West End Library Friends

RESULTS OF FRIENDS’ CUSTOMER SURVEY

PRESENTATION ON THE RESULTS OF THE WEST END LIBRARY FRIENDS CUSTOMER SURVEY
March 5, 2008, at the West End Library

Presented by Susan Haight, President of the West End Library Friends, and
Cathy Case, Meeting Facilitator, on behalf of the
West End Library Friends Stakeholders Task Force

Ms. Haight convened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. The meeting was attended by approximately 40 participants, including Ginnie Cooper, Chief Librarian of the DC Public Library.

Ms. Haight indicated the purpose of the meeting was as follows:

• To share the results of the survey conducted from December, 2007, to January, 2008, to which 348 individuals responded;
• To share the recommendations of the Stakeholders Task Force; and
• To solicit further input from the general public into the process.

Through means of a power point slide presentation, she then provided the following report.

Survey Distribution
• On – Line via Zoomerang.com
• Mailed and Distributed to:
– West End Library Friends
– Neighborhood Condos And Apartments
– Dupont Circle, West End/Foggy Bottom ANC’s
• Advertised in Foggy Bottom Current
• Distributed at the Library
• Websites
– West End Library Friends,
– George Washington University,
– Foggy Bottom Association
• Notices in Church Bulletins
• Jack Evans’ Newsletter

Survey Respondents
• 80% residents of Foggy Bottom, Dupont Circle, West End
• Much less racially diverse than general DC population
• Equally balanced between male and female
• Predominantly English speaking
• 86% 35 years & older (66% 50+)
• High incomes – 61% above $80,000
• Highly educated – college graduates and above
• Civic minded
• Less interested in children’s programs due to age of respondents

West End Library Usage
• 83% use West End Library for traditional library activities
• 75% have DC Public Library card
• Regular Library users
• 56% once a month
• 77% several times a year
• 80% of patrons walk to the library
• Majority use library because it is in the neighborhood
• 81% have in-home computers with broadband connection
• 89% either have not or only occasionally used the Library website
• Respondents utilize West End Library equally both weekdays and weekends

How do they feel about West End Library today?
• 46% are very satisfied with the Library
• 84% like the Library’s location
• Majority say staff is helpful and knowledgeable
• Library atmosphere for the most part is quiet
• More then 50% believe there is room for improvement in many areas
• Respondents are evenly split between those who think of it as a community gathering place and those who don’t

Room for Improvement
• 51% of library users and 69% of non-library users would use the library more if there were fewer homeless
• 43% say West End Library is not a comfortable place to be
• 50% feel safe, while 26% do not feel safe
• Only 22% say the restrooms are clean

Additional Improvement Opportunities
• 21% say the library has all the resources they require
• 1/3 of the respondents felt that the Library provided a community gathering place
• 63% of library computers users have to wait for available computers

What did we learn about the West End Library of tomorrow? This library should have
• Improved collections of books, DVDs, CDs
• Meeting Rooms for community groups and information about community events
• Comfortable furniture
• Study room/quiet room
• Educational programs led by experts
• Extended weekday and weekend hours
• Additional security
• Business center capabilities
• Computer lab and training

Additional Requests by Many Respondents
• Coffee Shop (especially non-library users)
• An auditorium
• An outdoor reading area
• Office space for community groups
• Additional computer software
• Programs for immigrants
• Gathering place for children
• Programs for pre-school and school age children/teens/young adults
• More local newspapers

West End Library Survey Summary
• West End Library is used as a traditional library
• The current users have a strong sense of community
• The homeless are the largest deterrent for greater use
• Condition of building and perception of safety are also deterrents to greater use
• Improvement in the collection is needed
• West End Library users are older, wealthier, better educated and less racially diverse than the general population of DC
• West End Library services need to be tailored to the population it serves
• Great improvement opportunities center on traditional resources and services and the broadening of programs and facilities

Committee Recommendation on What Can Be Done Today
• Collection improvement
• Reinstate external book drop
• Better programming and marketing of programs
• Improve comfort of patrons and perception of safety by adjusting internal layout
• Marketing of our current community rooms
• Allow use of computers in children’s section when there are no children’s programs
• Heating and air conditioning improvements

New Branch Library Considerations
• Welcoming and comfortable physical space
• Accessible community rooms and gathering place
• Form to follow function:
• Flexible open space
• Meeting rooms
• Periodical room
• Local history room
• Outdoor Space
• Children’s selected programs and section
• Senior area

Homeless Observations
• Open and welcoming to every library user
• Homeless are deterrent to many library users
• Minimum hygiene standards are needed for all patrons
• Reading room and tables are often monopolized by homeless
• Special programs for homeless were not important to survey respondents
• Perception of safety hinders usage due to homeless presence
• Space usage and movement flow must be addressed to allow people to use the core library services easily

General Conclusion
• The demographics of the survey respondents are representative of the West End Library users.
• They live nearby and are actively engaged in the West End Community.
• The homeless are a deterrent to usage and the perception of safety.
• The convenient location of the library given the number of users who walk to the library is critical for future planning.
• The West End Library is important to its community as reflected by usage frequency and survey response.

West End Library Friends Stakeholders Task Force Next Steps
• Assess the need for future public meetings
• Compile and post today’s public comments on West End Library Friends’ website
• WELF Stakeholders/Task Force prioritize and summarize Public Comments
• Review WELF Stakeholders Task Force recommendation in light of public meeting.
• List other areas of research/work for the task force
– Core Collection
– Digital Age
– DCPL Programming Plan
– Timing of and finding a location for the Interim Library
• Final report including public comments submitted to DCPL Chief Librarian, DCPL Board of Trustees, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, and DC Office of Planning for inclusion in the RFP process.

Upon completion of the presentation, Ms. Haight opened the floor for public input. With the help of Ms. Case, she entertained suggestions, comments, recommendations and complaints on various topics, including the following:

• Homeless clientele;
• Increased computer capability, to include more extensive software;
• Improved collections, traditional paper and the newer electronic;
• Improved community meeting room capability; and
• Improved facility maintenance, with a focus on improved ventilation and air conditioning.

A more complete listing of the public input is contained in the following document.

Ms. Haight adjourned meeting at 8:25 p.m.

PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM WEST END LIBRARY PUBLIC MEETING
Wednesday, March 5, 2008

• Question: Did area workers respond to the survey?
Response: Yes
• Where would the homeless go if West End Library was not available?
Response: Don’t know
• Was there any specific detail as to the safety issues?
Response: None, other than question asking people if they felt safe.
• Were there any suggestions regarding the homeless issue from the group of advisors that the committee has met with?
Response: Yes, and we will incorporated them in our final recommendations
• Once the library closes in the evening, the area surrounding the library becomes a hotel for the homeless.
• Don’t feel safe walking in the area.
• Homeless are attracted to food and service areas
• Create a coalition of area homeless services to overcome specific issues
• Community rooms would be used more often if:
o There was better access
o Could be used beyond the normal library hours
o Managed separate from other library services
• Did survey respondents ask for professional on-line subscriptions?
Response: No, in fact there was little usage of library on-line services
• Respondents did ask for additional computer literacy programs
• It would be a valuable service to add access to DC public database information
• Appreciated Library staff support for “Chi”? (breathing) courses.
• There are many valuable programs offered at the Library, but don’t know where or when the programs are offered.
o Suggest that the library add specific site for programming information on the website and in the library
• Want History Rooms representing the Foggy Bottom and Dupont Circle…this statement was “dittoed”
• Landscaping improvement is important to overall attractiveness of Library – especially the Flowers
• Request for New Books – Best Sellers/NY Times book list
• Appreciates the Strong Video Collection – Very Good!
Would like to see it get even better with the addition of:
o Criterion Collection
o Films from the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s
o Film Noir
• Ginnie Cooper reminded us that you can access films on-line via DCPL website
• Want separated area or kiosks featuring books on self-help and self-improvement.
• It is difficult to donate books to the library….
Response from Ginnie Cooper; “we would rather have the money due to the extensive cost of time and effort of cataloging each new book.”
• Films missing at MLK….Cooper response: “in process of inventorying all films and DVD’s.”
• For those that want to donate books…suggestion: create an area within the library for “give and take”
• There is a Movie Club at West End Library. Has changed times due to lack of attendance for afternoon showings. Now programmed in the evenings and have experienced better attendance.
• Has seen marked improvement in the library over past months.
• Has found there to be a long wait and lack of availability for many books.
• Cooper response: “Goal of library catalog today is to more faithfully represent the actual available books.”
• Need “inviting” windows
• Better Ventilation
o Never sense air moving
o Hot all the time
o Library staff cannot control temperature
• Ceiling fans would be helpful
• Opportunity to work with Francis Junior High students in the fall
o Will need tutors and mentors
o Volunteers
• West End Library will have an “After School Homework Program” in place next year to meet the needs for a safe and supportive environment for students…K thru elementary and Junior High
• Add Coaching and Self/Help books to Library collection and prominently feature the same
• Plan for the changing demographics of the area in the Library’s plan for the future.
• Difficult to plan for the future of the library, not knowing what the future may hold in the world of technology
• Keep in mind the environmental considerations in the plan for the future
• May want to hold off on any major shifts with the library given the rapid change in technology.
• Can’t stop moving forward. We must build to the future with flexibility and provide a gathering place for the community.
Libraries create “intermodal hubs”
Don’t forget the power of the librarians – position librarians as more than Google as search engines!
• Clean, open, lights that work are important environmental issues for the library. The Temporary Library modulars are clean, bright and filled with activity.
• A garden for and by children

RESULTS OF FRIENDS’ CUSTOMER SURVEY

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