Data Gathering Instruments

To adequately address the research questions a variety of data collection methods and instruments will be used. These methods and instruments are not specific to any one question but provide data that when used in combinations will address the research questions. Examples of each of these instruments, with a description of data fields and administration, are available in Appendix B.

The data gathering instruments are:

• User Request Survey: a series of questions to be answered by users who ask to use an Experimental Title in storage. This instrument accompanies all Study Titles or copies of articles from Study Titles requested from Storage Locations.
  
  
• Return Request Forms: copies of standard forms completed by library staff or users when making a request for returns or copies from experimental Study Titles.
  
  
• Experimental Use Worksheets: quarterly activity reports from Storage Facilities summarizing, by Study Title, return requests and fulfillment details.
  
  
• Control Use Worksheets: quarterly activity reports from Control Sites summarizing, by Study Title, the number of uses as measured by reshelving counts.
  
  
• Control Use Data Slips: slips, inserted in each piece of a Study Title, for staff at Control Sites to record all reshelving instances by date.
  
  
• Digital Use Reports: transaction data from Providers for electronic access to Digital Study Titles from Experimental and Control Sites.
  
  
• Phase I Cost Worksheets: Financial reports from campuses and storage facilities on actual costs and staff effort in establishing the Experimental and Control Treatment.
  

• Phase II Special Cost Studies: a series of campus focused examinations of cost increases or decreases in subscriptions, licensing fees, binding, copying, handling, or other areas that may be impacted by the Experimental Treatment when applied over an extended time.
  
  
• Formative Interviews: interviews with select users to inform the design of a system wide survey on user preferences and behaviors.
  
  
• Structured Interviews: interviews with a broad range of users and library staff familiar with the Study Titles to examine preferences and behaviors with in the specific context of a particular Study Title.
  
  
• User Preference Surveys: a widely administered survey to users of both print and digital forms of journals, incorporating questions developed in the Formative Interviews on characteristics of journals, users, purpose of use and the user environment that influence the acceptability of digital or print.
  
  
• Comment Cards: cards at service locations in Control and Experimental Sites and a web site comment function offering users and staff a vehicle to contribute reactions, suggestions and ideas on the Experimental Treatment.
  
  
• Storage Reports: reports from storage facilities with measurements of volumes and linear feet used by each Study Title.
  
  
• Study Title Characteristics Worksheet: an examination of each Study Title in both digital and print form against a standard list of typography and content features drawn from literature and tested in the Formative Interviews.
  
  
• Consultation Process Survey: a survey administered to CMI Campus Liaisons on the effectiveness of the consultation and decision making processes needed to achieve the experimental condition.

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