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) *
