Process and Survey Overview

State Library RepresentativesAcademic Library Survey 2010

Welcome to ALS

• This training will cover:

• People, Process, Survey Questionnaire and Library Compare Tool

• 3 Podcast files, approximately 15 minutes each

• Part 1: Overview, People and Process

• Part 2: Library Survey—Registration, Navigation, Tools, Help and Reports

• Part 3: Library Survey—Form, Locking, and Library Compare Tool

Part 1: Overview, People and Process

Important Dates• October 2010

• ALERT is published in C&RL News and posted on web• NCES sends letter to Chief Academic Officers with copy to LDs and LRs

• LDs receive UserIDs and Passwords for their Library. LDs designate a “key holder” who will enter library’s data.

• 2010ALS User’s Manual sent to LRs by FedEx• Survey Help Desk Opens

• November 9, 2010 • Web collection is OPEN at http://surveys.nces.ed.gov/libraries/als/• Status reports available on Web

• January – February 2011• Reminders begin• Non-response follow-up calls begin

• February 28, 2011• Survey closes

Part 1

Who’s Involved

• National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) – responsible for survey and resulting data and reports

• Census Bureau – administers the survey for NCES, including responding to questions, etc. Supplies NCES with final survey findings.

• Library Directors and staff – respond to survey

• Library Representatives (LRs) – help promote survey in states and increase response rate (more below)

• Survey Advisory Committee, coordinated by ALA – advises NCES on survey questions, procedures, etc.

Part 1

Your Role as an LR

• To serve as the connection between the federal survey sponsors and academic institutions in each state.

• To remind academic institutions in your state that the survey collection website is open, and that directors have received letters with login information for their institution.

• Accessing the Status and Summary Report will keep you informed of libraries that have not registered, or have not entered data.

Part 1

Government Contacts and Helpful URLs

• Address comments or requests for information to:

• Tai Phan, Survey Director

National Center for Education Statistics

1990 K Street NW

Washington, DC 20006

• For questions or technical assistance, contact the ALS Helpdesk at 1-877-749-4925 or govs.aclib@census.gov

Part 1

When to Call the HELP Desk

• LR's should refer questions on the following items to the ALS Help Desk:

• Requests for the URL to complete the survey

• Requests for USERID and PASSWORD

• Technical questions about using the Web application

• Survey questions, instructions and definitions

• Edit checks

Part 1

Survey Changes from 2010

• Eligibility Questions

New question added – “Do your total library expenditures exceed $10,000?”

• Library Services, FY 2010

Item 507 -General circulation transactions - Change in Instructions

Change from “Report the number of items lent from the general collection. Include both initial transactions and renewals.” to “Report the number of items lent from the general collection (all formats). Include both initial transactions and renewals.”

Part 1

Items 511 – 516 - Information services to individuals - New Questions (See survey instructions for definitions of new items)

• Item 511 – In Person Reference

• Item 512 – Virtual Reference

• Item 513 – Total Reference

• Item 514 – In-Person Consultations

• Item 515 – Virtual Consultations

• Item 516 – Total Consultations

Part 1

LIBRARY SERVICES, TYPICAL WEEK, FY 2010

• Item 602 Reference Transactions in a typical week - Change in location and duration

• This question is now a yearly figure and is reported as item 517 (total information services to individuals).

Part 1

Virtual Reference, FY 2010 – New section

• Item 900 “Does your library support virtual reference services?” If no, select “N” and skip 901 thru 904.

If yes, does your library utilize any of the following and does it collect usage statistics for any of the virtual reference utilities?

• Item 901 E-mail Reference

• Item 902 Chat reference, commercial service (e.g. QuestionPoint, Tutor.com)

• Item 903 Chat reference, instant messaging application (e.g. Meebo)

• Item 904 Sort message service (SMS) or text messaging

Part 1

Part 2: Library Survey— Registration, Navigation, Help and Reports

Survey General Instructions

• Please respond to each item in this survey. If the appropriate answer for an item is zero or none, use "0." If you do not collect data for an item, provide your best estimate.

• PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE ITEMS BLANK. If an item is left blank, NCES will estimate a value using the average for institutions with similar characteristics.

• Include data for the main or central library and all branch and independent libraries that were open all or part of fiscal year 2010.

Part 2

Welcome Screen

Part 2

Logging In

Part 2

Eligibility

Completion of the Survey Eligibility form determines if the reporting unit satisfies definitional requirements of a library. If defined criteria are satisfied, the respondent will then complete the ALS survey.

Part 2

Registration

This section requests personal data, such as: name, title, email, address, and phone and fax numbers.

Part 2

View Access Report

Part 2

File Export

Part 2

Navigating and Survey Data Entry

• Use Tab and Shift-Tab to move back and forth between data entry boxes

• No specific order required for completing survey, but it is best to start with the first data entry screen

Part 2

Saving/Viewing your Data

• Data are saved on a screen-by-screen basis; “Verify and Save” will save your data and keep you on current screen

• Helpful edit icons will appear to identify cells that have missing or questionable data; click icon to review

Part 2

Help Menu

• The HELP menu includes much information to assist you with filling out the survey:

• Important Information covers things like Printing, Data Entry Process, Edit Checks, Error Messages, Locking Data and Logging Out.

• Instructions provides general instructions as well as instructions and definitions for each survey section.

• The Tutorial walks you through each section of the survey, including screen shots.

• The Registration Guide explains registration process, eligibility and the Library Director Info screen.

Part 2

Part 3: ALS Collection Instrument & Instructions

ALS Collection Instrument & Instructions

• The ALS is divided into the following sections:

• Outlets and Staff

• Expenditures

• Collections

• Services – FY

• Services – Typical Week

• Electronic Services

• Information Literacy

• Remarks

Part 3

Outlets and Staff (items 200-207)

Part 3

Expenditures (items 300-311)

Part 3

Collections (items 400-406)

Part 3

Services – FY (items 500-517)

Part 3

Part 3

Services – Typical Week (items 600-602)

Part 3

Electronic Services (items 700-703)

Part 3

Information Literacy (items 800-804)

Part 3

Virtual Reference (new in 2010)

Part 3

Remarks

Part 3

Edit Checks/Error Messages

• On-screen edits

• Appears when field is left blank

• Describes the error

• Must be completed to continue

Part 3

System Edits

• System edits

• Appear after clicking “Am I done?”

• Allow you to make corrections or enter explanations as needed

• Please note that changing your data may require you to review other pages within the same survey.

Part 3

Edit Failures

• Edit Failures Require

• Explanation of an entry

• Modification of an entry

• Use the memo field to input an explanation

• Watch the “yield” sign to confirm an explanation has been accepted

• Save your changes

• See Save/Verify section of this presentation for a reminder of edit alert icons

Part 3

Part 3

Edit Messages

Part 3

Edit Report

Part 3

Locking Data

• Locking the survey data:

• All edits must be resolved before the data can be locked

• Click the Submit Data Submit Data button on the top of the survey screen

• A message will display that the data are lockedlocked

• An emailemail is also sent confirming the data are locked

Part 3

About Locking Data

Once data are locked:

• The data can no longer be updated

• The data can be viewed, printed or downloaded

• If a second lock is required, the next person is notified

• Permission levels for locking may vary from state to state

• Questions about locking the data may be referred to HELP desk (1-877-749-4925, or govs.aclib@census.gov )

Part 3

Compare Academic Libraries – Using the ALS Data

• About the Compare Academic Libraries Tool

• How to do a search

• Results and sample screen shots

Part 3

About Academic Libraries Compare Tool

• The Compare Academic Libraries (peer search tool) developed by NCES is available for the FY 2008 ALS at http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/libraries/academic.asp.

• Peer analysis tool users will be able to select their peer academic libraries by name of institution and by using data for several variables and classifications.

• Variables include: State, Geographic region, Total library expenditures, Circulation transactions, Total volumes held, Total library staff, Librarians and other professional staff, and Student enrollment.

Part 3

How to Compare Libraries

Click on “Begin Search” to start.

Part 3

Select Library of Interest

Enter one or more fields to find your library of interest. Click “Continue.”

Part 3

Select Library of Interest

Select your library of interest and click “Continue.”

Part 3

Choose a Comparison Group

Choose a random comparison group by variable, or specific libraries by name, city, state, or zip.

Part 3

Choose Comparison Group by Variable

In this example, we are choosing comparison group by variable(s). Select variable(s) to identify your comparison group.

Part 3

Specify Range for Chosen Variable

Choose either the percentage or number method for the variable range and click “Continue.”

Part 3

Report Results

This shows a summary of the library of interest compared with the comparison group. Each library in the comparison group is listed below the summary.

Part 3

Bar Graph Representation

Part 3

Line Graph Representation

Part 3

Conclusion/Reminders

• Survey opens November 9, 2010 and goes through February 28, 2011 at: http://surveys.nces.ed.gov/libraries/als/

• Help Desk is available for questions or technical assistance, at 1-877-749-4925 or govs.aclib@census.gov

• Thank you for supporting the Academic Library Survey 2010!

Part 3