SAGE Reference Survey: Preliminary Results

Los Angeles | London | New DelhiSingapore | Washington DC

SAGE Reference Survey:Preliminary Results

Elisabeth Leonard, MSLS, MBA

[email protected]: ElisabethAnn

Meeting Name Here (modify under View/Master/Slide Master) Los Angeles | London | New DelhiSingapore | Washington DC

Background

● To find out how reference resources are being used in today's libraries.

● 5 pages and a total of 32 questions.● Completed surveys received before June

21st were eligible for a drawing for an iPad mini.

● A full report will be made available on the SAGE website.

SAGE reference survey preliminary results. [email protected]


● 471 responses• 90% from North America (n=310)• 6% from Asia Pacific (n=22)• 2% from Europe (n=7)• 1% from South America (n=3)• >1% from Africa (n=1)

Demographics

ALA reference preliminary survey results. [email protected]


● Type of library• Academic libraries: 58% (n=190)• Corporate libraries: 13% (n=42)• Medical libraries: 12% (n=40)• Government or military libraries: 10% (n=32)• Public libraries: 6% (n=20)• School libraries 1% (n=3)

Demographics

ALA reference survey results. [email protected]


Type Is Reference Is One of Most Useful

A&I resources 78% 42%

Almanacs 84% 9%

Bibliographies 71% 15%

Chronologies 64% 8%

Article databases 56% 75%

Video databases 44% 22%

Image databases 47% 27%

Statistical databases 63% 51%

Dictionaries 88% 38%

Encyclopedias 89% 21%

Glossaries 73% 38%

Handbooks 66% 8%

Major works 26% 34%

Primary source archives 42% 19%

What is a reference resource?


● Differentiating "reference" material in the digital age from other content resources or information assets has blurred beyond recognition. A good source of information, reference or not, is one that answers the question, period.

● Wasn't clear on this but am assuming that we are not talking about "R"eference, in the traditional sense (ready reference etc.), but rather information tools (most of what we use today) to find answers.

● Article databases- only those that are specifically reference sources...e collections of reference traditional reference materials- encyclopedias, almanac, bibliographies etc.

● While I don't consider "article databases" to be traditional reference resources, I do frequently use them or direct customers to them in response to "reference" questions.

Comments on ambiguity

ALA reference preliminary survey results. [email protected]


● Good use of article databases and primary sources. Lots of interest in video content.

● Online Encyclopedias with good links to major works such as primary resources or articles from secondary sources help our students develop understanding of the research process linking information to knowledge and critical thinking.

Comments on usefulness



Type Is Reference(all)

Is reference (academic)

Most useful (academic)

Most Useful(all)

A&I resources 78% 82% 46% 42%

Almanacs 84% 91% 8% 9%

Bibliographies 71% 74% 13% 15%

Chronologies 64% 69% 6% 8%

Article databases 56% 53% 67% 75%

Video databases 44% 40% 23% 22%

Image databases 47% 43% 24% 27%

Statistical databases

63%64% 56% 51%

Directories 88% 91% 44% 38%

Encyclopedias 89% 93% 53% 21%

Glossaries 73% 77% 9% 38%

Handbooks 66% 66% 33% 8%

Major works 26% 19% 15% 34%

Primary source archives

42%34% 22% 19%

What is a reference (academic)?



Is reference (corporate)

Most useful (corporate)

Most Useful(all)

A&I resources 78% 45% 33% 42%

Almanacs 84% 83% 7% 9%







63%64% 36% 51%

Directories 88% 93% 33% 38%


Glossaries 73% 71% 10% 38%

Handbooks 66% 57% 38% 8%

Major works 26% 29% 26% 34%


42%57% 31% 19%

What is a reference (corporate)?



Is reference (medical)

Most useful (medical) Most Useful(all)

A&I resources 78% 63% 48% 42%

Almanacs 84% 73% 3% 9%







63%60% 55% 51%

Dictionaries 88% 83% 23% 38%


Glossaries 73% 90% 10% 38%

Handbooks 66% 61% 39% 8%

Major works 26% 60% 4% 34%


42%76% 24% 19%

What is a reference (medical)?





A&I resources 78% 72% 47% 42%

Almanacs 84% 91% 16% 9%







63%53% 41% 51%




Handbooks 66% 66% 34% 8%

Major works 26% 19% 25% 34%


42%41% 38% 19%

What is a reference (govt)?





A&I resources 78% 85% 40% 42%

Almanacs 84% 65% 25% 9%







63%65% 40% 51%




Handbooks 66% 55% 30% 8%

Major works 26% 25% 20% 34%


42%55% 40% 19%

What is a reference (public)?


● 50% direct patrons daily to free and fee reference resources

● 4% don’t assist patrons with information needs

How often do you direct users to reference resources?

SAGE reference preliminary survey results. [email protected]


● I feel that it is important for students to learn tools they will still have access to after graduating, so I make a point to show them both subscription-based and free resources.

● We pay for some references resources and I think they are better than basic search engines. PubMed is free and I recommend this all the time. I suggest our patrons go to our library page where they can see all the resources we have in one place.

● We strongly encourage use of our subscription databases when directing students who are conducting research.

● Reference materials often have the best information but most patrons have the google mentality of good enough from the internet.

Comments

SAGE reference survey results. [email protected]


Preference for print or online reference



● this list contains reference resources or types, however the big change is that they are not in "protected reference collections" today as we have migrated from print to online and if the product is in print it now circulates.

● what a changing world. speculating that research libraries supporting humanities and social sciences scholars and researchers will still have deep physical reference collections but most libraries -- the physical reference collection will become very small, online reference collection and curating that online collection is the future

Comments on the shift from “p” to “e”





● We really have to improve our accessibility to our reference resource collections. Right now, the print and the electronic parts of the reference collection are in chaotic odds with each other. I feel the future is to integrate reference collections almost fully with the general collection.

● Reference resources need more marketing

Comments on discovery



● I'm a realist, I know that the instant access of the web is primary for most students. Faculty use what they know, some online, some in paper.

● I don 't think we can do a lot to change our patron's worldview. So we need to work hard to make the reference resources more easily discoverable.

Comments on discovery



● Every single Library needs a PR consultant, IMO.● We need to do more marketing, but it is difficult to

know what will reach 23 year olds.● Students don't make a distinction between

reference sources and other types of sources (journals, databases, etc.). So, I wouldn't refer a student to a "reference resource" so much as something that will help with their research.

Comments on marketing



● It’s a research skill that appear to have been lost to patrons and librarians - they are almost seen quaint - I view them as integral to the research process.

● We need to market better but reference resources are not a priority with our administration.

● Why on earth would they know about our reference sources? We don't have a good way of delivering that information, and our own staff is dismally unaware of what we have online.

Comment on the disconnect



● I wish people had more time, or would make more time, to take a library orientation and tour. But this is for overall knowledge of the library and its procedures, not just awareness of reference resources! Overall people are so happy that our firm even has a library so most are keen to check it out.

● I feel we should raise more awareness of what reference materials we have, but I also think that there are many other types of library resources that can be helpful to our patrons.

● Given the amount of communication available to library clients in many different formats, the comment that they didn't know the library held a particular item (or range of items) occurs too often.

Comments on satisfaction with awareness



● Students, faculty and staff (but mostly students) are a moving target. There is always a new crop being admitted every quarter and some graduating each quarter. So we must hit them frequently with the same information. We've found it takes about two years to socialize an idea with faculty who are strong disseminators of specific resources.

● I have one hour with the new attorneys to teach them about the firm's resources. The attorneys who have been with the firm for more than 3 years missed this. I fill them in when they give me the opportunity.

Marketing: a moving target



● A paper summarizing the survey● An annual survey?

Next steps



Questions?

[email protected]

Twitter: ElisabethAnn


SAGE Reference Survey: Preliminary Results

Travel

reference medical

reference questions

reference academic

reference corporate

video databases

image databases

usefulnessala reference

reference resources