This report from LIBER’s Innovative Metrics Working Group is for those based in libraries and information centres with an interest in altmetrics who would like to know how qualitative approaches could be used to study altmetrics sources. Qualitative measures could be of interest to scholars, librarians, information professionals, and providers of research metrics and altmetrics. The topic was a key theme informing the work of the LIBER Innovative Metrics Working Group. Other reports in this series include ‘Why Do Measures Fluctuate? Metrics Report – Guidelines for Talking to Management’.