SAA PLASC Member Survey

Public Library Archives / Special Collection (PLASC) Section Member Survey

This purpose of this brief survey is to gather information from former, current, and prospective Public Library Archives / Special Collections (PLASC) section members to determine member needs and how PLASC can best serve its section. The survey should take less than 15 minutes.

From the PLASC Standing Rules: The Public Library Archives/Special Collections Section serves to encourage advocacy for and education about archival, manuscript, local history, genealogy, and other historic and special collections within public libraries of all sizes.

This survey is organized by the four goals outlined in SAA’s strategic plan:

Goal 1: Advocating for Archives and Archivists
Goal 2: Enhancing Professional Growth
Goal 3: Advancing the Field
Goal 4: Meeting Members’ Needs

The survey will be open April 2 - 30, 2018. Findings from this survey will be reviewed and presented at the Society of American Archivists’ Annual Meeting in August 2018.

Please note that survey responses are anonymous. Responses may be shared in a final report to section members.

Contact PLASC Section Chair Lauren Algee at lalgee @ gmail.com with any questions or issues.

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* 1. Check the box that applies to you: w 0

I voluntarily provide my name and contact information below. I understand that my responses will be reported anonymously. PLASC may quote my free-text responses.

I wish to remain completely anonymous. PLASC may quote my free-text responses.

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* 2. Name (optional): w 0

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* 3. Email (optional): w 0

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* 4. Institutional Affiliation (optional): w 0

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* 5. Where do you work? w 0

Public Library

Historical Society

Academic Institution

Museum

Governmental Agency

Corporation

Non-profit

Independent Consultant / Self-employed

Other (please specify)

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* 6. If you work at a public library, in which department are you based? w 0

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* 7. For how many years have you worked in the archival profession? w 0

Clear

i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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* 8. Your position type: w 0

Full time permanent

Full time temporary

Part time permanent

Part time temporary

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* 9. Your title: w 0

Librarian

Archivist

Assistant/Associate

Department Head/Manager

Other (please specify)

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* 10. Hours per week you spend on archival work: w 0

Less than 10

10 to 20

20 to 30

40 or more

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* 11. What are the top two ways in which public libraries contribute to the archival profession? w 0

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* 12. What would you like PLASC to advocate for? Select all that apply. w 0

The needs of public libraries within SAA

What public libraries bring to the archival profession

Completeness, diversity, and accessibility of the historical record

Local history collections and programs within the public library field

Other (please specify)

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* 13. Where should PLASC focus its advocacy efforts? Select all that apply. w 0

Advocacy toolkit

Data collection

Other (please specify)

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* 14. In what areas would you like more professional development? w 0

	Lowest priority	Low priority	Average priority	High priority	Highest priority
Metadata	Metadata Lowest priority	Metadata Low priority	Metadata Average priority	Metadata High priority	Metadata Highest priority
Digitization	Digitization Lowest priority	Digitization Low priority	Digitization Average priority	Digitization High priority	Digitization Highest priority
Knowledge of emerging practices in public library archives/special collections	Knowledge of emerging practices in public library archives/special collections Lowest priority	Knowledge of emerging practices in public library archives/special collections Low priority	Knowledge of emerging practices in public library archives/special collections Average priority	Knowledge of emerging practices in public library archives/special collections High priority	Knowledge of emerging practices in public library archives/special collections Highest priority
Public programs/outreach	Public programs/outreach Lowest priority	Public programs/outreach Low priority	Public programs/outreach Average priority	Public programs/outreach High priority	Public programs/outreach Highest priority
Reference	Reference Lowest priority	Reference Low priority	Reference Average priority	Reference High priority	Reference Highest priority
Community archiving	Community archiving Lowest priority	Community archiving Low priority	Community archiving Average priority	Community archiving High priority	Community archiving Highest priority
Digital preservation	Digital preservation Lowest priority	Digital preservation Low priority	Digital preservation Average priority	Digital preservation High priority	Digital preservation Highest priority
Arrangement and description	Arrangement and description Lowest priority	Arrangement and description Low priority	Arrangement and description Average priority	Arrangement and description High priority	Arrangement and description Highest priority
Copyright and intellectual property	Copyright and intellectual property Lowest priority	Copyright and intellectual property Low priority	Copyright and intellectual property Average priority	Copyright and intellectual property High priority	Copyright and intellectual property Highest priority
Internal advocacy tools	Internal advocacy tools Lowest priority	Internal advocacy tools Low priority	Internal advocacy tools Average priority	Internal advocacy tools High priority	Internal advocacy tools Highest priority
External advocacy tools	External advocacy tools Lowest priority	External advocacy tools Low priority	External advocacy tools Average priority	External advocacy tools High priority	External advocacy tools Highest priority
Leadership and management	Leadership and management Lowest priority	Leadership and management Low priority	Leadership and management Average priority	Leadership and management High priority	Leadership and management Highest priority

Other (please specify)

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* 15. What would be most useful to your professional growth? w 0

	I wouldn't use this	Low use	Average use	High use	Essential
Centralization of resources on a website	Centralization of resources on a website I wouldn't use this	Centralization of resources on a website Low use	Centralization of resources on a website Average use	Centralization of resources on a website High use	Centralization of resources on a website Essential
Creating an online community for questions and sharing	Creating an online community for questions and sharing I wouldn't use this	Creating an online community for questions and sharing Low use	Creating an online community for questions and sharing Average use	Creating an online community for questions and sharing High use	Creating an online community for questions and sharing Essential
Panel or workshop at the PLASC section meeting at the SAA annual meeting	Panel or workshop at the PLASC section meeting at the SAA annual meeting I wouldn't use this	Panel or workshop at the PLASC section meeting at the SAA annual meeting Low use	Panel or workshop at the PLASC section meeting at the SAA annual meeting Average use	Panel or workshop at the PLASC section meeting at the SAA annual meeting High use	Panel or workshop at the PLASC section meeting at the SAA annual meeting Essential
Webinars	Webinars I wouldn't use this	Webinars Low use	Webinars Average use	Webinars High use	Webinars Essential
E-newsletter	E-newsletter I wouldn't use this	E-newsletter Low use	E-newsletter Average use	E-newsletter High use	E-newsletter Essential
Blog posts	Blog posts I wouldn't use this	Blog posts Low use	Blog posts Average use	Blog posts High use	Blog posts Essential
Networking opportunities	Networking opportunities I wouldn't use this	Networking opportunities Low use	Networking opportunities Average use	Networking opportunities High use	Networking opportunities Essential

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* 16. Do you feel that public library archives and special collections are in need of distinct standards, guidelines, and/or best practices? w 0

Yes

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* 17. If yes, please elaborate. w 0

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* 18. Would you be interested in reading about research on public library archives and special collections? w 0

Yes

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* 19. Which of the following entities would you like PLASC to pursue partnerships/collaborations with? You may select more than one. w 0

ALA

PLA

DPLA

American Association for State and Local History (AASLH)

National preservation organizations

National grant agencies

State library and archives associations

State libraries and archives

Other (please specify)

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* 20. Specify what kinds of efforts or connections you would like PLASC to pursue with the potential partners you selected above. w 0

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* 21. Have you visited the SAA PLASC microsite? w 0

Yes

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* 22. Currently, the SAA PLASC microsite is used for PLASC business information. What else would you like the microsite to feature? w 0

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* 23. What communication or community building tools would you be most likely to engage with? w 0

	Not at all	Unlikely	Likely	Very likely	Most definitely
SAA PLASC microsite	SAA PLASC microsite Not at all	SAA PLASC microsite Unlikely	SAA PLASC microsite Likely	SAA PLASC microsite Very likely	SAA PLASC microsite Most definitely
The PLASC listserv	The PLASC listserv Not at all	The PLASC listserv Unlikely	The PLASC listserv Likely	The PLASC listserv Very likely	The PLASC listserv Most definitely
A Facebook group used to disseminate news	A Facebook group used to disseminate news Not at all	A Facebook group used to disseminate news Unlikely	A Facebook group used to disseminate news Likely	A Facebook group used to disseminate news Very likely	A Facebook group used to disseminate news Most definitely
A participatory Facebook group for sharing your news/questions	A participatory Facebook group for sharing your news/questions Not at all	A participatory Facebook group for sharing your news/questions Unlikely	A participatory Facebook group for sharing your news/questions Likely	A participatory Facebook group for sharing your news/questions Very likely	A participatory Facebook group for sharing your news/questions Most definitely
A Twitter account for disseminating news	A Twitter account for disseminating news Not at all	A Twitter account for disseminating news Unlikely	A Twitter account for disseminating news Likely	A Twitter account for disseminating news Very likely	A Twitter account for disseminating news Most definitely
Twitter chats	Twitter chats Not at all	Twitter chats Unlikely	Twitter chats Likely	Twitter chats Very likely	Twitter chats Most definitely
A blog	A blog Not at all	A blog Unlikely	A blog Likely	A blog Very likely	A blog Most definitely
A Quora forum	A Quora forum Not at all	A Quora forum Unlikely	A Quora forum Likely	A Quora forum Very likely	A Quora forum Most definitely
A Slack channel	A Slack channel Not at all	A Slack channel Unlikely	A Slack channel Likely	A Slack channel Very likely	A Slack channel Most definitely
PLASC section meeting at the SAA annual meeting	PLASC section meeting at the SAA annual meeting Not at all	PLASC section meeting at the SAA annual meeting Unlikely	PLASC section meeting at the SAA annual meeting Likely	PLASC section meeting at the SAA annual meeting Very likely	PLASC section meeting at the SAA annual meeting Most definitely
An informal PLASC meetup at the SAA annual meeting	An informal PLASC meetup at the SAA annual meeting Not at all	An informal PLASC meetup at the SAA annual meeting Unlikely	An informal PLASC meetup at the SAA annual meeting Likely	An informal PLASC meetup at the SAA annual meeting Very likely	An informal PLASC meetup at the SAA annual meeting Most definitely
Other:	Other: Not at all	Other: Unlikely	Other: Likely	Other: Very likely	Other: Most definitely

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* 1. Check the box that applies to you: w 0

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* 2. Name (optional): w 0

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* 3. Email (optional): w 0

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* 4. Institutional Affiliation (optional): w 0

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* 5. Where do you work? w 0

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* 6. If you work at a public library, in which department are you based? w 0

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* 7. For how many years have you worked in the archival profession? w 0

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* 8. Your position type: w 0

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* 9. Your title: w 0

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* 10. Hours per week you spend on archival work: w 0

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* 11. What are the top two ways in which public libraries contribute to the archival profession? w 0

Question Title

* 12. What would you like PLASC to advocate for? Select all that apply. w 0

Question Title

* 13. Where should PLASC focus its advocacy efforts? Select all that apply. w 0

Question Title

* 14. In what areas would you like more professional development? w 0

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* 15. What would be most useful to your professional growth? w 0

Question Title

* 16. Do you feel that public library archives and special collections are in need of distinct standards, guidelines, and/or best practices? w 0

Question Title

* 17. If yes, please elaborate. w 0

Question Title

* 18. Would you be interested in reading about research on public library archives and special collections? w 0

Question Title

* 19. Which of the following entities would you like PLASC to pursue partnerships/collaborations with? You may select more than one. w 0

Question Title

* 20. Specify what kinds of efforts or connections you would like PLASC to pursue with the potential partners you selected above. w 0

Question Title

* 21. Have you visited the SAA PLASC microsite? w 0

Question Title

* 22. Currently, the SAA PLASC microsite is used for PLASC business information. What else would you like the microsite to feature? w 0

Question Title

* 23. What communication or community building tools would you be most likely to engage with? w 0

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* 24. What factors would enable you to to participate fully in the PLASC section? w 0

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* 25. How can we facilitate greater diversity and inclusivity within this section? w 0