SAGE Reference Survey: Preliminary Results

Los Angeles | London | New Delhi
Singapore | Washington DC
SAGE Reference Survey:
Preliminary Results
Elisabeth Leonard, MSLS, MBA
elisabeth.leonard@sagepub.com
Twitter: ElisabethAnn

Meeting Name Here (modify under View/Master/Slide Master) Los Angeles | London | New Delhi
Background
● To find out how reference resources are
being used in today's libraries.
● 5 pages and a total of 32 questions.
● Completed surveys received before June
21st were eligible for a drawing for an iPad
mini.
● A full report will be made available on the
SAGE website.
SAGE reference survey preliminary results.

● 471 responses
• 90% from North America (n=310)
• 6% from Asia Pacific (n=22)
• 2% from Europe (n=7)
• 1% from South America (n=3)
• >1% from Africa (n=1)
Demographics
ALA reference preliminary survey results.

● Type of library
• Academic libraries: 58% (n=190)
• Corporate libraries: 13% (n=42)
• Medical libraries: 12% (n=40)
• Government or military libraries: 10% (n=32)
• Public libraries: 6% (n=20)
• School libraries 1% (n=3)
Demographics
ALA reference survey results.

Type Is Reference Is One of Most Useful
A&I resources 78% 42%
Almanacs 84% 9%
Bibliographies 71% 15%
Chronologies 64% 8%
Article databases 56% 75%
Video databases 44% 22%
Image databases 47% 27%
Statistical databases 63% 51%
Dictionaries 88% 38%
Encyclopedias 89% 21%
Glossaries 73% 38%
Handbooks 66% 8%
Major works 26% 34%
Primary source archives 42% 19%
What is a reference resource?

● Differentiating "reference" material in the digital age from other content
resources or information assets has blurred beyond recognition. A good
source of information, reference or not, is one that answers the
question, period.
● Wasn't clear on this but am assuming that we are not talking about
"R"eference, in the traditional sense (ready reference etc.), but rather
information tools (most of what we use today) to find answers.
● Article databases- only those that are specifically reference sources...e
collections of reference traditional reference materials- encyclopedias,
almanac, bibliographies etc.
● While I don't consider "article databases" to be traditional reference
resources, I do frequently use them or direct customers to them in
response to "reference" questions.
Comments on ambiguity
ALA reference preliminary survey results.

● Good use of article databases and primary
sources. Lots of interest in video content.
● Online Encyclopedias with good links to major
works such as primary resources or articles
from secondary sources help our students
develop understanding of the research
process linking information to knowledge and
critical thinking.
Comments on usefulness

Type Is Reference
(all)
Is reference
(academic)
Most useful
(academic)
Most Useful
(all)
A&I resources 78% 82% 46% 42%
Almanacs 84% 91% 8% 9%
Bibliographies 71% 74% 13% 15%
Chronologies 64% 69% 6% 8%
Article databases 56% 53% 67% 75%
Video databases 44% 40% 23% 22%
Image databases 47% 43% 24% 27%
Statistical
databases
63%
64% 56% 51%
Directories 88% 91% 44% 38%
Encyclopedias 89% 93% 53% 21%
Glossaries 73% 77% 9% 38%
Handbooks 66% 66% 33% 8%
Major works 26% 19% 15% 34%
Primary source 42%
What is a reference (academic)?

Type Is Reference
(all)
Is reference
(corporate)
Most useful
(corporate)
Most Useful
(all)
A&I resources 78% 45% 33% 42%
Almanacs 84% 83% 7% 9%
Statistical
databases
63%
64% 36% 51%
Directories 88% 93% 33% 38%
Glossaries 73% 71% 10% 38%
Handbooks 66% 57% 38% 8%
Major works 26% 29% 26% 34%
Primary source 42%
57% 31% 19%
What is a reference (corporate)?

Type Is Reference
(all)
Is reference
(medical)
Most useful (medical) Most Useful
(all)
A&I resources 78% 63% 48% 42%
Almanacs 84% 73% 3% 9%
Statistical
databases
63%
60% 55% 51%
Dictionaries 88% 83% 23% 38%
Glossaries 73% 90% 10% 38%
Handbooks 66% 61% 39% 8%
Major works 26% 60% 4% 34%
Primary source 42%
76% 24% 19%
What is a reference (medical)?

Type Is Reference
(all)
Is reference
(medical)
(all)
A&I resources 78% 72% 47% 42%
Almanacs 84% 91% 16% 9%
Statistical
databases
63%
53% 41% 51%
Handbooks 66% 66% 34% 8%
Major works 26% 19% 25% 34%
Primary source 42%
41% 38% 19%
What is a reference (govt)?

Type Is Reference
(all)
Is reference
(medical)
(all)
A&I resources 78% 85% 40% 42%
Almanacs 84% 65% 25% 9%
Statistical
databases
63%
65% 40% 51%
Handbooks 66% 55% 30% 8%
Major works 26% 25% 20% 34%
Primary source 42%
55% 40% 19%
What is a reference (public)?

●50% direct patrons daily to free and
fee reference resources
●4% don’t assist patrons with
information needs
How often do you direct users to
reference resources?
SAGE reference preliminary survey results.

● I feel that it is important for students to learn tools they will still
have access to after graduating, so I make a point to show them
both subscription-based and free resources.
● We pay for some references resources and I think they are
better than basic search engines. PubMed is free and I
recommend this all the time. I suggest our patrons go to our
library page where they can see all the resources we have in
one place.
● We strongly encourage use of our subscription databases when
directing students who are conducting research.
● Reference materials often have the best information but most
patrons have the google mentality of good enough from the
internet.
Comments
SAGE reference survey results.

Preference for print or online
reference

● this list contains reference resources or types, however the big
change is that they are not in "protected reference collections"
today as we have migrated from print to online and if the product
is in print it now circulates.
● what a changing world. speculating that research libraries
supporting humanities and social sciences scholars and
researchers will still have deep physical reference collections but
most libraries -- the physical reference collection will become
very small, online reference collection and curating that online
collection is the future
Comments on the shift from “p” to
“e”

● We really have to improve our accessibility to
our reference resource collections. Right now,
the print and the electronic parts of the
reference collection are in chaotic odds with
each other. I feel the future is to integrate
reference collections almost fully with the
general collection.
● Reference resources need more marketing
Comments on discovery

● I'm a realist, I know that the instant access of
the web is primary for most students. Faculty
use what they know, some online, some in
paper.
● I don 't think we can do a lot to change our
patron's worldview. So we need to work hard
to make the reference resources more easily
discoverable.
Comments on discovery

● Every single Library needs a PR consultant,
IMO.
● We need to do more marketing, but it is
difficult to know what will reach 23 year olds.
● Students don't make a distinction between
reference sources and other types of sources
(journals, databases, etc.). So, I wouldn't refer
a student to a "reference resource" so much
as something that will help with their research.
Comments on marketing

● It’s a research skill that appear to have been lost to patrons and
librarians - they are almost seen quaint - I view them as integral
to the research process.
● We need to market better but reference resources are not a
priority with our administration.
● Why on earth would they know about our reference sources? We
don't have a good way of delivering that information, and our
own staff is dismally unaware of what we have online.
Comment on the disconnect

● I wish people had more time, or would make more time, to take a library
orientation and tour. But this is for overall knowledge of the library and
its procedures, not just awareness of reference resources! Overall
people are so happy that our firm even has a library so most are keen to
check it out.
● I feel we should raise more awareness of what reference materials we
have, but I also think that there are many other types of library
resources that can be helpful to our patrons.
● Given the amount of communication available to library clients in many
different formats, the comment that they didn't know the library held a
particular item (or range of items) occurs too often.
Comments on satisfaction with
awareness

● Students, faculty and staff (but mostly students) are a moving
target. There is always a new crop being admitted every quarter
and some graduating each quarter. So we must hit them
frequently with the same information. We've found it takes about
two years to socialize an idea with faculty who are strong
disseminators of specific resources.
● I have one hour with the new attorneys to teach them about the
firm's resources. The attorneys who have been with the firm for
more than 3 years missed this. I fill them in when they give me
the opportunity.
Marketing: a moving target

● A paper summarizing the survey
● An annual survey?
Next steps

Questions?
Twitter: ElisabethAnn

SAGE Reference Survey: Preliminary Results

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