Can I Make A Suggestion? Your Library Suggestion Box as an Assessment Tool

Libraries are increasingly using quantitative and qualitative research methods to assess the quality of their resources and services. This can include collecting survey data and conducting focus groups and patron interviews. While these forms of data collection are considered standard assessment tools, libraries already have a rich collection of data available to them through their suggestion boxes – one of the most longstanding methods to determine how well your library is doing. A survey of Canadian academic libraries was conducted to gain some insight into the prevalence of the suggestion box, how libraries were managing them in their day to day operations, and whether the collected data was mined for any decision-making purposes. The authors provide recommendations on how libraries can analyze their suggestion box data to improve services and engage more effectively with their users.