2014 IAMSLIC
MEMBERSHIP SURVEY
I A M S L I C C O N F E R E N C E
2 0 1 4 N E W C A L E D O N I A

• Is IAMSLIC still relevant?
• What are the barriers?
• Is everyone retiring?
• What do members value?
• What can we do better?

RELEVANCY
• “This is a very useful and important organization for marine/aquatic science librarians and it is critical that it stay vibrant.” (2014)
• “IAMSLIC is the BEST organization for anyone who is serving the marine science and fisheries communities in the area of libraries and information retrieval” (2006)

50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
1-5 years
WHO RESPONDED?
Length of Membership
6-10 years more than 10 years
Survey Respondents
All IAMSLIC Members

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1-5 years
INVOLVEMENT
Involvement & Length of Membership
6-10 years more than 10 years Total
Never
Very little
Often
All the time

PEOPLE ARE RETIRING!
WE NEED WORKER BEES!

BARRIERS
25
18
7
35
57
23
80
No barriers
Language
Too little time
Marine/aquatic sciences are not a priority.
Involved with another professional association.
Involved with regional group rather than larger group.
Other

NETWORKING
• IAMSLIC Discussion List
• Learning about trends in our field
• Learning about new publications
• Requesting difficult to find items
• Getting news about colleagues
• “Knowing that I’m not alone.”

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
• Annual & regional conferences
• Workshops on specific topics
• Staff exchanges

SHARING
• Z39.50 Distributed Library
• 54% never or rarely request an item
• 15% request something weekly
• 61% never or rarely fill a request
• 11% fill a request weekly
• Aquatic Commons
• Many willing to help deposit items
• Many willing to help promote it
• Some willing to help manage

“Libraries really don't have walls when you have your
IAMSLIC colleagues .”

FUTURE THINKING
• Communication
• What & who?
• Professional Development
• Workshops – what, how, & who?
• Conferences & meetings – what & where
• Sharing
• Distributed Library – what & who?
• Staff exchanges – who & how?