Library and Cultural Services are committed to delivering excellent customer service and we continually look to improve our performance to ensure we meet the needs of our users. To do this we set ourselves challenging targets and each year measure our progress against these.
The following table shows our latest performance between the period of 1st August 2024 - 31st July 2025. You can also view our previous service standards performance.
If you have any feedback or suggestions on what you'd like our service standards to be, please contact us to let us know.
Response Times
| Our Commitment | Target | 2024/25 | |
| We will provide a welcoming and accessible library environment with 99% of building defects or cleanliness issues reported to the University Estates Helpdesk within one working day of us becoming aware. | 99% | 100% | |
| We will acknowledge all email enquiries received via libline@essex.ac.uk within 2 hours and will send a personalised response within 3 working days. | 100% | 99% | |
| We will claim 98% of all live chats within 1 minute. | 98% | 97% | |
| Where a voicemail is left we will respond within 1 working day. | 98% | 100% | |
| We will respond to 90% of texts to the Colchester Noiseline within 15 minutes of receipt during staffed hours. | 90% | 98% | |
| We will resolve 80% of Library & Cultural Services enquiries received at the Helpdesk or via chat at the first point of contact. | 80% | 99% | |
| We will make 90% of inter-campus loan requests available within 10 working days.(*) | 90% | 92% | |
| We will provide an initial response within 5 working days to 90% of all comments, suggestions and complaints. | 90% | 99% | |
| We will ensure that 90% of available items held in our closed access stores at Colchester will be accessible within 72 hours of a request being made, Monday to Friday. | 90% | 92% | |
Resources
| Our Commitment | Target | 2024/25 | |
| For students who require alternative formats for accessibility reasons, we will provide 90% requests in an electronic version in a preferred format, where this is available, within 2 weeks. | 90% | 96% | |
| We will aim to provide 90% of items marked as “essential” on online reading lists in a digital format. | 90% | 96% | |
| When we receive notification from SWIS about a student with accessibility needs, we will have responded to the student with information and guidance within 5 working days. | 90% | 100% | |
| We will process at least 80% of eligible digitisation requests for reading list resources within 5 working days. | 80% | 86% | |
| Where the library can source an interlibrary loan request, our users will receive the materials requested: | within 7 days for items provided digitally (book chapters and journal articles). | 90% | 98% |
| within 30 days for print items provided physically (books). | 90% | 99% | |
Learning and Research Support
| Our Commitment | Target | 2024/25 | |
| We will aim for our workshops and information literacy sessions to be rated "great" or "good" by 90% of attendees. | 90% | 95% | |
| We will offer 1:1 appointments to all students based at our Colchester, Loughton and Southend campuses and those studying via University of Essex Online through our "Book a Librarian" service. We will offer a minimum of 18 appointments per week, rising to a maximum of 30 appointments per week, spread between librarians. The weekly availability will be adjusted based upon student demand and staff availability. | 100% | 100% | |
| We will provide a minimum of 10 training sessions throughout the academic year for PGRs and ECRs on the topic of publishing in collaboration with the REO and other professional services teams where relevant. | 100% | 100% | |
| We will promote Open Research to researchers through online resources and promotional materials. This will include developing and updating relevant LibGuide pages and communicating with our users about new read and publish agreements within 3 weeks of them being available. | 100% |
100% |
|
| We will process all PhD theses to ensure all are live in the Repository within 28 days from completion date. (**) | 90% | 96% | |
Facilities
| Our Commitment | Target | 2024/25 | |
| We will be open for at least 99% of our advertised opening hours. | 99% | 100% | |
| At Colchester at least 90% of all loans and returns will be via self-service. | 90% | 91% | |
Our Staff
| Our Commitment | Target | 2024/25 | |
| Members of library staff will take part in at least 20 hours of training and CPD activities a year (on average/pro rata for part time staff). | 95% | 90%(***) | |
(*) This service standard will cease for 2025/26 due to changes to post and intercampus van deliveries which are outside of our control.
(**) New service standard for 2024/25.
(***) Changes to staffing levels, duties and available budget will have contributed to a small number of staff not meeting CPD requirements.
