Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-1976

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Communication

Major Professor

Jack B. Haskins

Committee Members

Jerry R. Lynn & Gary R. Purcall

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify opinions among members of the American Library Association (ALA), Reference and Adult Services Division (RASD) toward automated information retrieval services. Specifically, the primary objectives were to identify prevalent viewpoints concerning the role of librarians in relation to such services and to determine the practical needs of the profession to better cope with the new technology. A secondary objective was to experimentally test the effect of two variables on response rate. These variables were perceived prestige of sender and incentive for the respondent.

The survey was a one-shot descriptive research design, involving a split mailing using a 2x3 factorial experimental design for the methodology study. Three levels of prestige of sender were projected by use of different letterhead representing the ALA-RASD, The University of Tennesee-Knoxville Library, and a graduate student. The incentive used was an artistically designed bookmark.

The population consisted of registerd members of the ALA-RASD in September, 1975 and numbered 4062. The equal interval method of random sampling was used to select a drawn sample of 738. The data gathering instrument was a four-page questionnaire. An advance postcard, a stamped return envelope and a reminder/thank you followup postcard were sent to each participant in February, 1976. The total number of usable returns was 542, a response rate of 73.4%.

Response to a mail questionnaire among the responding librarians was not significantly affected by either inclusion of a bookmark incentive not by the projected status of the sender.

Most respondents have had little, if any, personal exposure to automated information retrieval services. However, respondents with greater personal exposure to automated information retrieval expressed a desire for greater involvement by libraries in offering such services than did respondents with limited personal experience in this area. Academic librarians expressed the greatest desire to see libraries be directly involved with offering automated information retrieval services among a variety of types of responding librarians.

Cost was clearly perceived to be the greatest obstacle to offering such services in libraries today. No significant difference of opinion existed between library administrators and reference librarians concerning the expectation that library users should adsorb the operating costs of such services.

Respondents perceived their greatest information needs concerning automated information retrieval services to be in the areas of current developments, availability of data bases, and applicability to different types of libraries. The most frequently noted preferred channels of communication were workshops, institutes or seminars. A strong desire for library schools to actively take part in providing continued education in the field of automated information retrieval was expressed.

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