In the Spring of 2022, Library and Technology Services engaged MOR Associates to perform an independent assessment of satisfaction with LTS services and resources. Working with a survey consultant allows us to obtain accurate, valid, and objective assessments of the services we provide. This was our third such survey with MOR Associates. The first was in 2016; the second was in 2018.  

MOR randomly selected a subset of Lehigh faculty, students, and staff to receive the survey. Thank you to those of you who took the time to participate in this survey. We count on your candid, thoughtful responses as we seek to continually improve our work.

2022 Satisfaction Survey highlights

The mean rating across all questions improved from 5.07 in 2018 to 5.14 in 2022. (MOR defines 4.75 as a high score when using a six-point scale).

Among key findings, the 2022 survey results reveal the following areas as among LTS strengths:

  • Library collections, including research databases, e-journals and ebooks, Special Collections, and digital resources such as the Lehigh Preserve and Brown & White archives.
  • The Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CITL) received accolades for the effectiveness of its workshops, symposia, and one-on-one consultations. CITL’s Digital Media Services achieved the highest satisfaction rating among all LTS Technology Help Resources.
  • Help services and support. Three measures of LTS Help Services, usually a key to overall satisfaction, improved significantly. Helping services, including circulation/ILL, Help Desk, and computing consultants and librarians, were among the highest satisfaction areas.
  • Tools for getting support such as help.lehigh.edu, email, and chat support services.
  • User comments recognized the LTS service culture. MOR Associates wrote: "Seven people singled out LTS as an exemplar of customer service in their written comments. In our experience, it is common for some respondents to sing the praises of the IT organization, but we have rarely seen the organization held up as an exemplar, and certainly not to this extent." This view is echoed in the ratings as well; among the highest ratings of LTS staff include “are knowledgeable,” “are helpful,” “are available when needed,” and “deliver services equitably and with sensitivity to the needs of all its clients.”
  • User satisfaction with the Fairchild-Martindale Library physical spaces dramatically improved, from 79% Satisfied or Very Satisfied in 2018 to 91% in 2022. This likely reflects the dramatic transformation of FML since 2019, with an increase in the total number of seats, the creation of inviting collaboration spaces, improved digital signage, and the addition of the Grind @ FML, Study Galleries, and active-learning classrooms.

Library and Technology Services has also identified several areas to strengthen and reinforce:

  • Course Site. Adoption of Course Site by almost all faculty and students during COVID has raised expectations for features and ease of use. “Somewhat satisfied” (4.69 average) is not bad, but we can do better. We’ll use this feedback to inform our efforts on improving Course Site usability, in selecting new features, and implementing upgrades. 
  • Classroom technology. In 20-21 and 21-22, LTS added videoconferencing to more classrooms and now over a third of Lehigh’s classrooms have this capability. Faculty report being satisfied with our selection of technologies and the time it takes LTS to resolve problems, but were only somewhat satisfied when it came to equipment ease of use and availability of technology-enhanced spaces. We will apply that feedback as we prepare for the coming semester. In addition, this faculty input will strengthen our recommendations to expand availability of technology-enhanced spaces and the life-cycle funding needed to keep classroom technology current.
  • Enterprise software, such as Banner and Argos. Clients identified "clunky" interface design in several of Lehigh’s online services that are managed by third party vendors (e.g., Banner, Argos). LTS will collaborate in the coming year with campus stakeholders and vendors to customize, modernize, and streamline interfaces.
  • Software. We have recently increased access to popular software such as Adobe products and tools that enabled remote teaching, research, and work. However, clients express interest in more software to meet academic and administrative needs. Some requests were for products for which there are equivalents already on campus; some are products we offer on a limited basis; others were for new software we do not yet have funding for.  LTS will reach out to clients to help meet these requests and, working within our budgetary constraints, we will continue to use our software review and acquisition process to better meet this increasing demand for software.

The full results of the survey without open-ended comments are available (login required).

LTS actions since the Spring 2022 Satisfaction Survey

  • Expanded wireless coverage to include Lehigh bus stops with emergency blue light phones.
  • Surveyed all outdoor event space and added additional outdoor wireless access points to improve coverage in event areas.
  • Network assessments completed in all areas noted in the survey with actions to remediate problematic locations where possible.
  • Deploying the LUapps powered by AWS environment in the fall 2022 to improve the student and classroom experience for accessing software virtually.
  • In Course Site, the user dashboard feature was set to the default page on login to offer quick, intuitive access to courses and to activities due across all courses - all filterable and sortable according to individual preference.
  • The Course Site default theme was switched to a more modern theme known as Boost, which offers a modern layout, look and feel, and significantly increased accessibility.
  • The Learning Space Technology and Design Team replaced the podium computers in over 90 RAS-scheduled classrooms and installed new presentation technology systems in fourteen classrooms.

Next steps for LTS

LTS has already started to take actions based on the survey results by targeting areas that need improvement. While we are still formulating an organization-wide plan, some steps are already being taken to address relative weaknesses:

  • Course Site - Even prior to the Spring 2022 survey, the Instructional Technology Team conducted a comprehensive Course Site/LMS survey, met with Student Senate representatives and other focus groups, and created targeted training aimed at continuing to improve the overall user experience. The Instructional Technology team will continue their work benchmarking Course Site functionality and usability against several other top-tier LMS platforms. At the same time we will be piloting the upcoming major release of Moodle, version 4.0, to determine a migration timeframe and rollout plan.
  • Classroom Support - Our Learning Space Technology and Design Team will continue working with RAS to facilitate the process of assigning courses to rooms that meet instructors’ technology requirements. In addition, LTS Leadership will partner with the Provost, Deans, and the university Classroom Committee to identify the right level of technologies for our classrooms.
  • Banner Forms/Argos - Many issues with Banner Navigation will be addressed with the rollout of both Self-Service Banner 9 modules and Ellucian Experience, both slated for release in fall 2022. To address questions regarding Argos, Enterprise Systems will hold learning sessions starting in the LTS Fall Seminar series. This will provide a forum for those seeking additional training and for those curious about the potential of reporting within Argos.
  • Focus Groups - This fall, LTS will host focus groups with the Lehigh community to better understand some of the feedback we received from the survey. Areas of focus will include Research Support; Teaching and Learning Technologies; and Enterprise Software.

Library and Technology Services