What Happens to the Data Collected When Libraries Use Undercover Agents?

Abstract

Mystery shoppers deceive front-line personnel into believing that they are real customers. They provide their observations in a natural setting and relate evidence useful for planning, staff development, and organizational accountability. Given the coverage of mystery shopping in the literature for more than a decade, this study explores which of those public libraries currently use such shopping.

Keywords:

• assessment
• evaluation
• mystery shopping

Notes

1 The studies reviewed, however, seldom did this.

2 For some of the packets for previous years with a similar figure conduct an we search under the heading “orange county library system annual packet for the board of trustees”.

3 The library encourages other library considering the use of mystery shopping to check with the Mystery Shopping Providers Association, http://www.mspa-na.org/news. This association also covers ethical issues and alerts readers to possible legislation regulating the use of mystery shopping.

4 This area tests variables such as being welcomed to the building, reader’s advisory, and having one’s departure acknowledged.

5 Mystery shoppers, in this instance, are given a book title that is currently unavailable and instructed to ask staff for it. The staff are measured on their response and ability to direct shoppers to other titles.

6 Mystery Shopping Providers Association of North America., “Mystery Shopping: A Quick Reference Guide (n.d.), http://www.mspa-americas.org/CMS/Resources/quick%20reference%20guide.pdf. The association also identifies companies that provide mystery shopping services to other organizations.