State Library Representatives Academic Library Survey Process and Survey Overview

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 2008 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 ALS User’s Manual sent to LRs by FedEx Survey Help Desk Opens November 5, 2008 Web collection is OPEN at Status reports available on Web January – February 2009 Reminders begin Non-response follow-up calls begin February 25, 2009 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 For questions or technical assistance, contact the ALS Helpdesk at or 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

Survey Changes from 2006 Changes from the 2006 form The form numbering was changed All of the headings were revised Eligibility Questions The financial support question has been deleted The first sentence has been updated Question b. – Added “paid, trained staff” Question c. – Added “paid, trained staff” “Data collected by NCES are used for statistical and directory purposes only.” was added to the bottom of the page. Library Collections Item 406 – electronic library question was moved from the top of the page to the bottom. 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 Part 2

Welcome Screen Part 2

Logging In From the Welcome screen: Click on the Login link at the top of the page to navigate to the Login page. Enter the Key Holder User ID and Password that was printed on your Key Holder Certificate. Click on the Login button or press the enter key to navigate to the registration site. 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

Eligibility, continued Part 2

Registration This section requests personal data, such as: name, title, , address, and phone and fax numbers. Part 2

Institution Identification Part 2

Library Director Information Use this screen to edit information about your Library’s Director. Part 2

View Access Report Part 2

Additional Users/Passwords Part 2

File Export

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

Save/Verify Screen

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 Part 3

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 ) Part 3

Expenditures (items ) Part 3

Collections (items ) Part 3

Services – FY (items ) Part 3

Services – Typical Week (items ) Part 3

Electronic Services (items ) Part 3

Information Literacy (items ) 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.

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

Edit Report Part 3

Locking Data Locking the survey data: All edits must be resolved before the data can be locked Submit Data Click the Submit Data button on the top of the survey screen locked A message will display that the data are locked An 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 ( , or

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 2006 ALS at 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

Line Graph Representation

Conclusion/Reminders Survey opens November 5, 2008 and goes through February 25, 2009 at: Help Desk is available for questions or technical assistance, at or Thank you for supporting the Academic Library Survey 2008! Part 3