Take a look at the feedback we received in our spring customer survey.

 

Rating: 4.3/5

The customer satisfaction survey was open from 10 March to 12 April 2026 and received 267 responses.

Of the respondents, 75% were students at Lapland University of Applied Sciences or the University of Lapland. The most active respondents were from the faculty of social sciences at the University of Lapland and from the health and well-being fields at Lapland UAS.

Overall, library services received a rating of 4.3/5 in the survey. The level has remained roughly the same in recent years. 

Open-ended feedback

The open-ended feedback included both positive comments and constructive suggestions for improving services. Below are selected highlights and topics that sparked discussion. 

Excellent service

Library services received a great deal of praise. Customers thanked us for friendly, professional, and high-quality service. Information retrieval guidance and library orientations were especially mentioned. 

Based on the feedback, our library is: 

  • an important part of the higher education community 
  • approachable and welcoming
  • easy to use, even outside opening hours 
  • efficient and well-functioning
  • comfortable, peaceful, and inviting.

Library’s different channels can be confusing

The open-ended feedback revealed that some customers find the library’s online services somewhat confusing. It is not always clear whether they are browsing the library website, LUC-Finna, or the library’s guides.

LUC-Finna, the library website, and the library guides are currently being developed and improved. We are always happy to receive feedback. If you notice broken links or anything else that needs attention, please let us know.

The library has two main online channels. The first is the library website, where you can find information about the library’s services, as well as library news and upcoming events.

Our second channel is LUC-Finna, which provides access to the library’s collections, including printed books and electronic resources. Through LUC-Finna, you can search for information, place holds on books, renew loans, and more.

In addition, the library produces a range of guides to support information seeking and research. These guides can be used for self-study and provide resources tailored to different fields of study, instructions for writing theses, and a wealth of other useful information.

E-resources can sometimes be challenging

Respondents hoped for a wider selection of electronic resources, including more course books available as e-books, greater access to discipline-specific electronic articles, and additional copies of course books.

We strive to acquire course books in electronic format whenever possible. Unfortunately, not all titles are available as e-books. If you notice that a resource is missing from our collection, please contact the library’s acquisitions service.

Licensing terms for e-books vary considerably. Some e-books can be accessed simultaneously by multiple users, while others can only be used by one person at a time. Whenever possible, we purchase additional licenses or copies to improve availability.

Some respondents also found e-resources difficult to use. Common challenges included locating e-books and accessing their content. However, help is available. You can:

Finding printed materials

Some respondents mentioned that locating printed books on the shelves can sometimes be challenging.

To make materials easier to find, we are currently working on improving the clarity of our shelf organization. The changes will be introduced gradually, and the process will take time. We appreciate the patience and understanding of both our customers and staff as this work progresses.

If you need help finding a book, we are here to assist you. We can guide you in using LUC-Finna and show you how to check a book’s location in the library. You can also consult the Shelf category guide to learn more about the shelf categories used in our libraries. Whenever you need assistance, please feel free to ask our staff.

Library facilities are an ongoing topic

Library facilities were a frequent topic of discussion across all campuses. The following issues were mentioned in the open-ended feedback: 

  • soundproofing and noise carrying in open spaces 
  • confusing layouts and wayfinding
  • the availability of group study rooms
  • the need for phone booths 
  • room temperatures.

Several improvements to the library facilities are planned. At the moment, customer restrooms are being built on the second floor of University Library. In addition, we are making smaller improvements to our facilities whenever possible.

We welcome feedback at any time and appreciate the suggestions our customers have shared.

A good foundation for moving forward

The survey results remind us that the library means different things to different users: for one, a workspace; for another, a source of information; for a third, a meeting place. We cannot address every suggestion at once, but the responses help us understand what kind of library best serves its users. 

Not all the survey results were surprising, but some challenged us to view our operations from a new perspective. That is the greatest value of feedback: it not only confirms our assumptions but also helps us identify things we might not otherwise notice.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond to the survey!