E-Conference User Survey: Preliminary results Diane Kovacs 27 Aug 1992 04:36 UTC
Dear Colleagues, As I promised here are preliminary summary results from our survey of e-conference users. We estimate that we sent surveys to 10,000 subscribers (that's an estimate based on the actual subscriber numbers plus a guess at how many people were reading from newservers) We had 576 usable responses. 72 were blank or unreadable. Because of this low response rate we would appreciate if you could send an e-mail message to dkovacs@kentvm.kent.edu or dkovacs@kentvm describing *why you didn't or were unable to respond* We are guessing that many simply weren't sure how to respond and others are simply sick of surveys ;). Summary of Preliminary Results: Q1. E-conference that survey was first received on: Top 5: PACS-L 9.9% CWIS-L 7.5% GOVDOC-L 6.9% LIBREF-L 5.6% CNIDIR-L 5.4% 2. Do E-mail conferences enhance other sources of professional information for you? (Yes or No) Yes 96.9% No 2.1% blank 1.0% 3. Please comment on which sources of professional information have been enhanced by your participation on e-mail conferences? (type Yes or No at asterisk after each source) Professional Journals Yes 74.8% Professional Conferences Yes 84.7% Telephone Conversation Yes 73.3% Postal Mail Yes 65.5% 4. Do E-mail conferences replace other sources of professional information for you? (Yes or No) Yes 38.4% No 60.8% blank .9% 5 Please comment on which sources of professional information have been replaced by participation on e-mail conferences?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 Yes 14.1% Professional Conferences Yes 13.4% Telephone Conversation Yes 34.5% Postal Mail Yes 38.2% 6. To which Library and Information Science e-mail conferences do you subscribe? Summary data for this is not yet available. 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.) Yes 78.8% 8. In what kind of library do you work? (chose one of the categories below and type it in beside the '*') 50.8% University Library (Graduate level school), 7.8% College Library(4 year) .9% College Library(2 year) .9% Public Library 1.6% Corporate for Profit Library 1.2% Private non-Profit Library 3.8% Government/Public Agency Other (please state) 1 each: Australian Univ.,Canadian Univ.,Israli Univ., College? Corporation(not library), Corporation (library related), Publisher, Research Laboratory. .7% Consultants 1.4% GSLIS 1.0% Law Libraries 1.9% Library Organizations 3.3% Medical Libraries 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) 5 public libraries responded. 2 from cities over 1 million, 2 from cities from 100,000-1 million and 1 from a city between 50,000 and 100,000 10. Not available. 11. What is your position? e.g. title, subject specialty, duties. Top 5: 1. 14.4% Library Administrators (Dean, Director, Head of more than one Dept.) 2. 11.5% Reference Librarians and 11.5% Systems Librarians 3. 9.0% Catalogers 4. 3.3% Government Documents 5. 3.1% Electronic Reference (Reference Libs with responsibility primarily for computer resources, small systems). 12. If you are not specifically a reference librarian, do you have Reference Desk responsibilities? not available 13. Do you ever use information from E-mail conferences to assist patrons with information needs? (Yes or No, please give example if possible) not available 14. What interests do you have in the E-mail conference that you received this survey on? not available 15. How much time do you personally spend each week on Bitnet/Internet (E-mail conference, personal e-mail or other activity) 3.5% said ALOT or TOO MUCH The range is from 1 hour per week to 50 hours per week Diane K. Kovacs Jeannie Dixon Kara Robinson contact at: dkovacs@kentvm.kent.edu or dkovacs@kentvm