Teachers are increasingly using social networks, including social media and other Internet applications, to look for educational resources. This study shares results from a survey examining patterns of social network application use among K-12 teachers in the United States. A sample of 154 teachers (18 males, 136 females) in the United States…

In April and May of 2012, the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) Research conducted a survey of users of archives to learn more about their habits and preferences. In particular, they focused on the roles that social media, recommendations, reviews, and other forms of user-contributed annotation play in archival research. OCLC surveyed faculty,…

This report describes a study which was made by the Central Library of Rochester Public Library to determine how Central could best serve the needs of young adults and encourage them to be library users after financial cutbacks forced the closing of their Teen Lounge. Data were gathered in the period from August 1977 to May 1978 through staff…

The first of two reports in this document details the use of a trial teletext service in residential Washington, D.C. during the second half of 1981. It is emphasized that caution must be exercised in interpreting the results since the trial was designed as a pilot with a sample of only 40 households. In addition, there were significant technical…

An auxiliary study of the direct observation method for counting periodical usage in Evans Library at Texas A&M University found that student observations contain substantial error and that aggregation problems and cost issues are fundamental constraints to this method. Concludes direct observation may be useful in calibrating the results of…

This survey was conducted to provide the National Science Foundation with baseline information on current computer use in the nation's major research universities, including the actual and potential use of supercomputers. Questionnaires were sent to 207 doctorate-granting institutions; after follow-ups, 167 institutions (91% of the institutions…

This analysis of current adult reading habits, library use during previous year, and related childhood experiences of both the respondents and their parents reveals the importance of social learning and parents as primary agents in the development of reading and library habits. Twenty-three references are included. (EJS)

Patron use of periodical indexes was studied by interviewing patrons on random basis as they used periodical and newspaper indexes. A questionnaire was designed to gather information on citation elements, how patrons locate magazines in library, and how they use university's serials holdings list. Seven references and questionnaire are appended.…

Findings of study of user perceptions of online public access catalog in an academic library system indicate that: most patrons learned to use system from printed instructions; next most frequent sources of information were library staff and help feature; most patrons were extremely satisfied with system. Six references are cited. (EJS)

Preliminary guidelines are presented to provide a methodology for conducting user studies in the information field, particularly in developing countries. Topics covered include: user needs in planning a national information system; the identification of user groups; the design and organization of user studies, including background research survey…

Information on why readership surveys are valuable and on how to conduct them is presented, along with sample surveys used at a number of different institutions, and a questionnaire used by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education to measure the opinion of "CASE CURRENTS," readers. Guidelines for doing a mail survey outline…

Fifty-five Association of Research Libraries member academic libraries were surveyed to determine trends in use of commercially available online numeric databases. Databases searched, searchers, users, publicity, library role in relation to numeric databases, and librarians' attitudes toward and knowledge of databases are examined. The…

Reports results of study of a group of end users (patent attorneys) doing their own online searching at AT&T Bell Laboratories. Highlights include DIALOG databases used by the attorneys, locations and searching modes, characteristics of patent attorney searchers, and problem areas. Questionnaire is appended. (5 references) (EJS)

Reports on methodology and results of design study for an interactive information retrieval system funded by British Library Research and Development Department which will determine structural representations of anomalous states of knowledge (ASKs) underlying information needs. Problem statements, abstracts used, and text analysis are highlighted.…

This guide from the Public Libraries Association (PLA) describes a planning process to be used by individual library systems to establish their own standards appropriate to local conditions and needs; design strategies to reach those needs; and inaugurate a planning cycle that involves continuous monitoring of progress and regular adjustment of…