% 0 10% 1 5% 1 Vietnamese 0% 0 10% 1 5% 1 Total 100% 10 100% 10 100% 20 " Exhibit 5. What is your race/ethnicity? Please select all that apply. Asian 11% 1 60% 6 37% 7 White/Caucasian 33% 3 30% 3 32% 6 Latinx/Hispanic 56% 5 10% 1 32% 6 Total 100% 9 100% 10 100%* 19 *No respondents identified as Black/African American, Native American/Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. Exhibit 6. What is your gender identity? Please select all that apply. Woman 90% 9 70% 7 80% 16 Man 10% 1 30% 3 20% 4 Total " 100% 10 100% 10 100% 20 SCCLD: Focus Group Findings - page 8 Exhibit 7. How much money per year does everyone in your family make all together? Your best guess is fine. $0-$20,000 11% 1 13% 1 12% 2 $20,001-$40,000 11% 1 0% 0 6% 1 $40,001-$50,000 11% 1 13% 1 12% 2 $50,001-$75,000 11% 1 0% 0 6% 1 $75,001-$100,000 11% 1 25% 2 18% 3 $100,001+ 44% 4 50% 4 47% 8 Total 100%* 9 100%* 8 100%* 17 Exhibit 8. What is the highest grade or year of school that you have completed? Some schooling, no high school diploma 20% 2 0% 0 10% 2 High school degree or equivalent 0% 0 10% 1 5% 1 Some college, no degree 0% 0 10% 1 5% 1 Associate degree 0% 0 10% 1 5% 1 Bachelor's degree 50% 5 30% 3 35% 8 Master's degree 30% 3 40% 4 40% 7 Total 100% 10 100% 10 100% 20 Exhibit 9. Do you identify as a parent or caregiver of children? Yes 70% 7 30% 3 50% 10 No 30% 3 70% 7 50% 10 Total 100% 10 1000/0 10 100% 100% SCCLD: Focus Group Findings - page 9 Exhibit 10. Do you identify as a college student? Yes 0% 1 10% 9 5% 1 No 100% 10 90% 1 95% 19 Total 100% 10 100% 10 100% 100% .I THE CUPERTINO LIBRARY PRESENTS I . GETTING READY FOR FINALS? NEED STUDY SPACE? ' Got a big project due and need �. some extra table space? Teens grab your boobs, pencils, cal- culators, noteboobs, and study buddies and come to Cupertino Community Hall for Cupertino Library's Teen Study Days. We'll be providing tables, chairs and snacks. Students ages 13 to 19 only. 5Tijnv IDACIE Saturday, _. "61.1 Saturday, June 1st 12*00OAwS*030PM This Program is Sponsored by the Friends of the Cupertino Library CUPERTINO LIBRARY 10800 Torre Avenue • Cupertino, CA • 95014 Phone: 408.446.1677 http://sccl.org Cupertino Library Commission About The Cupertino Library Commission meets the first Wednesday of most months. Attend regular Library Commission meetings in the Think Tank conference room (Cupertino Library, second floor) at 7 pm. Members of the public are welcome to share their ideas about library programs, services, materials, and facilities in person during commission meetings (oral communications or public comment) or in writing (librarycommissionCcx„�cul2ertino.org). Duties —Powers ---Responsibilities (Cupertino Municipal Code 2.68.070) The Library Commission shall have the following duties, powers and responsibilities, and such other as they may be entrusted with by the City Council from time to time: A. Consult with the City Council, the City staff and the Santa Clara County Library Joint Powers Authority and staff regarding the functioning of the physical facilities of the Cupertino Library and shall make recommendations from time to time for improvement or modification thereof; B. Consult with the City Council, the City staff and the Santa Clara County Library Joint Powers Authority and staff regarding the Cupertino Library programs and services to the community and shall make recommendations from time to time for improvements or modifications thereof; C. Consult with and act as liaison with private community groups supportive of the library program; D. Consult with the architect and the City Council in the planning of any main or branch library building facilities, including locations, building layout, architecture, landscaping and furnishings; E. Hold hearings, formulate policies and make rules and procedures with respect to the foregoing for approval by the City Council; F. Perform such other tasks as may be expressly requested of it by the City Council. (Ord. 1697, (part), 1995; Ord. 679, (part), 1975) policies and make rules and procedures with respect to the foregoing for approval by the City Council; F. Perform such other tasks as may be expressly requested of it by the City Council. (Ord. 1697, (part), 1995; Ord. 679, (part), 1975) Draft Library Commission Work Plan Items, Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Solve Programming and Library Space Issues. Support the efforts of Council and community -based organizations to address space constraints affecting programming., -meeting, and study uses of the library. Duration: ongoing,, as needed. Address Library Parking Space Shortage and Safety Issues Affecting Library Patron Drop-off and Pick- up. This item is related to the Library Community Room Addition, but some aspects can be addressed independent of new construction. For example., explore opportunities for off -site parking during peak evening and weekend hours. Duration: ongoing, as needed. Promote Partnership Opportunities with Community -based Organizations to Bring Programs to Cupertino Library Patrons. Partner organizations can include but are not limited to: sibling city commissions, local school districts., the Cupertino Library Foundation., and Friends of the Cupertino Library. Commissioners will connect with potential partner organizations to strengthen connections, identify common goals, and support shared initiatives. Possible initiatives could include organizing workshops about parenting styles or stress management, supporting efforts to bring library services to Cupertino schools, or other items of interest to the community. Duration: ongoing. Support Data Collection, Analysis of Results, and Policy Recommendations Associated with the Tri- annual Library Patron Survey. Support the efforts of the Santa Clara County Library District to engage with the community to gather data regarding library patrons' needs and interests. Analyze the survey data to identify opportunities to improve library services and programming for patrons. Duration: data collection, Spring 2019; analysis of results and policy recommendations, ongoing thereafter. Collaborate with the Recreation and Community Services Department and the Current Poet Laureate to Select the 2020-2021 Poet Laureate. Promote Poet Laureate Events Throughout the Year. Support the effort to select the next Poet Laureate in whatever capacity is needed or required. Promote and attend Poet Laureate Events whenever possible. Duration: TBD. 1 / 1 Draft, 4/2512019