Biology and Life Sciences Planning Team
Survey
The Biology and Life Sciences Team decided to conduct an online survey of likely and potential users of
life sciences information on the Urbana campus, particularly targeting users of the Biology Library.
The online survey ran for three weeks, from late November through mid-December. There were 240
faculty, staff and student respondents to the questionnaire, offering their opinions on a number of
topics related to the provision of library services in the life sciences and the Biology Library. The survey
itself and a summary of responses are appended to this report.
What became clear is that the Biology Library, and other life science libraries as well, are used
differently by different user groups. Faculty responses to the survey indicate that departmental libraries
are useful for quick and easy access to print materials. However, the number of times faculty actually
visit the physical library has greatly diminished over the last several years as more book and journal
content has been made available online. While most think of a local library as a “good thing” to have,
the actual demonstrated use (or lack thereof) is revealed by very few visits to the physical locations.
Undergraduates on the other hand, are frequent users of the library space, but not necessarily the
collections. They visit the library to study, meet with classmates, use the public work stations and other
equipment. Graduate students seem to bridge these two extremes, but still rely heavily on the
electronic resources more than print and primarily use the library as a study space.
Library collection development is based on the subject knowledge of the librarians, an understanding of
local needs, and effective communications with library user groups. We conclude that the library’s
collection development efforts (both physical and electronic) are meeting most of the information needs
of students, staff, and faculty in the life sciences. This assumption is supported by many favorable
comments in the survey and an absence of complaints about not having necessary material or online
access to resources.
Comments were consistently favorable regarding the knowledge and helpfulness of the library staff.
However, we cannot help but be a little disappointed with results of the survey regarding use of the
library’s services and the value-added resources they provide. The library home pages, resource guides,
and subject pathfinders garnered little attention from the survey respondents. However, this is
somewhat understandable given the multiple access points provided to our rich online content and the
many overlapping and competing information resources available. It may also be that in this
information age, users simply expect (without thinking about it) user-friendly on-line access to electronic
databases and simply take web access for granted. The lack of complaints about the available electronic
gateways to the library's collections therefore suggests that these gateways are meeting user needs.
The information obtained through the survey was a valuable resource in developing our
recommendations. In addition to gathering thoughts and opinions on our physical and virtual
resources, opportunities were provided that allowed open ended comments on services people would
1
like to see the Library provide. Suggestions included the integration of library and information content
with classroom instruction, specific training needs in molecular biology information resources, and
statistical software instruction. This information will be useful in establishing new programs and
initiatives between subject libraries and the schools and departments served. The University Library is
also interested in connecting users with its new data services units, such as the Illinois Informatics
Institute (I3), Applied Technologies for Learning in the Arts and Sciences (ATLAS), Reference, Research
and Government Information Services (RRGIS), the Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning
and Scholarship (IDEALS), and other e-Science initiatives. Opportunities may arise to team resource and
subject specialists with specific users needing assistance and to collaborate with broader array of user
groups. A more complete list of new service suggestions is provided in the Recommendations section.
The survey responses made it quite clear that the library’s role on campus is fundamentally changing.
The physical facilities of the departmental libraries are used mainly as study halls and computer labs,
while the enormous amount of square footage devoted to stacks of books and journals goes relatively
unvisited. Clearly, more space needs to be provided to our users and the space currently occupied by
low-use print collections needs to be moved into easily retrievable high density storage. Online
resources, (i.e. the library catalog, databases, and related search and discovery tools) provide access to
an increasingly electronic world of scholarly communication. The library staff, however, remains
essential for helping users navigate the myriad options of access, identifying and acquiring new
resources, and assisting in finding elusive content. They provide a “face” and human connection in an
increasingly electronic world. In addition, the information resources made available through the Library
need managers to ensure the effective use of University funds and for keeping abreast of new
opportunities and interests within their subject areas
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Survey of Biology Library and Life Sciences Information Use
Survey of Biology Library and Life Sciences Information Use
This Survey is NOT LIVE. Submitting this survey will NOT store any data.
Test validation: on off
2. My primary departmental affiliation is:
3. My affiliation with the University of Illinois is (check all that apply):
✔
Undergraduate student
✔
Graduate student
✔
Postdoctoral researcher
✔
Tenure-track faculty
✔
Staff / Academic Professional
✔
Retiree
✔
Other
4. What building(s) on campus are you most frequently in when you are working?
5. I visit the physical Biology Library in Burrill Hall:
Daily
About once a week
About once a month
Once or twice a semester
Never or almost never
6. I visit the Biology Library's website (http://www.library.illinois.edu/bix/):
Daily
About once a week
About once a month
Once or twice a semester
Never or almost never
7. The most important service(s) that the physical Biology Library provides to me are:
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Survey of Biology Library and Life Sciences Information Use
8. The
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
most important service(s) that the virtual Biology Library provides to me are: (chose all that apply)
Electronic journals
Electronic books
Article databases (eg, Biological Abstracts, PubMed, etc)
Online catalog
FAQs
Subject guides
New book list
Interlibrary loan
Other
9. The things I'd miss most if the Biology Library didn't exist as a physical space are:
10. I wish the Biology Library offered additional services, such as:
11. If available, should the Biology Library acquire books (other than textbooks) in electronic format instead of print?
✔
Yes
✔
No
✔
Other
12. Do you have any other comments about e-books?
13. What new or expanded services would be needed if the Biology Library closed?
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Survey of Biology Library and Life Sciences Information Use
14. Which other physical and virtual campus libraries do you use? (check all that apply)
✔
Applied Health Sciences
✔
Biotechnology Information Center
✔
Chemistry
✔
Education and Social Sciences
✔
Funk ACES
✔
Grainger Engineering
✔
Geology
✔
Health Information Portal
✔
Health Sciences
✔
INRS (formerly Natural History Survey)
✔
Main Library stacks
✔
Veterinary Medicine
✔
Other
15. Are you interested in services that support data management and/or analysis?
Yes
No
Maybe
16. If you answered Yes or Maybe for question 14, please list the general subject area in which you work (e.g., molecular
biology), and any examples of specific services that would interest you.
17. Are you interested in services that provide training on software and other information resources in your area of research?
Yes
No
Maybe
18. If you answered Yes or Maybe for question 16, please list the general subject area in which you work (e.g., ecology), and any
examples of specific services that would interest you.
19. Would you use librarian office hours for help with term papers, research projects, and other needs?
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Survey of Biology Library and Life Sciences Information Use
Yes
No
Maybe
20. Thank you for sharing your experiences and opinions! If you have other thoughts about the future of science library services - no matter how wild and crazy -- please tell them to us:
Survey NOT live, data will not be stored
page 2 of 2
5%
Survey provided by Web Services in Public Affairs | contacts | logout
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Biology Library Survey Q #2 – Departmental Affiliation
25
Participants
20
15
10
5
0
Affiliation
Biology Library Survey Q #3:
User Status
Retiree
3%
Q3:Other
3%
Undergrad
13%
Staff / AP
19%
Grad Student
32%
Faculty
24%
Postdoc
6%
Biology Library Survey Q #4 – Primary Work Building
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Biology Library Survey Q #5:
I visit the physical Biology Library in Burrill Hall:
Daily
3%
About once a week
14%
Never or almost never
26%
About once a month
22%
Once or twice a semester
35%
Biology Library Survey Q #6:
I visit the Biology Library's website
Daily
13%
About once a week
16%
Never or almost never
43%
About once a month
15%
Once or twice a semester
13%
Biology Library Survey Q #7:
The most important service(s) the physical library
provides to me are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Print resources - 122
Space - 26
Don't visit - 12
Reference/librarians - 11
Browsing - 8
computers/printing - 4
Copiers - 1
summarized from open-ended text
Biology Library Survey Q #8:
The most important service(s) that the virtual Biology Library provides to
me are:
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Electronic
journals
Article databases Interlibrary loan Online catalog Electronic books
(eg, Biological
Abstracts,
PubMed, etc)
Q8:Other
New book list
Subject guides
FAQs
Biology Library Survey Q #9:
The things I'd miss most if the Biology Library
didn't exist as a physical space are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Print resources - 65
Convenience/ quick access - 44
Space - 23
Nothing - 18
Browsing - 11
Reference/librarians - 8
Computers/printing - 2
Copiers - 1
Pride in the department - 1
summarized from open-ended text
Biology Library Survey Q #10:
I wish the Biology Library offered additional services, such as:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Nothing - 19
More electronic resources - 6
Book delivery/document delivery - 4
More books - 4
Scanner - 3
WIFI - 2
More computers - 2
More hours - 2
Café/food - 2
More individual study space - 1
Tutoring - 1
Database training - 1
Renovation - 1
Webseminars subscriptions 1
summarized from open-ended text
Biology Library Survey Q #11:
If available, should the Biology Library acquire books (other than
textbooks) in electronic format instead of print?
Q11:Other
11%
No
18%
Yes
71%
Biology Library Survey Q #12:
Do you have any other comments about e-books?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Read better with print/ prefer print 13
like convenience/efficiency 12
nothing/don't use 9
would want to have both 4
sometimes physical copy still necessary 4
want online access/ easy accessibility 4
e-textbooks would be useful 4
electronic good if cheaper 3
especially good for reference 3
better than not having access 2
not easy to use 2
summarized from open-ended text
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
no format preference 1
journals are primary source of info 1
want consistent, user-friendly, searchable,
downloadable format 1
print offers different experience 1
not all content available in e-format 1
want to be a able to browse by subject 1
focus on high use titles 1
should not replace books for learning 1
use google for ebooks 1
want to be able to annotate 1
would like more ebooks 1
would like to check out e-readers 1
useable with iphones 1
prefer print, but e-books ok 1
Biology Library Survey Q #13:
What new or expanded services would be needed
if the Biology Library closed?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Study area - 11
Access to materials - 10
Book delivery and return/convenient pick-up location - 9
Nothing - 9
Print-only materials close to users - 7
More online/electronic access - 5
Closer reserve than ACES - 4
Accessible personnel - 3
Local access to computers/printer - 3
Keep materials browsable - 2
Be able to order pdfs for material in remote storage – 2
Keep materials together - 2
Keep at least one of the nearby libraries - 1
Section in Granger - 1
Copiers - 1
summarized from open-ended text
Biology Library Survey Q #14:
Which other physical and virtual campus libraries do you use?
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Biology Library Survey Q #15:
Are you interested in services that support data management and/or
analysis?
Yes
27%
Maybe
29%
No
44%
Biology Library Survey Q #17:
Are you interested in services that provide training on software and other
information resources in your area of research?
Maybe
22%
Yes
38%
No
40%
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Biology Library Survey Q #16/18 (Summary)
Subject areas responding
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Biology Library Survey Q #16/18 (Summary):
Specific Help Needed
Biology Library Survey Q #19:
Would you use librarian office hours for help with term papers, research
projects, and other needs?
Yes
19%
Maybe
25%
No
56%