Joe C. ClarkKent State University

Midwest MLA Chapter MeetingOctober 11, 2013

Today’s PresentationSurvey Rationale

Setting & background

Methodology

Demographics

Findings

Discussion

Conclusions

Survey Rationale Preparing to revamp services and

webpages

Getting to know the needs of our “virtual” patrons

How are we doing?

Opportunities for further collaboration/integration into MMME curriculum

SettingKent State is a public research university located

in NE Ohio, and has over 28,000 studentsThe Performing Arts Library (formerly the Music

Library) is a branch librarySchool of Music offers bachelor and graduate

degrees; concentrations include music education, theory, composition, and performance

Music Education has residential bachelors and doctoral degree programs; Master of Music is only offered online

Program BackgroundBegan in 2010Degree is Master of Music in Music Education

Online (MMME)Geared towards practicing professionals30 credits, 10 or 11 classesStudents take two seven-week classes a

semester; six classes per yearGenerally takes 20-24 months to completeKS faculty create syllabi; instructors are adjuncts About 160 students are in the program

Methodology Twenty-four questions in Qualtrics, two with

“display logic”Approved by the Institutional Review BoardAdministered in June 2013An optional drawing for ten $50 amazon gift

cards and possibility of participating in further study; 62 of 82 entered the drawing

All survey participants were MMME students82 surveys were completed

Demographics by Course Completion

Demographics by Age

In-person Visitation?

Website Visitation: Frequency?

But which website?

Use and awareness of services Library Resource Aware ofHave used ILL/Document delivery 65% 32%Books mailed to me 41% 15%Article DBs & full-text articles (JSTOR, Ebsco) 100% 100%Online reference databases 83% 72%Online audio DBS (Naxos, CML) 74% 67%Course reserves through the library 32% 15%

Use of Non-Library Web Sites

External Websites CitedEthnomusicology.orgMAfME journals, Choral Wiki, other

independent web articlesAmazon.com, websites related to textbooksWebsites related to capstone, specifically

music therapyMENC websiteNAfME.org,Harvard Music LibraryLibrary of CongressWeb pages about historical figures or places

Comfort with E-Resources

89% are somewhat or very comfortable with e-books.

96% are somewhat or very comfortable with electronic resources.

Getting Assistance with Library Resources

Library Help/TutorialsLibrary Source Aware of Have used Email a librarian 56% 15%Chat w/ a librarian 43% 15%Phone a librarian 43% 14%Library video tutorials 38% 14%Online reference guides 37% 19%Database tutorials 24% 7%Private consultation 20% 2%

Preferred Means of Getting Help

How Help was Received:

Borrowing from Other Libraries48% use other libraries

Items Used from Other Libraries

Blackboard Presence

Adequate Instruction?

How we can better help you?Just fine/helpful 10 Easier website navigation 7 Better/more tutorials 7 n/a 6 "Starter" library assignment 6 Specific links for all assignments 4 More ebooks 3 Better info about services 3 Eliminate VPN 2 ILL gripe, Refworks type item, free textbooks, and program gripe 1 each

The Dangerous Question…Few respondents (32 out of 82)19 of the 32 offered neutral answers with no requestsFour wanted UL to provide electronic versions of their

textbooksThree requested easier website navigationOne request for each of the following:

Streaming videosMore info on APAAccess to all library resources after graduationChat helpOne-on-one help for their capstone projectConductor scores not available elsewhere

Most Important Services

Most Important Offerings

Surprises & TakeawaysNot all the gift cards were claimed!!!Most library help venues were known by less than half Students think we are doing okCollaboration & communication are paramount Few localsOnly half are coming to library websites a couple times a

week or moreThe Main Library website is visited more frequently than

the Performing Arts Library siteGoogle.com used twice as frequently as Google Scholar

Actions, Further Study, and Conclusion Continue to purchase targeted e-books in music

education Further collaboration with faculty & curriculum revampConsidering a “focus group” with MMME studentsFurther study to determine additional needsDetermine how to make resources easier to access;

study websiteAlready looking forward to doing the study again in two

years

Thank you! Questions? Discussion?

jclark88@kent.edu