Blog post #3 Survey Monkey Experimentation

Click here to take survey

Please take a few moments to complete this survey.

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This is an exercise in the creation of a survey using a free website, Surveymonkey. Using a survey is particularly helpful when bringing forward a new service such as the Homer Township Bookmobile. A survey can be helpful in gathering information which enables a library to become more responsive to its community. Surveymonkey can simplify this process.

An initial survey and a closing survey can also be very useful when compiling information for grant reporting. Surveymonkey makes it very easy to create, edit, and customise this type of document. Once created, it is simple to send this survey as a e-mail link, to an e-mail list, or to add it as a link to a website. The html coding is automatically created and may be cut and pasted to an existing website or blog. Pop ups are an option you can utilize in addition to five collection options, 3 completion options, survey limits, survey security, and closed messages. An example of a closing option is to add a final page which can be used to thank survey respondents. I have attempted to do this with the survey above.

Once your custom inquiry is "published", Surveymonkey helps organize the data as it is generated "in real time". This data can be filtered, configured to share results, or exported. However these last three options are available only to "professional subscribers". The gathered data is entered line by line in the order it appears in your survey. There are columns in which "response percentage" and "response total" are tabulated. You can analyze the results of your surveys with charts or graphs. The raw data can even be downloaded to Excel or SPSS.

This is a wonderful tool for libraries to use. It is free to use with up to ten question and up to 100 respondents. For a fee of $19.95 monthly or $200.00 yearly, a professional subscription may be secured.

A survey can be a really useful tool. In retrospect, I realize that in the recent past I have completed at least two surveys generated by surveymonkey. Didn't Dominican use surveymonkey to collect information from students for reaccredidation? Also, the president of our local bookmobile managers group just sent us a surveymonkey survey to complete about hours, job descriptions, budgets, etc. She plans to share this information with all of us and it will be immensely helpful for future planning.

Surveymonkey surveys are easy to use, don't have to cost anything more than the time it takes to prepare them, and can provide invaluable insight into a community. Libraries are always looking for cost effective ways to connect with their communities and surveymonkey seems like a great tool to do just that.

FYI: Surveymonkey is hiring! Perhaps they have a spot for a savvy 2.0 librarian.

Lunch Survey from Survey Monkey

Click here to take survey

Please take this survey!

Just practicing! Thanks for your input.

Blogpost #2 Library 2.0

Library 2.0 appears to be less about technology than it is about listening to and adapting to the needs of a community. Michael E. Casey and Laura Savastinuk's article entitled "Library 2.0", http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6365200.html , discusses and defines this creative way of thinking. The three critical elements of any 2.0 library service are that it reaches its users, is constantly being evaluated, and incorporates patron input. Establishing open and ongoing communication with customers is essential. Feedback could be collected in a traditional manner via surveys or through interviews, however, Web 2.0 tools such as blogs could facilitate this process of gathering information. Blogging with patrons could be an infinite, timely, source of ideas which should inspire librarians to develop new goals and direction. Libraries who embrace the 2 .0 philosophy will likely become more dynamic and more relevant to their respective communities. In our rapidly changing world, relevancy is key to the survival and prosperity of any business or institution, including libraries.

A quote from Micheal Casey's blog on December 5, 2005, http://www.librarycrunch.com/2005/12/what_is_library_20.html , really sums up what he and Savastinuk were trying to communicate in their article, "Library 2.0 is not about technology. Library 2.0 seeks to harvest good ideas from outside and use them to deliver improved and new services, often times in an effort to reach a new target population. Library 2.0 is, at its core, a way of thinking, a way of operating. It's a framework for integrating change into all levels of library operations. It's in our effort to reach this new level of service that we will utilize these new, often times Web 2.0, technologies." While using Web 2.0 tools may be new to some library students, the concept of understanding our community's needs and responding in an appropriate manner should not be. Web 2.0 tools can provide the means to pursue this fundamental facet of librarianship more aggressively. Better information from our patrons can ultimately result in better services overall.

An article by Janet Balas, "elearning About Library 2.0", published in Computers in Libraries in January 2007, reempathisizes the importance of Library 2.0 for its ability to help libraries respond to and meet "the needs of its users". Her piece gathers together articles, authors, podcasts, del.icio.us, flickr, and other Web 2.0 formats which relate to Library 2.0. Michael Stephens and Jenny Levine figure prominently as leaders in the 2.0 library movement. They have developed a Squidoo lens for an ALA Library 2.0 course which is filled with information on the subject. It can be accessed at http://www.squidoo.com/library20/.
Balas also credits Michael Casey, the author of the afore mentioned "Librarycrunch" blog as the first to use the term Library 2.0. This is a valuable article into which Balas has compressed a wealth of information for those who wish to learn more about Library 2.0.

All librarians work towards bringing the best services to our communities. Using techniques learned from Library 2.0 will assist us in reaching that goal.