In FY2009, the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) developed and implemented a formal Customer Relations Program (CRP) for Federal depository libraries.

The CRP allows GPO to better serve depository library needs based upon unique characteristics (e.g., library segment) and data analysis. It also allows GPO to monitor and document business operations to ensure provision of appropriate customer care, response to mission requirements, and solicitation of feedback from depository libraries on performance.

Developing such a program is consistent with GPO’s and the FDLP’s strategic planning for the future and corresponds with current activities within GPO that aim to strengthen a collaborative relationship with depository libraries.

The goals of the CRP are:

• Identify needed improvements in services for and communication with Federal depository libraries, address identified needs, and use quantitative metrics for success measures.
• Identify, report on, and address needed improvements in business processes that support services provided to Federal depository libraries.

Actions Taken

GPO contracted with Outsell, Inc. to develop and administer data gathering activities:

• Segmentation Survey (May/June 2009)

  To develop an understanding of the number and characteristics of various types of libraries that make up the Federal Depository Library Program and to map these libraries to specified library types.

  • FDLP Libraries Segmentation Analysis
  • FDLP Segmentation Mapping Raw File
  • FDLP Segmentation Mapping Definitions
• Needs Assessment Survey (October 2009 - February 2010)

  To learn “how well we are doing” with the services GPO provides to depositories and to determine “what we need to do next”, from the perspective of depository library staff, in order to better support depository library needs. The needs assessment was incorporated into an abbreviated 2009 Biennial Survey.

  • Full Report
  • Report with Aggregate Overview
  • Reports by Library Segment: Academic | Public | Federal | State
  • Individual Responses Raw File
  • Question Value Map (can be used to decipher library responses contained in the individual responses raw file)
  • Comments Raw File

• Depository Library User Survey (October 18, 2010 – March 4, 2011)

  In its efforts to address the value of FDLP membership and to determine baseline outcomes-based performance measures, GPO, working with Outsell, Inc. and the Depository Library Council, developed a survey for depository library users. The survey garnered over 3,300 responses from users of nearly 550 depository libraries, yielding a 95% confidence level ±1.7%. Submissions were well distributed both geographically and across different library types. The final report conveys the overall survey results and compares results by library segment and by selective and regional designations:

  • FDLP Users Speak: The Value and Performance of Libraries Participating in the FDLP (July 28, 2011)

  Individual library reports conveying the results of the depository library user survey were generated. The reports contain charts that compare the library’s results with the aggregated results for its state or territory, library sector, and for all libraries. Any comments made by users are included. Though not all depository libraries had users who participated in the survey, all libraries have a report available to them. If your library had no respondents, the report conveys aggregated results for your state or territory and for all libraries.

  • For more information and downloading instructions, see "Library Reports for Depository User Survey Available".

  The survey instrument is available in the askGPO Knowledge Base.

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