Survey Responses

• Needs color
• No food and drinks allowed
• Not enough space
• There are too many people and its always closed but it could be better by a lot
• Who reads books
• A little crowded
• Annoying wild people
• Books are terrible in the library
• Boring
• But I might if it was more private
• Can fill up quickly during my study hall, don’t always have a lot do there for work, hard to get a library pass
• Depending on the period it is too loud
• Don’t have study every day
• Everything is in my study hall (computers, etc.)
• Except Woody
• Gets too packed
• Getting passes
• I cant always get in when I actually have to do things when people that got in don’t do anything
• I can’t eat in there
• I do not have any study halls so not much time
• I don’t care
• I hate it
• I don’t have a study hall. I’ve been to the library once for English
• I don’t like reading
• I don’t need to go there everyday, but it’s helpful when I go
• I don’t read that much
• I don’t think of it (ie. if I have free time I don’t automatically think to go to the library)
• I have no reason for me
• I need to do make up work
• I never really need to go
• If its full
• it gets filled up and i cant get in
• its to social to work there
• Its too social and doesn’t feel like a working environment
• Library fills up
• Most people just socialize and don’t do work. Loud/distracting. Stricter
• My friends go there after school
• No books I like
• No extra time
• No space sometimes
• No study hall
• No study halls and I’m a bit germaphobic books other people have touched
• No time
• none of my classes use it
• not enough room
• Outdated/ dysfunctional computers (for the most part)
• Slow comps
• Slow computers, distractions
• sometimes there’s not enough space
• Teachers do not utilize it enough i never go in any of my classes
• the color gives me a headache
• the computers
• the computers are usually to slow to work on
• The library doesn’t have room for people who actually need it during the study hall
• there are too many people
• There aren’t enough books and Manga
• There is no food or beverages
• There is too much going on around so I easily get distracted (noise people, etc)
• They never let you in
• unless a study hall
• We can’t eat in there
• When it gets full
• Work in Newspaper Office with more comfortable chairs stupidity of the pass system
• You need a pass
• Cant get a library pass
• Can’t get in cause its always too crowded.
• Full
• G period has to many people i never get let in
• I can’t find academic teachers to sign my pass or it’s too full!
• i do not have a study
• I don’t know
• I don’t like the library
• I go to my teachers
• I hate books
• I have a study hall so I use it then
• I just don’t go
• I only go there when I need a book
• I only go there when my printer is out of ink
• I only go to print papers due in the morning once in a while or when teachers take a cleass in there so I don’t really have reasons to go there often.
• I only go when my class goes.
• I only need it for the printer
• I prefer writing lab or my resource room
• I’m scared of books
• It gets filled up sometime
• It gets full
• It gets full to quickly
• It is always packed and you can’t get in
• Its always to full for me to get in
• Its always to full for me to get in
• Its crowed and don’t like the people who go there
• Its crowed but it doesn’t keep me from coming
• Its full
• Library is always full before I get in
• Lot of people
• no study hall
• none of the above
• none of the above
• none of the above
• none of the above
• none of the above
• Not enough room
• Not enough space
• Not enough space
• Not getting in
• Nothing I go every study
• Nothing prevents me
• Nothing prevents me from going there currently
• Nothing really
• Nothing really – it is a pretty useful place
• NothingI rarely go
• People never really working
• Schedule – no time
• Teachers don’t let me go sometimes
• The library became full
• The library is closed
• The library is full
• The pass system is trash. If you need to use passes just require one from the class you are in, why does it have to be an academic teacher?
• There is not enough room, it fills up and they don’t let me in
• There is nothing especially helpful to me
• There’s no room
• There’s no room for anymore people
• There’s not enough room
• There’s not enough room
• There’s not enough room sometimes
• They say it’s when its obviously hot
• To many rules and no food/drinks
• Too full
• Too many people, not enough space
• Too many people,can’t get in because of study hall
• Too small
• What prevents you from using the library more often?
• You need a pass to go in

On January 8th, MVRHS students were surveyed during their advisory period.  We received 520 survey responses. We wanted to find out what the  feeling was about the library, what students thought needed to be changed, if anything, whether they felt the library was helping them, and how often they visit.  The original survey instrument is here.

Summary

More than any other comments, students identified better computers as a need (the word ‘computer’ was mentioned 185 times).  Opening access to wifi was mentioned many times (45).  A theme throughout many of the comments were suggestions for improving the space and furniture.  Some of these were what may be described as ‘creature comforts’  ‘comfy’ / ‘comfortable’ (48), ‘couches’ (48), ‘beanbags’ (31), ‘chairs’ (55).

What is clear is that the library is seen serving multiple, sometimes conflicting purposes.  Survey respondents identified the need for a broad spectrum of social and academic activity, along with quiet spaces for individuals and groups to read.

Distribution of respondents

A total of 520 students responded to the survey, roughly 75% of the total student population.

“Library visiting habits”

Since student schedules rotate every day, and each period meets every other day, it can be reasonably interpreted that responses of “Every day” (5%) and “Every other day” (36%) are habitual library users who go to the library instead of their study halls (“learning centers”).  That means over half of the school visit on an as-needed basis, or rarely use the library.

 “What prevents you from using the library more often?”

The overwhelming response to the question was “my schedule”, which is not surprising.  It will be interesting to see how many of the students who rarely or infrequently visit the library answered this question as opposed to those who are “regulars” as indicated above.

Based on the difference of 58 to 12, a majority of students cited the noise as a detriment.

The “Other” category was long enough (135) to interest some closer inspection.  Many of these responses were related to crowding, the pass system, and the amount of space.

Library as an indicator of student achievement

Students were asked if the library has helped them become a more successful student.  Since the answer was more or less split down the middle, this along with a similar 50-50 split of students who frequently vs. infrequently visit the library points to the possibility that further analysis correlating these two trends might prove meaningful.

Library as a source of inspiration

21st century libraries strive to become a place where activities centered around creativity, innovation, and critical thinking (in their many interpretations) come together in a sort of melting pot of ideas, people and subjects. This question was meant to serve as a dip-stick into attitudes among students whether the library was serving this intended purpose.  Clearly the library is not seen as fulfilling this role currently.

What should we do to improve?

As mentioned, the open-ended part of the survey provided some rich information.  Most of the responses are on display in the library.

Among all of the many comments, here is a list covering most of the unique ideas:

This word-cloud gives a bit of a view from above:

Most Frequently mentioned words:

A willingness to help and participate

This question helped us both in identifying students who might be willing to participate in a focus group or further surveys, as well as giving us an overall sense of how many students generally felt “invested” in the library.