Conducting Surveys I

Introduction andQuestionnaire Design

NCompass Live – May 12, 2010

About the presenter

Research AnalystSpecial Projects AssociateGrant writerEvaluatorKathryn.Brockmeier@Nebraska.gov402.471.4002

About you

Your role

Library DirectorLibrary Staff MemberTrusteeFriends/Foundation Board Member

Your credentials

About you, cont’d.

About this presentation

Reasons for conducting a surveyQuestionnaire design, data collection and analysis, and reportingMeasurement, question content, and structureExamples

1) Information needs for…

Strategic planMarketing planBudget justificationReturn on investmentGrant writing, fundraising

Capacity buildingFeasibility studyNeeds assessmentProgram planningProgram evaluation

What’s the goal?

Building customer/patron loyaltyIdentifying attractive prospectsFocusing on high potential customers/patronsPredicting future usage patternsImproving return on investmentIdentifying new products and services

What’s the question?

Opportunities, problems, challenges, barriersService, programming, accessibility needsSatisfaction, performanceExpectations, reputationValue, worthComparison to existing dataUsage patternsSnapshot

Respondents

Users

PatronsVisitorsOne-timeRegularsAge, Ethnicity, Gender, Disability, Geography, IncomeType of check-outsType of questions

Non-users

Potential usersAdmirers, loyaltyAwareInformedUnawareUninformedComputer ownersBook buyers

Pros and cons

Advantages

No interviewer biasInexpensiveRepeatableOften gains thoughtful answersMore respondentsCandid responses if confidentiality is ensuredEasy to analyze

Disadvantages

Doesn’t ensure qualified respondentsLow response rateInability to gain further detail / probePoor turnaround time

2) Survey research

The study of attitudes, beliefs, and behavior of people and their settings through questionnaires administered by mail, e-mail, handouts, personal and telephone interviews, and the Internet

Surveys

QuestionnaireMail, paper-and-pencilGroup-administeredInternetE-mail

InterviewPersonalTelephone

Design

Ease of useLengthSensitivityLayoutLanguage

Pretesting and revision

Data collection

Target audienceSamplingIncentivesConfidentiality/anonymity

Method of administration

Paper-and-pencil (Self report, face-to-face, telephone)Electronic (e-mail)Online/Internet

Data analysis

Descriptive statisticsQualitative vs. quantitative dataCoding

Reporting

Title pageTable of contentsIntroduction and objectivesExecutive summary or highlightsConclusions and recommendationsComplete findings of the studySupporting charts and graphsAppendixes

3) Questionnaire design

Questionnaire:A research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents

Measurement

Operational definitionValidityReliability

Measurement, cont’d.

AttitudeBehaviorIntentionAttributesOther characteristicsClassification

(demographics)

Question content

DichotomousMultichotomousScalesOpen-ended

Structure

General to specificQuestion sequenceFiltersSkip patternsLength

Structure, cont’d.

IntroductionBodyEncouragementNote of thanksReferral for questions

4) Examples

Disclaimer

Introduction (Ex. 1)

Happyplace Public Library would like to find out where we are now as a library. We would like to learn a little bit about your library experiences at Happyplace Public Library. The information gathered from the following survey may help us evaluate, plan, and shape some of our future thinking about our library and the various needs of our patrons.

Your opinions are very important to us, and your responses will remain confidential. Please take a moment to fill out this questionnaire, and return it to Happyplace Public Library in the accompanying envelope by February 29th. Thank you!

Introduction (Ex. 2)

The Nebraska Library Commission is in the process of gathering information from 21st Century Librarian Scholarship recipients to find out how the scholarship program worked for them and if they have completed their degree program.

Please take a few moments to complete this questionnaire about your experiences. This is for evaluation purposes and we will use some of the information in our federal grant report where we will discuss the outcomes of our recruitment activities and share the "stories" of how the scholarships have contributed to the developing library careers of scholarship recipients. When given the opportunity to comment, please do so in whatever detail you care to provide.

Assurance of confidentiality

Your responses will remain confidential.No identifying information will be attached to your answers.Your responses will be combined with like responses.

Q1. Scale

Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the services the library provides to the community?

Very satisfiedSomewhat satisfiedNeither satisfied nor dissatisfiedSomewhat dissatisfiedVery dissatisfied

Q2. Dichotomous

Do you have a library card?YesNo(Don’t know)

Q3. Multichotomous & skip

When was the last time you visited the library?

TodayIn the last weekIn the last two weeksIn the last monthIn the last six monthsIn the last yearIt’s been over a year since I visited the libraryI’ve never visited the library (Skip to Question #)

Q4. Multichotomous

If you recall, what was the purpose of your most recent visit to the library? You may include today’s visit. (Check all that apply)

Use the computer labBrowse books, DVDs, CDs or other itemsRead magazines or newspapersAttend a programUse the copy machineCheck out an item for myselfCheck out an item for my childReturn itemsBrowse booksOther ________________________________Don’t recall

Q5a. Scale

To what extent was the result of your most recent visit what you expected? / How did your most recent visit to the library meet your expectations?

Better than I expectedJust as I expectedWorse than I expectedDon’t recallI’ve never visited the library

Q5b. Scale

Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with your most recent library visit?

Very satisfiedSomewhat satisfiedNeither satisfied nor dissatisfiedSomewhat dissatisfiedVery dissatisfied

Q5c. Scale

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being very dissatisfied and 10 being very satisfied, how would you rate your most recent library visit? (Circle one)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Q6. Scale

Please rate the following services offered by Happyplace Public Library:

Excellent Good Fair Poor Doesn’t apply

Check-out processBookmobile serviceEtc.

Cont’d.

Q6. Scale, cont’d.

Bookmobile serviceAssistance with finding a book or other materialsCatalog systemAssistance with using the catalog systemCheck-out processNotifications about finesCustomer serviceInterlibrary loan service

Programming for adultsProgramming for childrenProgramming for teensAssessment of finesWebsite

Comments: __________ ____________________________________________________________

Q7. Scale

How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the variety of the following items?

Verysatisfied

Somewhat satisfied

Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

Somewhat dissatisfied

Verydissatisfied

Adult fiction booksDVDs

Etc.

Cont’d.

Q7. Scale, cont’d. & open-ended

Adult fiction booksAdult non-fiction/ self-help booksDVDsChildren’s booksTeen booksBooks on tapeBooks on CD

MagazinesNewspapers

Comments: ________ ________________________________________________________________________

Transition

We’d like to know some details about your experience with programming at Happyplace Public Library.

Q8. Scale

How likely are you to participate in adult programming in the next year/six months?

Very likelySomewhat likelySomewhat unlikelyVery unlikely

Q9. Scale

How important is it to you that adult programming be offered to the community, through the library?

Very importantSomewhat importantNot very importantNot at all important

Q10. Scale

If you have children under the age of 18 living at home, how likely are they to participate in children’s/teen programming in the next year/six months?

Very likelySomewhat likelySomewhat unlikelyVery unlikelyNo children living at home

Q11a. Dichotomous/filter

Do you have children under the age of 18 living at home?

YesNo (Skip to Question 16)

If you have children under the age of 18 living at home, have they participated in the summer reading program in the past?

YesNo

Q11b. Dichotomous

If you have children under the age of 18 living at home, have they participated in the summer reading program in the past?

YesNoNo children living at home

Q12. Scale

How important is it to you that programming be offered to your children, through the library?

Very importantSomewhat importantNot very importantNot at all importantNo children living at home

Q12. Scale/open-ended

How important is it to you that programming be offered to children in the community, through the library?

Very importantSomewhat importantNot very importantNot at all important

Comments: __________________________

Q13. Scale

How important is it to you that programming be offered to your teen(s), through the library?

Very importantSomewhat importantNot very importantNot at all importantNo teens living at home

Q14. Scale/open-ended

How important is it to you that programming be offered to teens in the community, through the library?

Very importantSomewhat importantNot very importantNot at all important

Comments: __________________________

Q15. Scale

If you have children under the age of 18 living at home, how likely are they to participate in the upcoming summer reading program?

Very likelySomewhat likelyNot very likelyNot at all likelyNo children living at home

Transition

Now we have some questions about Happyplace Public Library’s website…

Q16. Multichotomous

When was the last time you visited Happyplace Library’s website, www.happyplace.com?

TodayIn the last weekIn the last two weeksIn the last monthIn the last six monthsIn the last yearIt’s been over a year since I visited the websiteI’ve never visited the websiteDon’t recall

Q17. Scale

If you recall, overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with your most recent visit to the library website?

Very satisfiedSomewhat satisfiedNeither satisfied nor dissatisfiedSomewhat dissatisfiedVery dissatisfiedI’ve never visited the websiteDon’t recall

Q18a. Open-ended

What was the purpose of your most recent visit to the library website?

____________________________________

Q18b. Multichotomous

What was the purpose of your most recent visit to the library website? (Check all that apply)

To access a databaseTo learn about programs offeredTo learn about services offeredTo access the online catalogTo reserve a bookTo get library contact informationTo find out how to get a library cardOther _______________________________

Q19. Scale

Please rate the ease of use of the library website to find/access information:

ExcellentGoodFairPoor

Encouragement

Almost done…one more page!

We’re almost done. Just a few last questions…

Thank you for your time. Just a few more questions…

Q20. Dichotomous/filter

Are you a fan of Happyplace Library on Facebook?

YesNoDon’t knowI don’t have a Facebook account

Q21. Scale

What would you say is the library’s reputation in the community?

ExcellentGoodFairPoor

Q22. Scale

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements:

Stronglyagree Agree

Neither agree nor disagree Disagree

Strongly disagree

The library provides valuable services to the communityEtc.

Q22. Scale, cont’d.

The library provides valuable services to the communityThe library has a good reputation in the communityThe library has provided valuable services to meI would recommend using the library to my friends and familyThere’s room for improvement in the services the library provides

Transition

We’d like to learn a little bit more about you…

Reminder about confidentiality

The following information will be used for demographic purposes only.

Q23. Demographics

Gender:MaleFemale

Q24. Demographics

Age:Under 1818-2425-3435-4445-5455-6465-7475 or over

Q25. Demographics

Do you live… (Check all that apply)

Within city limits / In HappyplaceIn Happy CountyIn BBB CountyIn CCC CountyOther county ___________________

Q26. Demographics

Length of time living in Happyplace:

I don’t live in HappyplaceLess than 1 year1-5 years6-10 years11-20 years21+ years

Q27. Demographics

Highest level of education attained:

Less than high schoolHigh school diploma/GEDSome collegeAssociate degreeBachelor degreeGraduate degree

Q28. Demographics

Race (check all that apply):WhiteBlack or African-AmericanAmerican Indian and Alaska NativeAsianNative Hawaiian and Other Pacific IslanderSome other race ________________

Q29. Demographics

Ethnicity:Hispanic or Latino (of any race)Not Hispanic or Latino

Q30. Demographics

Household Income:Less than $20,000$20,000 to $29,999$30,000 to $49,999$50,000 to $74,999$75,000+

Open-ended questions

Comments:Other (please specify):If you have other comments for us about your experience with Happyplace Public Library, please provide it below:Your name (optional):

Note of thanks

Thank you for completing this questionnaire/survey. We appreciate your feedback!

Note of thanks

Thank you for completing this questionnaire/survey. We appreciate your feedback!

Referral for questions

If you have any questions regarding this survey, please contact Jane Smith at 402-555-0000 or jane.smith@happylib.org

Next steps

Evaluation

Print resources

Survey Research Methods by Floyd Fowler (Sage Publications)Internet, Mail, and Mixed-Mode Surveys: The Tailored Design Method by Don Dillman (Wiley)

Online resources

Research Methods Knowledge Basehttp://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/survey.php

Writing Guide: Survey Researchhttp://writing.colostate.edu/guides/research/survey/

LRS Library User Surveys on the Web by Type of Libraryhttp://www.lrs.org/usersurveys.php

Montana State Library Guidelines for Designing a Library Survey

http://msl.state.mt.us/For_Librarians/For_Public_Librarians/standards/PatronSurveys.doc

Questions?

Evaluation

CE credit

Related topics

Conducting Surveys II: Data Collection – June 9, 2010http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/scripts/training/eventshow.asp?ProgID=9637

Conducting Surveys III: Analyzing Data and Reporting Methods – July 14, 2010http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/scripts/training/eventshow.asp?ProgID=9638

Archived: Surveys, Focus Groups & Observation, or How to find out stuff from people in your community – March 10, 2010http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/scripts/training/eventshow.asp?ProgID=9552

Upcoming sessions

Cataloging with RDA: An Overview – May 19http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/scripts/training/eventshow.asp?ProgID=9522

Tech Talk with Michael Sauers – May 26http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/scripts/training/eventshow.asp?ProgID=9475

Communication—Getting the Word Out: Does your audience hear what you mean? – June 23http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/scripts/training/eventshow.asp?ProgID=9510