LIS-Choices questionnaire

Purpose of this questionnaire

This questionnaire forms part of a research study being carried out at UCL SLAIS on behalf of MLA, the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, into the perceptions and preferences of library and information students of different information sectors as a career choice.

We are asking students to complete this questionnaire as they complete their library and information qualification studies for 2007 and are looking to start their career.

Please download the questionnaire and fill in the text-boxes with text or X as appropriate.

The survey can also be downloaded from

Save and return by email to with LIS-Choices in subject line.

All questionnaires returned by Friday 15th June 2007 will be entered into a prize draw for £100

Statement of confidentiality

Any name, address and email details provided here will be used ONLY for contacting you for the prize draw or for clarifying information supplied in this questionnaire.

All records of names, addresses and email contacts provided here will be destroyed after the questionnaire returns have been processed and the prize draw made.

No names, addresses or emails will be passed to any third party or be included in publication of this research.

1.Your details(needed for purposes of prize draw)

Name

Address

Email contact

2.At which college or university are you studying at for your library or information qualification?

3.What is your programme of study?

(eg. Masters Degree in Information Management)

4.Have you been studying … (please X all relevant boxes)

full-time

part-time / modular

distance learning

5.When you started your programme of qualification study what were your sector career preferences? (please X relevant boxes)

Sector / Preferred / Possible / Unlikely / Undecided
Academic
(Higher / Further ed.)
Commercial / industrial (eg Legal)
Government
Health / medical
Public
School
Specialist
(eg Art, Music)
Voluntary / Charitable

If your sector preferences are not listed in the above table, please add any other information here

6.Now that you are completing your programme of qualification study what are your sector career preferences? (please X relevant boxes)

Sector / Preferred / Possible / Unlikely / Undecided
Academic
(Higher / Further ed.)
Commercial / industrial (eg Legal)
Government
Health / medical
Public
School
Specialist
(eg Art, Music)
Voluntary / Charitable

If your sector preferences are not listed in the above table, please add any other information here

7.What direct work experience did you bring to your qualification studies – or gain during your period of study - in any of these sectors?

(please X relevant boxes)

Sector / Pre-study
traineeship / Work experience
placement / Job
(paid or voluntary) / None
Academic
(Higher / Further ed.)
Commercial / industrial (eg Legal)
Government
Health / medical
Public
School
Specialist
(eg Art, Music)
Voluntary / Charitable

8.Do you now have a first professional post, to follow your qualification

(please X relevant boxes)

Sector / New job started or offered / At application stage / Continuing with prior job / None at present
Academic
(Higher / Further ed.)
Commercial / industrial (eg Legal)
Government
Health / medical
Public
School
Specialist
(eg Art, Music)
Voluntary / Charitable

If your sector is not listed in the above table, please add any other information here

If you have now chosen to work or retrain outside the library and information sectors, please X here

9.How far has direct work experience from before or during your qualification studies influenced your current career choices?

Sector experience gained via / Strongly
In favour / Mildly in
favour / Not
influenced / Mildly
against / Strongly
against
Pre-study traineeship
Work experience placement
Prior job (paid or voluntary)

10.How far have your qualification studies influenced your current career choices?

Experience / Strongly
In favour / Mildly in
favour / Not
influenced / Mildly
against / Strongly
against
Sector coverage of in core units
Sector coverage of in optional units
Visits to example services
Talks by visiting practitioners
Detailed focus on issuesin case study or dissertation
Working with a LISon research project of practical benefit

11.What motivates you in considering career choices?

Motivator / Strongly
In favour / Mildly in
favour / Not
influenced / Mildly
against / Strongly
against
Salary
Face-to-face contact with users
Using specialist subject knowledge
Clear career pathway
Evening / weekend work
Socially beneficial service
Doing research
Management role
Working with specific usergroups
Permanent post
Employer support for chartership
Geographical location
Outreach work
Flexible hours

Please add here any other factors which motivate or demotivate you from working in any particular library or information sector.

Thank you very much for completing this questionnaire.

Please save your responses and return by email to with LIS-Choices in subject line.

Remember!

All questionnaires returned by Friday 15th June 2007 will be entered into a prize draw for £100