5 minute survey

[Marge Congress <margec@PE.NET>]

Dear fellow librarians and media specialists:

"Give me 5 minutes more!" was the name of an old song. I use it here to ask you to 
help me discover what school librarians are thinking about the computer programs we 
are using in our facilities - what we have, what we don't have, and what we would 
most
like to have. I'm thinking
here of CD-ROMs, videodiscs, and other packaged software, not OPAC
(on-line card catalog) software, online, or Internet access.  Please
take just 5 minutes more to answer these questions by return e-mail,
fax, or US snail mail.

I'd like to have your responses by October 20th at the latest. I will
repost to the list as soon as I have had a chance to tally
everything. Thanks for helping!

Marge Congress
La Sierra High School
4145 La Sierra Avenue
Riverside, CA 92505
margec@pe.net
(909) 351-9340    Fax: (909)351-2144
**********************************************************************************************

THESE QUESTIONS RELATE TO CD-ROMs, VIDEODISCS, and PACKAGED SOFTWARE.
. . NOT OPACs or Internet

1.  Apart from your library catalog and word processing, , what software program is 
used most frequently by students and staff?

1a. What makes this program so popular?

2.  Excluding this most frequently used resource, what are the 5 next most
frequently used electronic resources?

3.  What kinds of topics or curriculum areas  are not well represented in the 
electronic resources that you now have?  In other words, what can't you find with 
what you have?

4.  What is your biggest gripe about electronic resources used in school
libraries?

5.  Who manages the use (or abuse) of software in the library?
---Librarian
---Staff Assistant
---Student
---Other

6.  What is your policy on printing from CD-ROM software?
---Unlimited free printing? (Y/N)
---Charge for printing? (Y/N)  How much?
---Other options? Please specify

7.  If the resource is available both electronically and in print, which will
students choose? Do you know why?
---Electronic? (Y/N)
---Print? (Y/N)

8.  Last year, did you buy fewer books in order to keep up with the cost of
software purchases? (Y/N)

 8a. Can you provide any relative budget numbers?
        - Books: 93/94_____       94/95 _________
        - Software 93/94______  94/94 _________

9  What are the funding sources for software purchases?
-- Grants, Categorical, Title VI (Chapter II) etc.
-- Funds from District specific for software
-- Funds from the District optional for software

10. Where Do You Work? Please check all that apply
---Elementary School Library
---Middle School Library
---High School Library
---Other? Please specify
---Public School
---Private School
---Charter School
---Vocational School
---Magnet School
---Other type of school?
---Rural
---Suburban
---Urban

11. Equipment/Other Resources .Please check all that apply
---Use mostly PC-compatible computers
---Use mostly Macintosh computers
---Have a combo of PC and Mac computers
---Use mostly networked products
---Use a combo of networked and standalone products
---Students have access to Internet
---Students do NOT have access to Internet

12  Is it OK if I contact you again for further clarification?
---Yes!
---No...don't have time. Sorry.

Thank you for answering these questions!  Please return via e-mail, fax, or US
snail mail to:  Marge Congress,4145 La Sierra Avenue, Riverside, CA 92505: 
margec@pe.net: Phone (909)351-9340, Fax (909) 351-2144.  I will
repost to the list as soon as I have had a chance to tally everything.


Marge Congress              phone (909) 351-9340
La Sierra High School       fax   (909) 351-2144
Riverside, CA 92505
                  margec@pe.net