The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Nova Scotia Legislative Library’s review of library services to MLAs and Caucus Staff. Why we wanted to do it, how we’re.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Nova Scotia Legislative Librarys review of library services to MLAs and Caucus Staff. Why we wanted to do it, how were doing it and what weve learned so far.

Measure clients satisfaction with Library Services Identify clients preferred methods of communication and information seeking behaviours Eliminate or change under-used services and identify service gaps Increase use of Library services by primary clients

Survey questions were developed by Information Services Librarians Interview Clients rather than send out a survey Select the MLAs to be interviewed based on Party affiliation Legislature responsibilities Number of years as an MLA Age

Get them to a Meeting:

One on one meetings with MLAs no more than 1 hour done in a room at Province House interviews recorded Client Preferences Database was developed in advance of the interviews in 2013 Group meetings with Caucus staff

To record and manage delivery of Librarys information products to primary clients Tracks which services our clients choose to receive Tracks the MLAs preferred delivery format Tracks clients preferred email address Tracks personalized services and personalized requests for information

Who or what does the MLA rely on for information? What formats are preferred and what devices are being used? Are newspapers or magazines being read--- how much time spent? Gage how much the client knows about Library services and services to Committees Find out if they want to receive a specific service

Interviews started in the Spring of 2013 Interrupted by the Spring session and then a general election Election in October 2013 Change in Government with 28 new MLAs and new caucus and constituency staff Interviews resumed in Spring 2014

MLAs have been very generous with their time Their comments are frank, helpful and full of insight Clients appreciate the opportunity to be asked what they need Timing is everything----approaching the newly elected MLAs after their first full session is a very good approach

Varied format preferences and devices used Some worried about what they could ask the Library staff and how often they could use the information service Our focus on Constituency Assistants may be misplaced With only 7 staff and 51 MLAs, personalized service such as subject specific news delivery isnt possible at this point

A jump in requests requiring in-depth research from MLAs and caucus staff interviewed Learned a lot--- such as standardizing our branding of services was not working Committee research packages were meeting their needs They have a level of comfort now with the Library The Personal approach works----its gold!

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Nova Scotia Legislative Library’s review of library services to MLAs and Caucus Staff. Why we wanted to do it, how we’re.

Documents

information slide

point slide

specific service slide

use of library services

library staff

good approach slide

branding of services

new mlas