Ethical Clearance Reference Number: LRS-18/19-12822
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Title of study Pilot Study: Men and Masculinities in Librarianship
Invitation Paragraph
I would like to invite you to participate in this research project which forms part of my low risk study research. Before you decide whether you want to take part, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what your participation will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Ask me if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information.
What is the purpose of the study?
I am in the early stages of a long-term project seeking to explore the experiences of men working in libraries. I am circulating a survey in order to contextualize demographic data about librarianship in the UK, and would like to hear from anyone (of any gender identity) so that in future strands of the project I have contemporary data to discuss with participants. This survey will ask questions about your identity, job title, salary and awareness of gender issues in the LIS profession.
At the end of the survey you will have the opportunity to indicate if you are interested in participating in a follow up interview. This is the only portion of the survey that requests personally identifiable information, which you are not required to provide.
Link to Survey: Pilot Study: Men and Masculinities in Librarianship
Why have I been invited to take part?
You are being invited to participate in this survey because you subscribe to professional listservs that circulate information about research and professional development opportunities to librarians.
What will happen if I take part?
If you agree to take part, you will complete a survey anonymously. As part of participation you will be asked to answer questions about your identity and professional experiences. The survey consists of 22 questions and should take no more than 20 minutes to complete.
If, at the end of the survey you choose to share your email address, you can request this information be redacted up to one month after submitting your responses by either emailing me directly, or after I contact you to request an interview.
Do I have to take part?
Participation is completely voluntary.
You should only take part if you want to and choosing not to take part will not disadvantage you in anyway.
If you choose to take part, you will be asked to provide your consent. To do this you will be asked to indicate that you have read and understand the information provided and that you consent to your anonymous data being used for the purposes explained.
You are free to withdraw at any point during completion of the survey, without having to give a reason.
At the end of the survey you will have the opportunity to indicate if you are interested in participating in a follow up interview. This is the only portion of the survey that requests personally identifiable information, which you are not required to provide.
If, at the end of the survey if you choose to share your email address, you can request this information be redacted by either emailing me directly, or after I contact you to request an interview.
If you do not share your email address at the end of the survey, once you submit the survey, it will no longer be possible to withdraw from the study because the data will be fully anonymous. Please do not include any personal identifiable information in your responses.
Withdrawing from the study will not affect you in any way.
What are the possible risks of taking part?
There are no foreseeable risks for participating in this survey.
What are the possible benefits of taking part?
Taking part in this survey will support research investigating the experiences of librarians in the UK. Sharing information about your work experiences and professional background will contribute meaningful data that will help represent the demographics and trends in the library profession.
Data handling and confidentiality
This research is anonymous.
This means that if you do not provide your email address at the end of the survey nobody, including the researchers, will be aware of your identity, and that nobody will be able to connect you to the answers you provide, even indirectly.
Your answers will nevertheless be treated confidentially and the information you provide will not allow you to be identified in any research outputs/publications.
Once the survey closes your data will downloaded and be held securely in an external hard drive only accessible by the researcher
The data controller for this project will be King’s College London (KCL). Research is a task that the University carries out in the public interest. Your data will be processed in accordance with the standards set by the General Data Protection Regulation 2016 (GDPR).
Data Protection Statement
The data controller for this project will be King’s College London (KCL). The University will process your personal data for the purpose of the research outlined above. The legal basis for processing your personal data for research purposes under GDPR is a ‘task in the public interest’ You can provide your consent for the use of your personal data in this study by completing the consent form that has been provided to you.
You have the right to access information held about you. Your right of access can be exercised in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation. You also have other rights including rights of correction, erasure, objection, and data portability. Questions, comments and requests about your personal data can also be sent to the King’s College London Data Protection Officer Mr Albert Chan [log in to unmask]" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" style="margin: 0px; user-select: text">[log in to unmask]. If you wish to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office, please visit www.ico.org.uk.
What if I change my mind about taking part?
You are free withdraw at any point of the study, without having to give a reason. Withdrawing from the study will not affect you in any way.
Because this survey is anonymous, once you submit the form you will not be able to request to withdraw your responses.
What will happen to the results of the study?
The results of the study will be summarised in a planned series of peer reviewed articles and conference presentations.
If you share your contact information at the end of this survey you will have the chance to review any findings and analyses prior to submission of an article. At this point you will have an additional opportunity to withdraw from the study.
Who should I contact for further information?
If you have any questions or require more information about this study, please contact me at [log in to unmask]
What if I have further questions, or if something goes wrong?
If this study has harmed you in any way or if you wish to make a complaint about the conduct of the study you can contact King's College London using the details below for further advice and information:
Link to Survey: Pilot Study: Men and Masculinities in Librarianship
Thank you for reading this information sheet and for considering taking part in this research.