Why are you a professional academic information
worker (librarian)?
I am conducting a library research survey as
part of my MA in Library and Information
Management. The following questionnaire is
designed to be completed by professional
academic information workers (librarians).
I am interested in hierarchical staffing
structures and the role/status of academic
librarians and why they decided to join the LIS
profession.
Please spare a few minutes to complete the
questionnaire, but DO NOT automatically respond
to this message. By pressing 'Reply' you can
fill in the questionnaire and then send it back
to me, but please send your response to
[log in to unmask]
If you prefer to print off the questionnaire and
send it via the postal system then please return
it to:
S.J.Hughes
Subject Librarian
Eagle Learning Centre
Bolton Institute of Higher Education
Deane Road
Bolton
BL3 5AB
Please put an asterix between the brackets e.g.
[ * ] for each answer or use the space provided.
All responses will be kept anonymous and should
be submitted by the
31st January 2001.
Thank you, in anticipation.
Sam
Professional Academic Information Workers
(Librarians) Questionnaire
1) Have you done any job other than librarian?
Yes [ ]
No [ ]
If 'Yes', what were the main jobs?
2) Number of years spent working in a job, other
than in a library, prior to deciding to obtain a
library degree?
None [ ]
Less than 1 [ ]
1-5 [ ]
More than 5 [ ]
3) Number of years spent working in a library in
a capacity other than librarian, prior to
obtaining a library degree?
None [ ]
Less than 1 [ ]
1-5 [ ]
More than 5 [ ]
4) If you worked in a library prior to obtaining
a library degree, what was your job title?
5) Did your previous library work contribute to
your decision to pursue graduate study in
library science?
Yes [ ]
No [ ]
Indirectly [ ]
Uncertain [ ]
6) While you were growing up, to what extent did
YOU use the library?
One or more times a week [ ]
Two or three times a month [ ]
Once a month [ ]
Once a year [ ]
Less than once a year [ ]
Not at all [ ]
7) Did anyone influence you to become a
librarian?
8) On a scale of 1-5, to what extent were the
following reasons important to your choice of
becoming a librarian? ('1' being NOT AT ALL, '5'
being VERY IMPORTANT). Enter the appropriate
number (1-5) next to each description.
career change [ ]
library work experience [ ]
importance of information in society [ ]
opportunities for advancement [ ]
enjoy the work [ ]
opportunities to serve the community [ ]
to earn a living [ ]
teaching others how to access information [ ]
other (please specify) [ ]
9) Would you say that you chose to become a
librarian?
Yes [ ]
No [ ]
10) What is your job title?
11) When asked what you do for a living by
strangers, how do you describe yourself?
12) On a scale of 1-5, to what extent do you
think the following descriptions characterise
LIS work? ('1' being NOT AT ALL, '5' being VERY
MUCH). Enter the appropriate number (1-5) next
to each description.
challenging [ ]
creative [ ]
dynamic [ ]
exciting [ ]
flexible [ ]
rewarding [ ]
stressful [ ]
technological [ ]
13) Briefly, what do you most enjoy about being
a librarian?
14) Briefly, what do you least enjoy about being
a librarian?
15) On a scale of 1-5, to what extent were the
following important to your choice of LIS work?
('1' being NOT AT ALL, '5' being VERY
IMPORTANT). Enter the appropriate number (1-5)
next to each description.
benefits (insurance/retirement) [ ]
future changes [ ]
professional image [ ]
intellectual opportunities [ ]
job security [ ]
salary [ ]
status [ ]
variety of jobs available [ ]
other (specify) [ ]
16) On a scale of 1-5, to what extent do you see
the following being part of the future role of
the academic librarian? ('1' being NOT AT ALL,
'5' being VERY MUCH). Enter the appropriate
number (1-5) next to each description.
cataloguing [ ]
database design [ ]
classifying [ ]
acquisitions [ ]
web page design [ ]
providing library user education [ ]
teaching [ ]
faculty liaison officers [ ]
team projects incorporating different levels of
staff [ ]
other (specify) [ ]
17) Do you continually seek career promotion?
Yes [ ] - why?
No [ ] - why?
18) Do you anticipate LIS work will be your
primary occupational activity for the rest of
your life?
Yes [ ]
No [ ]
Uncertain [ ]
19) If you plan to leave/or have already left
librarianship - what are your primary reasons?
20) If you have any other comments to make in
response to any of the above, please do so
below. Thank you.
Again, please DO NOT automatically respond to this message. Please send your
response to: [log in to unmask]
Thank you for taking the time to complete this
questionnaire.
Sam Hughes
Subject Librarian - Health & Textiles
Eagle Learning Support Centre
Bolton Institute
Deane Road
Bolton
BL3 5AB
Tel: 01204 903093
Fax: 01204 903160
Email: [log in to unmask]
|