Task Force on the Annual Survey Report

The Task Force on the Annual Survey was formed under the direction of TS-SIS Chair Linda Tesar in the summer of 2008. She appointed Joe Thomas (Chair), Chris Long, Alan Keely, Sean Chen, Sara Robertson, Katie Jones, and Martin Wisneski.

The charge to the Task Force included formulating answers to these questions:

  1. Should TS-SIS continue to distribute a survey? What do we need to accomplish through the survey?
  2. What form should the survey take? Should it only be a call for volunteers or should it be something else?
  3. What impact, if any, will the implementation of the committee volunteer webform have on the survey? Should the volunteer form be expanded?
  4. What role, if any, should the Membership Committee play in conducting the annual survey?
  5. Are there better mechanisms to satisfy our needs? Do new technologies exist that TS-SIS should implement instead of an annual survey?

The Task Force corresponded by email and determined that the three functions of the TS-SIS annual survey have been:

  1. Find out what about the TS SIS's activities (mostly annual meeting programs and TSLL columns) people liked or disliked;
  2. Gather suggestions for annual meeting programs or other educational opportunities;
  3. Recruit members to run for SIS offices or to serve on committees.

There was general agreement that the attempt to gather information about members of the SIS and their opinions about the workings of the SIS should be separated from any attempt to recruit volunteers for SIS activities and offices. It was suggested (without, of course, any statistical analysis to back it up) that some members might be reluctant to fill out informational surveys if they were simultaneously being asked to consider performing volunteer work.

Several members indicated that recruitment for office-holders and volunteers for committees and other SIS activities is most effectively done by direct contact. Also, there was some skepticism about how much survey results in the past had been used to effect changes in TS-SIS activities, Technical Services Law Librarian columns, or the creation of educational program ideas.

The timing of the survey also came into question. It has often been taken in the winter/spring time frame. Is that too late to get decent input about the previous summer's programs? Iis it the right time for recruiting for committees that may be in the middle of important work? The timing issue is tied in with the multiple goals of the survey – not every intended result in previous surveys could be best realized by a winter/spring time frame.

Therefore, the Task Force makes the following recommendations:

  1. The TS-SIS should distribute simplified surveys seeking general information as to the demographics of its membership and the general sense of the membership about TS-SIS activities at times deemed appropriate by the Executive Board, not necessarily annually.
  2. The survey (or an additional, separate survey) should also be used as a vehicle for determining membership views on particular issues, changes in TS-SIS policies, etc.
  3. The use of a readily-available and easy-to-use survey system (such as Survey Monkey) should be considered.
  4. This survey should not be a call for volunteers. That should be handled separately. The development of the Volunteer Web Form or some other appropriate mechanism should be used instead.
  5. Analysis of educational programs and solicitation for future programs should be undertaken by the TS-SIS Education Committee rather than by the general survey.
  6. Surveys should be conducted at times when it would be most useful as determined by the Executive Board. The ease of setting up surveys with online survey products should be used to the advantage of the TS-SIS to maintain maximum flexibility.
  7. The Membership Committee's role in the survey should be considered insofar as membership issues need to be surveyed, but calls for volunteers and recruitment of TS-SIS officers should be handled separately.

June 30, 2009