Shifting focus: Assessing cataloging service through focus groups

Focus groups are a valuable research tool for evaluating library services but they are overlooked as a means of analyzing the performance of internal library units like technical services. In this study, focus group meetings were held with departmental library personnel to gather data related to the perception of centralized cataloging services in the decentralized library system at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Participants requested clearer contact information, enhanced communication, and more education regarding policies, processes, and cataloging issues. In response, a new contact list is being developed, technical services librarians are reaching out as liaisons, and educational workshops are underway.