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Students and Libraries Survey
This questionnaire is being sent out to a number of Open University students in order to discover what materials and information, apart from those already provided by their courses, are currently being used. We would like you to tell us what you currently use, what the barriers are to getting information and what you think of current OU Library Services.
This is a repeat of a questionnaire survey the OU Library carried out in 2001. The choice of responses in the questionnaire itself are based on suggestions made by students in an earlier survey.
In this questionnaire "other materials" means items such as books, tapes, videos, journal articles, newspaper articles, web-sites and CD-ROMS other than those provided by your course (or listed as ‘set books’). Finding and getting hold of these other materials may mean making use of libraries and, or other information searching and retrieval methods such as use of the Internet or electronic databases.
Notes on filling out this questionnaire
Please use a black or blue ball point pen to complete the questionnaire. Do not use red, fountain or felt pens as the ink may be visible on the other side of the page. The questionnaire will be read with the help of a scanner so please fill it in as described. Please put in a ‘X’ in the appropriate box keeping within the boundary of the box if possible. For example:..x..
If you make a mistake and cross the wrong box, please block out your answer and then cross the correct box. For example:
..x.. / ..x.. / . . / C
1. Was use of the OU Library recommended by your last course?
Were there any references in your course materials to suggest that you should make use of the OU Library during your studies? This may have been a suggestion that you familiarise yourself with the facilities available or a recommendation that you use the services for an assignment or other activity.
Yes…No…
2. Did you use other information and materials during the course?
Apart from the materials sent as part of your OU course, and set texts that you are required to purchase, did you use any other information or materials to help you with your OU course?
Yes …. / (please continue to Question 3 “What kinds of information?”)No…… / (please skip to page 3 Question 5 “No – I did not use any other materials”)
3. What kinds of information?
Following on from the first question; could you indicate the different kinds of information/materials you have used?
(Cross one box only in each row to indicate how frequently you used them.)
1 = Frequently / 2 = Sometimes / 3 = Once or twice / 4 = Never1 / 2 / 3 / 4
Books borrowed from a library or elsewhere……………………. / non / non / non / non
Books purchased or already owned……………………………… / non / non / non / non
Journal articles…………………………………………………... / non / non / non / non
Newspaper articles………………………………………………. / non / non / non / non
Magazine articles (trade or popular)…………………………….. / non / non / non / non
Internet (web) sites………………………………………………. / non / non / non / non
Sources for historical research (eg. Parish records/Census………. / non / non / non / non
CD-ROMS………………………………………………………… / non / non / non / non
Company reports/company product information………………… / non / non / non / non
Research papers………………………………………………….. / non / non / non / non
Parliamentary papers/Government reports………………………. / non / non / non / non
Other reports (eg non-governmental agencies etc.)……………… / non / non / non / non
Directories……………………………………………………….. / non / non / non / non
Maps……………………………………………………………… / non / non / non / non
Interviews by self with experts/contact with authors…………….. / non / non / non / non
Audio tapes………………………………………………………. / non / non / non / non
Videos……………………………………………………………. / non / non / non / non
Conference proceedings/symposia……………………………….. / non / non / non / non
British standards………………………………………………….. / non / non / non / non
Microform materials (Microfiche/Microfilm) …………………… / non / non / non / non
Transcripts of lectures……………………………………………. / non / non / non / non
Patents……………………………………………………………. / non / non / non / non
Encyclopedias……………………………………………………. / non / non / non / non
Official statistics (HMSO publications) ………………………… / non / non / non / non
Television documentaries………………………………………… / non / non / non / non
Other……………….…………………………………………….
(please specify) / non / non / non / non
4. Do you think that your use of other information/materials has helped you in your last course?
Do you feel the use of the extra information/materials you selected in question 3 meant you were better able to study the course and produce your assignments than if you had not used them?
Yes…No…
Now skip Question 5 and continue with Question 6 ‘What were your problems?’
5. No - I did not use any other materials
If you didn’t use any materials other than those included in your course could you tell us why? Select (a) those reasons that apply below and also indicate (b) the single most significant reason for you.
(a)All reasons that apply / (b)
Single most
significant reason
No time for research/extra reading………………………….. / non / non
OU course materials are sufficient………………………….. / non / non
OU course materials are most important reading…………… / non / non
Not aware of access/borrowing rights at local libraries……. / non / non
Not allowed to use local academic library…………………. / non / non
Live too far away from a library…………………………… / non / non
No access to technology to use online services……………. / non / non
Costs of access and retrieval of information are too high… / non / non
Costs of membership of libraries are too high……………… / non / non
Other………………………………………………………..
(please specify) / non / non
Now skip to Question 7
6. What were your problems?
Could you indicate the difficulties, if any, you experienced finding out about and getting hold of information.
(Cross one box only in each row) / Major Problem / Slight Problem / No ProblemNo time to research properly……………………………………………. / non / non / non
Unaware of how to research effectively………………………………… / non / non / non
Too much information to filter…………………………………………. / non / non / non
Bias or irrelevant information on Internet (web) sites………………….. / non / non / non
Not knowing what I needed or what to ask for………………………….. / non / non / non
Finding a library with relevant, good quality information in stock…… / non / non / non
Difficulty using or searching catalogues/online databases………………. / non / non / non
Not enough equipment/IT facilities at local library…………………….. / non / non / non
Time taken to obtain item……………………………………………….. / non / non / non
Limited stock in public libraries…………………………………………. / non / non / non
Nearest library was restrictive about access/borrowing rights…………… / non / non / non
Unhelpful library staff……………………………………………………. / non / non / non
Item requested not received……………………………….…………….. / non / non / non
Costs too high (photocopying/travel/buying item etc.)………………….. / non / non / non
Incomplete or incorrect references……………………….……………… / non / non / non
Libraries not open at convenient times…………………..……………… / non / non / non
Item needed not available or not traced………………….……………… / non / non / non
No OU membership of relevant associations, or libraries. ……………… / non / non / non
Distance to travel………………………………………………………… / non / non / non
Other……………………………………………………..………………
(please specify) / non / non / non
7. Internet Access
Do you have access to the Internet? (Cross all the boxes that apply)
No access………………………………………………………………… / nonYes (at home) …………………………………………………………… / non
Yes (at work) …………………………………………………………… / non
Yes (elsewhere) …………………………………………………………
(please specify) / non
8. Using local public and academic libraries?
In this section we would like you to tell us about your use of local libraries during your last OU course. Our definitions of use for OU study are: use as a borrower, use for reference, or use as a quiet place to study.
Have you used your local public library for OU study?
Yes…………………………………………………………….. / nonNo……………………………………………………………… / non
How easy do you find it to visit your local public library?
Very easy…………………………….………………………… / nonQuite easy……………………………………………………… / non
Quite difficult………………………………………………….. / non
Very difficult…………………………………………………… / non
Do not have a local public library……………………………… / non
Have you used your local academic library for OU study?
Yes…………………………………………………………….. / nonNo……………………………………………………………… / non
How easy do you find it to visit your local academic library?
Very easy…………………………….……………………….. / nonQuite easy…………………………………………………….. / non
Quite difficult…………………………………………………. / non
Very difficult………………………………………………….. / non
Do not have a local academic library…………………………. / non
9. Use of OU Library services
a) Following an earlier Students and Libraries Survey, the OU Library developed a service called Open Library, which offered a selection of library services to OU students. It was promoted via a leaflet during Spring 2000, and the leaflet is now included in all course mailings. The service is available from the following web site http://www.open.ac.uk/library/
Have you ever used this web site? (Cross one box only)
Yes, frequently……………………………………………………………. / nonYes, sometimes…………………………………………………………… / non
Yes, once or twice………………………………………………………… / non
Never………………………………………………………………………. / non
If not, why not? (Cross one box only)
No Internet access………………………………………………………….. / nonDid not know site existed………………………………………………….. / non
Have Internet access, but needed more assistance to find/use site………… / non
Did not need/want extra resources…………………………………………. / non
Did not have time to look on site…………………………………………… / non
Other…………………………………………………………………………
(please specify) / non
If you did use the site, how easy did you find it to use?
Very easy…………………………………………………………………… / nonFairly easy…………………………………………………………………... / non
Fairly difficult………………………………………………………………. / non
Very difficult……………………………………………………………….. / non
b) Open Library offers the following services to students. Can you indicate if you have ever made use of them, and how useful you found them.
(Cross one box only in each row)
1 = Very useful / 2 = Quite useful / 3 = Not useful / 4 = Never used1 / 2 / 3 / 4
Database of relevant web sites for OU courses (ROUTES)……... / non / non / non / non
Information on academic libraries open to OU students…………… / non / non / non / non
Online access to selected OU Theses (DART)……………. / non / non / non / non
Online tutorial (Safari) on how to search for information … / non / non / non / non
Electronic access to the full text of journal articles………………… / non / non / non / non
Library catalogues (OU Library and other) available electronically.. / non / non / non / non
Helpdesk service for enquiries……………………… / non / non / non / non
Online databases of references and abstracts………………………. / non / non / non / non
Electronic texts and books………………………………….. / non / non / non / non
Online access to newspapers………………………………………. / non / non / non / non
Help sheets on how to make use of particular resources … … … / non / non / non / non
Open Library at a glance (quick tour)………………………………. / non / non / non / non
c) The Library offers a helpdesk service for students and can be contacted by telephone, email, letter, fax or web chat. Currently the helpdesk is available 9am to 5.30pm on Monday to Thursday and 10am to 5pm on Friday.
If you wanted to contact the Library which method of communication would you use?
Telephone………………………………………………………….. / nonEmail………………………………………………….. / non
Web form………… / non
Web chat (Librarians on call)…………………………………………. / non
Letter…………………………………………… / non
Fax … … … … / non
Other…………………………………………………………………………
(please specify) / non
d) The OU Library continues to investigate other possible services for students. To help us prioritise our work please cross your top three from the following list the service(s) you would like the OU Library to provide.
List of relevant books/journals/articles for each OU course………………………………….. / nonPostal loan of books from OU Library……………………………………………………….. / non
Document delivery of journal articles………………………………………………………… / non
More help and support on use of library for students with disabilities……………….. / non
Better access and borrowing rights at other academic libraries………………………… / non
Access to OU exam papers ………………………………. / non
Personalised library pages (selected resources for your course/subject) ……………….. / non
Brief library induction at start of each course ………………… / non
Digital versions of books available online…………………………………………………… / non
Training courses at OU Regional Centres on how to find information/use libraries………… / non
Do you have any other suggested services you would like the OU Library to provide or any comments about OU students’ needs in relation to libraries in general?
Thank you very much
Alison Bremner
Student and Libraries Project Officer
Please return it using the enclosed reply-paid envelope to: The Survey Office, IET, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA
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