In early 2012, a team of librarians from Emory University's Robert W Woodruff Library set out to better understand how the library's key user groups work, what they need to do that work, and how the library might better meet those needs. To develop its understanding the team modified the Voice of the Customer FOCUS methodology--a clearly defined and rigorous process for developing and conducting semi-structured interviews and for analyzing the data associated with those interviews.

In this presentation, team members will review their research methodology (including a discussion of its benefits and drawbacks), review their project's findings and its impact on the library, and suggest how others might adapt their research methodology to their own libraries and needs.