The response rate for a random sample of 701 Bates students was 57 percent. This is higher than the average response rate (54 percent) of students in the comparison group. Students are among our heaviest users, and are in most cases our most discerning critics. Bates students rate many of our services higher in importance than those of peer schools.

Here is what we learned about Bates students in contrast with the comparison group of other colleges:

1. Bates students rate most of our services as more important than the average of the comparison group, including:

• Interlibrary Loan
• Library e-book collections
• Online library catalog
• Physical course reserves
• Study carrels in the library
• Library discovery layer
• Garnet Gateway support
• Library databases
• Departmental printers

2. Bates Students are more satisfied than the average of the comparison group with:

• Lyceum
• Library discovery layer

3. Bates students are less satisfied than average with:

• Performance of wireless on campus
• Physical comfort in the library
• Availability of wireless on campus