I just closed the survey of health sciences librarian blog readers, after receiving 266 responses! That's a much higher response rate than I anticipated, but compared to MLA's membership of approximately 4,000 people it's still a fairly small sample.
Here's the raw data from the responses--I'll post "refined data" once I have an idea of what this all means:
1. How long have you been a librarian?: 266 responses (Nobody skipped this question)
A. 0 to 3 years: 62 people (23.3%)
B. 4 to 6 years: 32 people (12%)
C. 7 to 1o years: 31 people (11.7%)
D. 11 to 20 years: 73 people (27.4%)
E. More than 20 years: 68 people (25.6%)
2. What type of library do you work in?: 22o responses (46 people skipped this question)
A. Hospital library: 89/220 (40.5% of 220)
B. Academic health sciences library: 131/220 (59.5% of 220)
C. Other (please specify): 50 comments. I haven't read the comments closely yet, but it seems clear that people didn't like the paucity of choices I provided. [Note: Commenters must have selected one of the options, so if no options were satisfactory presumably people skipped the question.]
3. What is your primary job responsibility?: 221 responses (45 people skipped this question)
A. Reference/User Instruction: 120/221 (54.3% of 221)
B. Cataloging/Technical Services: 7/221 (3.2% of 221)
C. One Person, Solo Librarian: 52/221 (23/5% of 221)
D. Administration: 42/221 (19% of 221)
E. Other (please specify): 54 comments. Once again it seems that the choices were insufficient. And once again people could only make comments after selecting one of the options.
4. Of the blogs written for librarian colleagues, how many do you read regularly?: 257 responses (9 people skipped this question)
A. One to three: 118/257 (45.9% of 257)
B. Four to six: 67/257 (26.1% of 257)
C. More than six: 72/257 (28% of 257)
5. How do you follow blogs?: 256 responses (1o people skipped this question)
A. Bookmark/check periodically: 61/256 (23.8% of 256)
B. Subscribe via RSS: 188/256 (73.4% of 256)
C. Subscribe via email: 7/256 (2.7% of 256)
6. Of the choices below, what BEST describes the reason you read blogs?: 243 responses (23 people skipped this question)
A. Current awareness about new technologies and tools: 185/243 (76.1% of 243)
B. Source of discussion and debate: 39/243 (16% of 243)
C. Tips on what to read in the professional literature: 13/243 (5.3 % of 243)
D. To increase professional connections: 6/243 (2.5% of 243)
E. Other (please specify): 40 comments. As always, making comments depended upon selecting one of the options provided.
7. How often do you attempt to incorporate what you read about in librarian blogs in your work?: 261 responses (5 people skipped this question)
A. Very infrequently: 23/261 (8.8% of 261)
B. Somewhat infrequently: 55/261 (21.1% of 261)
C. Somewhat frequently: 110/261 (42.1% of 261)
D. Frequently: 61/261 (23.4% of 261)
E. Very frequently: 12/261 (4.6% of 261)
Please feel free to elaborate upon your answer: 37 comments.
8. Compared to one year ago, how likely are you to read blogs?: 265 responses (1 person skipped question)
A. More likely: 149/265 (56.2% of 265)
B. As likely: 102/265 (38.5% of 265)
C. Less likely: 14/265 (5.3% of 265)
9. Compared to one year ago, how likely are you to subscribe to listservs?: 263 responses (3 people skipped question)
A. More likely: 30/263 (11.4% of 263)
B. As likely: 141/263 (53.6% of 263)
C. Less likely: 92/263 (35% of 263)
10. Compared to the content in listservs, are you more or less likely to act upon what you read in blogs?: 264 responses (2 people skipped question)
A. More likely: 78/264 (29.5% of 264)
B. Less likely: 29 (11% of 264)
C. No difference: 157/264 (59.5% of 264)
Please elaborate on your answer: 68 comments, which is great because I particularly desired comments here.
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