Survey of External Community User

Background
During the Fall 2008 semester the library conducted a user count to determine the number and percentage of external community users. We were interested in determining how many community residents use library resources because this is a category contained in NJCU's Balanced Scorecard, created as part of our Middle States accreditation self study. In order to determine the number of external library users, we surveyed all library users for four weeks during the Fall 2008 semester. Library users were asked to fill out a short survey which asked them to identify themselves as an NJCU student, faculty, staff or as a visitor. We further asked visitors to tell us if they attended another school and which one, if they lived in Jersey City or another city in New Jersey, or in another state or country. The survey instrument is appended at the end of this report.

Methodology
Surveys were distributed to everyone in the library on a fixed schedule during three weeks of the Fall 2008 semester and one week during January intersession. We selected the periods based on prior surveys of traffic patterns. Librarians and library staff from all library departments participated in the user count which could not have been completed without everyone’s cooperation and willingness to help.

Library users were surveyed every other hour of library opening during the following periods: September 29 to October 5, October 18 to 24, December 6 to 12 and January 12 to 16.

For more information about this survey, please contact:

Library Director
Congressman Frank J. Guarini Library
New Jersey City University
2039 Kennedy Blvd.
Jersey City, NJ 07305
Telephone: 201-200-3026
Fax: 201-200-2330