Duane Hicks
Whether or not you use the facility often, the Fort Frances Public Library Technology Centre wants as many people as possible to fill out its new survey concerning library service.
A survey went out with local residents’ sewer/water bills last week, and copies of it are available at the library.
The survey also can be done online at www.surveymonkey.com/s/FFPLTCCommunityUserSurvey2013
“This is their opportunity to let us know how they feel about our service,” library CEO Alicia Subnaik Kilgour said yesterday.
The survey ties into the library board’s ongoing strategic planning process.
“The last strategic plan was done in 2006 and at that point in time, the big focus was the build of the new library,” Subnaik Kilgour noted.
“So, we’ve done that and now the board is looking to move in a new direction, as well,” she explained.
“This is the environmental scan of the strategic planning process,” Subnaik Kilgour added. “So right now what we’re doing is trying to gather feedback from the community.
“The survey is one format that we’re using. [And] over the next couple of months, we’re going to continue to gather feedback on the community.
“So we’ve sent the surveys out in the water bills, but we’ll also be out at public events in the community to try and catch people that didn’t get surveys in their water bills.”
The survey only takes a few minutes to fill out.
It asks questions such as:
•“How often do you use the library?”
•“How do you find out about upcoming library events and/or new library services?”
•“Do you find everything you’re looking for on your visits to the library?” and
•“Why were you unable to find what you were looking for?”
“There’s a real focus this time to reach non-users,” stressed Subnaik Kilgour, adding the library is interested in what it takes to get new people to come through its doors and utilize library services.
The survey also will help gauge if people find the library’s hours accommodating to their lifestyles.
“One of the questions we did ask was about our hours of operation because we did have to reduce our hours from 70 [hours a week] to 59, and we’ve changed our hours a couple of times,” Subnaik Kilgour noted.
“Those questions are to gauge if people like our new hours or if we’re not accessible to some people during the hours that we have,” she continued.
“I am thinking we might get some feedback as to what our hours should be.”
Another question asks about whether people would like to see more programming for children, teens, adults, or seniors.
“We’re trying to gauge what demographic we’re reaching,” Subnaik Kilgour noted.
“We know our population is aging, so we’re hoping to reach seniors.
“Not just seniors, maybe even adults in the community who are retired and making looking for some sort of lifelong learning.”
Since the survey lists all of the services the library provides, Subnaik Kilgour is hoping the very act of people filling out the survey will make them aware of everything it does.
She added that maybe one reason some patrons are not using a service is they’re unaware of it. After doing the survey, they won’t be.
Subnaik Kilgour also urged non-resident library users, or those who live outside of Fort Frances and haven’t yet used the library here, to fill out the survey.
Since they would not have received a survey in their water bill, they can get surveys at the library or online.
The deadline to fill out and return the survey is Dec. 6 (they can be returned to the library or Civic Centre).
“We’d really like to get a great response,” Subnaik Kilgour said. “And I tell ya, it just came out the end of last week and people are dropping them off already.
“We’ve got quite a pile so I’ve got a good feeling about it.”
All responses are strictly confidential.
If you have any questions, or want more information, call the library at 274-9879 and ask for Alicia.
