FROM: Thanks front desk people!

FEEDBACK: Thank you thank you thank you Victoria Wagoner and the front desk department.  They are the only people who pay attention to the crazy noise and disruptions happening around here and the only ones who do anything about it.  Thanks for moving a rowdy study group away yesterday – the rest of us reallly!!!!!! appreciate it. Thanks for being the only librarians who care about this place – all the other workers ignore the noise and facebook computer hogging abuse.  Thanks!

RESPONSE:

Dear Student:

Thank you for taking the time to let us know that you appreciate the efforts of our Lending Services staff to control noise in the Library.  We are fortunate to have some group study rooms on the second floor to accommodate groups working together, although sometimes they are all occupied. Our goal is to provide learning spaces appropriate to the needs of all students and I’m pleased that you had a positive experience with our steps to control noise.

Thank you for your feedback.

Anne Ciliberti, Library Director

Library Heat

FROM: Overheated WPU student

FEEDBACK: I’m not sure what’s going on here? Why is the heat still on in the library? I’ve been complaining for more than 10 days that it’s excessively hot in here.  The weather and news stations had predicted this “heatwave” for more than a week and still the library/university cannot anticipate it? Why are you so slow to respond?  I am TRYING to study here. I have papers, tests and exams. This is unfair. What is my tution paying for when you cannot even control the air quality in the buildings so that I can do my work?  Will students needs ever come first on this campus?  At least I can sit outside and escape this heat – I feel sorry for the people working in this building. How can you face them – they all deserve raises.  Another embarrassing WPU moment.

RESPONSE:

Dear Student:

We apologize for the excessive heat in the Library last week due to unseasonably warm temperatures. The best explanation I can provide is that the building’s HVAC system, unlike the one in your home, is complex and requires that the heat system actually be shut down before the air conditioning can be started up.  This switch takes time and Facilities staff, who responded very quickly to the problem on Monday morning. That said, I know it was uncomfortable over weekend when it was so warm. But, the worst is over and we should be fine now.

Thanks for your feedback,

Anne Ciliberti, Library Director

FROM: VP

FEEDBACK:

I don’t want to be mean, but the girl who opens the library is consistently 3 to 5 minutes late every morening and that makes a huge difference if you have a class to get to at eight. Maybe she can’t help it, but then can’t someone else open it on time?

Thanks.

Response date:  Wednesday – 07:57 AM – March 11, 2009

RESPONSE:

With very few exceptions, I am confident that staff is in place and opening the building on time.  However, minor differences in clocks aorund campus and in the Library may account for what appears to be a delay.  Please let me know if you feel this pattern is continuing and if you can provide specific dates.

Thank you,
Anne Ciliberti
Library Director

Headphone Noise

FROM: Hollye Richardson

FEEDBACK:
I know that it is difficult to monitor every person that comes into the library but I would like to know why it is that patrons using headsets are not monitored as to the volume of what it is they are listening to? This is quite disturbing and a major reason why I prefer to do studying either at home or in the student center. at least in those locations I can tune out the noise because I know it is to be expected whereas the libraary you expect to quite. I know that I am not the only person that feels this way as I have seen others looking up towards the distracting sounds but continue on because it seems as though everyone else (library staff as well) has condoned such behavior.

Tuesday – 10:34 AM – February 10, 2009

RESPONSE:

Dear Ms Richardson:
Thank you for taking the time to share your frustration about noise escaping from headsets in the Library. As you note, staff cannot monitor every Library user but they can and will intercede when they are aware of a problem…either by encountering it themselves or when others report a problem to them.  My best advice is to ask the person to turn down the volume or, if you are uncomfortable approaching the user directly, simply report the problem to a staff member at either the Lending or Reference service desks. They will be happy to make the request to the headset user.
Thanks again for sharing your problem with us.

Anne Ciliberti, Library Director

Go Green

FROM: Ray Swartz

FEEDBACK:  Since this University is trying to go “green,” there are two videos I believe should be purchased for use;  Who Stole the Electric Car? and Kilowatt Ours.

I will be encouraging student groups to view these movies and it would be great to have them at our own library.

Thanks, Member of the WPU Climate Action Committee.  Claire Chomiak

RESPONSE:

Thank you for your suggestion to acquire the two videos; they certainly sound interesting!  We will see if we can purchase them for the Library collection. Thanks again for your input.

Anne Ciliberti, Library Director

Web Of Science database

FROM: Michael Peek, Biology

FEEDBACK:

The Web of Science tial has been fantastic. If we could get permanent access to that, I would be very pleased. It is the gold standard for the sciences.

RESPONSE:

Dear Professor Peek:  Thank you for your feedback on the Web of Science trial. We appreciate your input and it will certainly help us make the case for the necessary funding to subscribe to this important resource. Let’s hope for a turnaround in the economy and an upswing in State support for the University which would ease our budget crunch!  We will keep you informed next semester if it looks like we can find the money for WofS in next year’s budget.

Thanks again,

Anne Ciliberti

Computer Lab Workers

FEEDBACK: Sometimes the workers are disruptive in the upstairs computer lab behind the desk. Even though they are not doing school work in the lab, they should be more respectful to the students that come here.

Thank you.

RESPONSE:

Dear Library User:  Thank you for your feedback about disruptions in the Library’s ERC. I will forward your concern to lab supervisor for his review and action. Regards, Anne Ciliberti, Library Director

Where’s the Leisure Lounge Online?

FROM: Katherine Brown

FEEDBACK:

7/28/08

Is it possible to make the Leisure Lounge link more obvious

on your homepage.

Thanks!

Response date: Monday – 12:21 PM – July 28, 2008

RESPONSE:

Dear Leisure Lounge user,

Sorry that you could not find a more obvious link to the Leisure Lounge on our home page. We have placed a link to it in the rotating information so you should find it easily there. Coming soon the University and Library will see a lot of improvements to the organization and navigation of the pages as a new website management system is put into place. Stay tuned!

Kurt Wagner, Head of Library Systems and Library Web Manager wagnerk@wpunj.edu 973-720-2285

More Reference contact information

From: Professor Potacco

Feedback:  Suggest the reference number be on the reference pages to make it easier to call if there is a problem.

RESPONSE:

Dear Professor Potacco:

Thanks for your suggestion to include contact information for Reference on more web pages to make it easier to get help from a Librarian.  We are always looking for ways to make getting help as easy as possible.  We’ve added Reference Services contact information to the footer of nearly all of the Library’s webpages.  Thanks again for your good suggestion!

K. Wagner – Library Webpage Manager

Interlibrary Loan

FROM: JB

FEEDBACK: Interlibrary loans aren’t done very efficiently in terms of renewals. I sent out a renewal request form and never received confirmation. Assuming it was renewed and received, I didn’t follow up (I had renewed one other interlibrary loan book that day and HAD received notification. I assumed it was for both at that point). I found out yesterday, 1 month after the original due date that the book is now 1 month overdue. Someone needs to either fix the system so that there is an auto-reply (no human error) or late notices go out immediately!

RESPONSE:

Dear JB:

I am sorry you received only one response for your renewal requests.

When a renewal request is made, we must first ask permission from each library that has loaned us their material.  For this reason, we cannot auto-reply that the renewal is confirmed.  An example of our subsequent communication to a patron is:  Thank you for using the Interlibrary Loan services.  I have processed your renewal request.  I will forward the lender’s response if they should deny your request.  If you do not hear from me, please keep the item for 30 days from the date listed on your book-strap.

Not all lending libraries grant our request for renewal.  Our ILL staff then sends an email to the patron when the request is denied.

Both examples of these staff emails may contain information about one – or more than one – renewal request.    In future, we will clearly indicate the title being renewed.

ILL overdue reminders are sent out weekly.  Within a month, you should have received more than one notice for any overdue interlibrary loan material.

Thank you for taking the time to send us your feedback.

Anne Ciliberti, Library Director