What Do Faculty Think of Electronic Resources

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What Do Faculty Think of Electronic Resources

• Kevin Guthrie
• www.jstor.org

ALA Participants Meeting June 17, 2001
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Overview

• Brief Background and Methodology
• Perceptions and Uses of E-Resources
• Views on the Role of the Library
• The Importance of Archiving
• Conclusions

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Objectives of the Study

• To learn how U.S. academics currently perceive
  and use electronic research resources in general
• To understand their attitudes about the current
  and future impact of technology on research and
  teaching
• To gain insight into their awareness and attitude
  toward archiving and JSTOR

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The Survey

• Sample was chosen by random selection from a list
  of over 150,000 social science and humanities
  faculty.
• 32,670 professors at U.S. colleges and
  universities were sent the survey, which was 16
  pages long.
• Surveys were coded to reflect whether these
  professors were at JSTOR participating
  institutions (24,443) or not (8,227)
• Surveys were mailed on September 29, 2000

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Responses

• Total of 4,220 completed surveys received.
• Cut-off date November 13, 2000
• From participating institutions 3,281
• From non-participating institutions 939
• Note Only the data from the 3,281 respondents
  at participating institutions is used in this
  presentation

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Response Breakdown
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Results by Discipline

• Study not designed to provide reliable results on
  this dimension (sample sizes not large enough)
• Faculty selected fields from a list
• 37 different fields selected / written in
• 5 humanities fields (857 responses)
• 9 social science fields (930 responses)
• Economics (228 responses)
• Mathematics (238 responses)

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A Faculty Survey

• This is not a survey of graduate students or
  undergraduate students.
• Ninety percent of respondents were Professor,
  Associate Professor, or Assistant Professor.
  Sixty-two percent were from JSTOR Very Large or
  Large institutions
• Five percent listed themselves as lecturers

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Faculty are Comfortable with Electronic Resources
How well does the following statement describe
your point of view?
I am simply not comfortable using electronic
resources such as computer databases of journals.

• Not well 68
• Somewhat 24
• Very Well 8

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For the Vast Majority, Electronic Databases are
Already Invaluable
How well does the following statement describe
your point of view?
Electronic research resources, such as computer
databases of academic journals, are an invaluable
research tool.

• Not well 5
• Somewhat 22
• Very Well 73

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An Even Greater Future Role is Envisioned for
Electronic Resources
How well does the following statement describe
your point of view?
I will become increasingly dependent upon
electronic research resources in the future.

• Not well 9
• Somewhat 29
• Very Well 62

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Methods Used to Find Journal Articles
Methods Used Often / Occasionally to Find Articles
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New Media Resources Already Important to Faculty
Percent indicating resource is very important
to research.
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Importance of New Media Resources Economists
Percent indicating resource is very important
to research.
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Importance of New Media Resources Humanists
Percent indicating resource is very important
to research.
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New Media Resources Already in Widespread Use
Percent Who Frequently/Occasionally Use
Electronic Journals for Each Purpose
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More than 60 of faculty

• Are comfortable using electronic resources
• Believe a variety of resources are important to
  their research
• Consider electronic databases to be invaluable
• Believe they will become increasingly dependent
  on electronic resources in the future
• Currently use
• Online catalogs
• Full-text electronic journal databases
• Abstracting and Indexing databases

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Faculty Less Convinced About Online Learning
How well does the following statement describe
your point of view?
Distance learning and online teaching will be a
very positive development for higher education in
this country.

• Not well 40
• Somewhat 41
• Very Well 19

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It Is Still Early for Online Communities
How valuable is the following?
The ability to use an online forum to
communicate with other academics using the same
journal.

• Not valuable 38
• Somewhat valuable 36
• Very Valuable 26

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Faculty Depend on their Library for their
Research
How dependent are you on your college or
university library for research you conduct?

• Very dependent 48
• Somewhat dependent 39
• Not very dependent 13

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But They Expect that Dependence to Decrease
Thinking about 5 years from now, how dependent
will you be on your college or university library
for research you conduct?

• Today 5 Years from Today
• Very dependent 48 38
• Somewhat dependent 39 41
• Not very dependent 13 21

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Faculty Value Three Library Functions Highly
How important is it to you that your library
provides each of the following functions? Percent
rating these functions as very important

• Starting point / gateway for research 65
• Archives / preserves resources 77
• Purchases resources 80

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Faculty Value Three Library Functions Highly by
discipline
How important is it to you that your library
provides each of the following functions? Percent
rating each function as very important
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But They Expect Libraries to Become Less
Important in these Areas
Thinking about 5 years from now, how important
will it be that your library provides each
function?

• Today 5 Years from Today
• Gateway 65 56
• Archive 77 68
• Buyer 80 76

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Faculty See Less Use for the Library
How well does the following statement describe
your point of view?
I often find using the library to be difficult
and time-consuming Id much rather be able to
get the information I need from a computer in my
office or home.

• Very well 42
• Somewhat 32
• Not well 26

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Many Can Foresee a Future Without the Library
How well does the following statement describe
your point of view?
Before long, computers, the Internet, and
electronic, computer-based archives and databases
will allow academics to conduct much of their
research without setting foot in the library.

• Very well 44
• Somewhat 32
• Not well 24

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Many Can Foresee a Future Without the Library
by discipline
How well does the following statement describe
your point of view?

Before long, computers, the Internet, and
electronic, computer-based archives and databases
will allow academics to conduct much of their
research without setting foot in the library.
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Libraries Should Maintain Archives
How well does the following statement describe
your point of view?
Regardless of what happens with electronic
archives of journals, it will always be crucial
for libraries to maintain hard-copy archives.

• Very well 48
• Somewhat 30
• Not well 22

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Libraries Should Maintain Archives by Discipline
How well does the following statement describe
your point of view?
Regardless of what happens with electronic
archives of journals, it will always be crucial
for libraries to maintain hard-copy archives.
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Most Do Not Condone Discarding All Paper Copies
How well does the following statement describe
your point of view?
Assuming that electronic archives of journals
are proven to work well and are readily
accessible, I would be happy to see hard-copy
archives discarded and replaced entirely by
electronic archives.

• Very well 21
• Somewhat 23
• Not well 56

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Most Do Not Condone Discarding All Paper Copies
by Discipline
How well does the following statement describe
your point of view?
Assuming that electronic archives of journals
are proven to work well and are readily
accessible, I would be happy to see hard-copy
archives discarded and replaced entirely by
electronic archives.
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Electronic Archiving is a Very Important Concern
How well does the following statement describe
your point of view?
With more and more journals becoming available
electronically, it is crucial that libraries,
publishers, or electronic databases archive,
catalog, and protect these electronic journals.

• Very well 76
• Somewhat 21
• Not well 3

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Electronic Archiving is a Very Important Concern
How well does the following statement describe
your point of view?
With more and more journals becoming available
electronically, it is crucial that libraries,
publishers, or electronic databases archive,
catalog, and protect these electronic journals.
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Conclusions

• Electronic resources are important to faculty.
• Humanists depend more on the library for access
  than social scientists.
• Library access role is expected to diminish.
• Electronic archiving is important to all.
• Closing Question for Further Reflection
• Are the majority of library resources going
  toward disciplines that value the librarys
  access role the least?

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Closing Question for Reflection

• Are the majority of library resources going
  toward disciplines that value the librarys
  access role the least?

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What Do Faculty Think of Electronic Resources

• Kevin Guthrie
• www.jstor.org

CNI Project Briefing