Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1992 17:51:27 EST
From: "Diane Kovacs, Jeannie Dixon, Kara Robinson" <DKOVACS@KENTVM.BITNET>
Subject: E-Mail Conference Participation Study

E-Mail Conferencing User Survey
________________________________

Dear E-mail Conference Participant:

This message precedes a survey of E-mail conference participants. E-mail
conferences are being established to fulfil perceived needs for
professional information sharing between librarians. Our study will explore
participation on e-mail conferences (who is participating) and question how
e-mail conferences are fulfilling information needs and whether they are in
fact replacing or enhancing traditional information sources. As a further
descriptive activity, this study will discover whether some e-mail
conferences with apparently duplicate topics or overlaps in subject matter
actually overlap in subscribers. (E-mail conference refers to Listserv-based
discussion lists as well as Internet interest groups of various kinds)

We will look at the number of participants, their institutional
affiliations and their geographic distribution. Most importantly, we need
to ask our subcribers if they are using e-mail conferences as sources of
professional information.

Participation in this project is completely voluntary. Should you decide
not to respond to the survey there will be no penalty of any kind. You may
cease participation in the research at any time without penalty. Your
participation - if you elect to do so - is very important to the study.
Total anonymity is not possible because computers identify the senders of
all e-mail. However, we will keep your responses completely confidential.
Only summary data will be released. If we would like to quote part of your
response, we will contact you for permission.

If you want to know more about this research project, please feel free to
contact Diane Kovacs at (dkovacs@kentvm or dkovacs@kentvm.kent.edu). The
project has been approved by Kent State University. If you have questions
about Kent State University's rules for research, please call Dr. Adriaan
de Vries, telephone (216)672-2070.

Sincerely,

Diane Kovacs             Jeannie Dixon                    Kara L. Robinson
Libres Editor            Educom-W Moderator               Libref-L Moderator
Kent State University    University of Texas-             Kent State University
dkovacs@kentvm.kent.edu   Pan-American
dkovacs@kentvm
(216)672-3045

The Survey:

***PLEASE EDIT AND RETURN THIS SURVEY VIA E-MAIL to dkovacs@kentvm.kent.edu
or dkovacs@kentvm

- Because the survey will be coded electronically - PLEASE PUT YOUR
ANSWER(S) NEXT TO THE *'s IN THE SPACE DIRECTLY BELOW THE QUESTION (For
assistance in completing the survey, please feel free to contact
dkovacs@kentvm.kent.edu or dkovacs@kentvm, or your local computer services
staff)

(for the purposes of this survey, E-mail conference refers to Listserv-
based discussion lists as well as Internet interest groups of various
kinds)
___________________

1. On which E-mail conference did you receive this survey? (If more than
one, please state the one you saw first)

*

2. Do E-mail conferences enhance other sources of professional information
for you? (Yes or No)

*

3. Please comment on which sources of professional information have been
enhanced by your participation on e-mail conferences? (type Yes or No at the
asterisk after each source)

Professional Journals
*
Professional Conferences
*
Telephone Conversation
*
Postal Mail
*

4. Do E-mail conferences replace other sources of professional information
for you? (Yes or No)

*

5  Please comment on which sources of professional information have been
replaced by participation on e-mail conferences? (type Yes or No at the
asterisk after each source)

Professional Journals
*
Professional Conferences
*
Telephone Conversation
*
Postal Mail
*

6. To which Library and Information Science e-mail conferences do you
subscribe?

 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *

7. Are you a Librarian (possessing a Masters Degree in Library Science or
filling a position which requires Master's level knowledge or skill) or
Library Paraprofessional?  (If No please skip to question 14.)

*

8.  In what kind of library do you work?  (chose one of the categories below
and type it in beside the '*')

University Library (Graduate level school),
College Library(4 year)
College Library(2 year)
Public Library
Corporate for Profit Library
Private non-Profit Library
Government/Public Agency

Other (please state)

*

9. If you work in a Public Library, is it located in a city of:
  (type the letter of your selection next to the asterisk below)

a. 1 million +
b. 100,000-1 million
c. 50,000-100,000
d. 25,000-50,000
c  10,000-25,000
d. 5,000-10,000
e. less than 5,000

*

10. How many persons work in your library? Please give your answers in Full
Time Equivalents (FTE's). Include contract employees if they are employed 6
months or more.

*
*

11. What is your position? e.g. title, subject specialty, duties.

*
*

12. If you are not specifically a reference librarian, do you have Reference
Desk responsibilities?

*

13. Do you ever use information from E-mail conferences to assist patrons
with information needs? (Yes or No, please give example if possible)

*

Example(s)

*
*
*

14. What interests do you have in the E-mail conference that you received
this survey on?

*
*

15. How much time do you personally spend each week on Bitnet/Internet
(E-mail conference, personal e-mail or other activity)

*