A CONJOINT-ANALYSIS OF REFERENCE SERVICES IN ACADEMIC-LIBRARIES

Conjoint analysis has been used by market researchers for the developm ent of many products and services. This article displays the potential of conjoint analysis for evaluating reference services in academic li braries. Six dimensions of reference service are included in the analy ses: definitiveness of answer, in line wait times, service time, numbe r of items given to patron, hours of service, and cost of service. Of greatest importance to users are cost of the service and the hours dur ing which reference is available. Most users prefer that all reference services be free and that reference help be available at all times th e library is open.