Government Information Resources at Public Access Computer Centers Survey

Government Information Resources at Public Access Computer Centers’ Survey

Prepared by the Library Research Center

With funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, this survey is just one part of a project exploring how people with low-access to the Internet find government information. By answering the following questions, you will help us learn more about how public access computing centers provide government information resources to the public. Thank you for your time.

1. Approximately how many patrons per week use your computer center?

2. What is the total scheduled public service hours per year for all service outlets (Include the hours open for public service at the main/central center and any satellite units if applicable) NOTE: Use an actual annual count, if available; otherwise calculate an estimate based on a typical week and multiply by 52. _________

3. Does your public access computing center share space with another institution, or is it part of another institution? If so, what type of institution is it?

Church

Employment Center

Government Agency

Non-Profit

Local School/Community College

Private Company

Other________________________________________________________________________

4. What is the gross annual budget for your organization? $

5. For the current year, please indicate the percent of funding received from each source for your public access computing center by indicating the percent next to the appropriate source. If you don’t receive money from a specific source please leave it blank. If you receive funding from a source not listed, please describe the source in the blank space next to “Other.”

Source Approximate Percent of Funding Received

Patron Fees %

Donations %

Federal Funding %

State/City Funding %

Community Taxes %

Private Sector Grants %

Foundation Grants %

Other_________________ %

The following section asks you to report Full Time Equivalent (FTE.) Please report your FTE in terms of your standard work week as long as that standard week is between 35 and 40 hours. If not, please convert to a 40 hour work week.

6. Report FTE of all staff members doing any work at your organization

7. Report FTE of all staff members working hours in the computer lab

8. How many computer terminals are available in your computer lab for patron use?

8a. Of the computer terminals available for patron use how many are connected to the Internet?

9. How many computer terminals are available in your computer lab for staff use only (not including public use

computers counted in Q8)?

9a. Of the computer terminals available for staff use only how many are connected to the Internet?

10. What is the zip code of the physical location (not mailing address) of your center? __________

10. If your center has branch or satellite labs please provide the zip codes for each:

The following set of questions focus on the services your public access computer center offers patrons. In particular we are interested in services that pertain to government information at all levels (local, state, federal) of government. This information may include anything from health and housing, education and employment opportunities, legal and law enforcement issues, military service, and even how to fill out tax forms.

10. Which of the following do you offer for topics concerning government information in its broadest sense? (Check all that apply.)

Classes – a series of cumulative, formal instruction on a regular/semi-regular basis

Workshops – training that is one-time only for special occasions/needs

Tutorials – mediated or unmediated step-by-step instruction upon request

Walk-in/Impromptu Services –unscheduled questions from individual users

Other Specialized Services – geared towards public use of government information

(for example: an employment center in the Lab)

10. What types of government information topics are covered through the services your public access computing center provides? (Choose all that apply.)

    TOPIC	Classes	Workshops	Tutorials	Walk-in/ Impromptu	Special Collections
    Family (or household), Neighborhood, Community- examples of this include marriage licenses, credit reports, government assistance
    Education, Jobs, Military - examples of this include getting a job, seeking military benefits, student loans
    Housing and Property - examples of this include purchasing a house, issues with a landlord, and zoning issues
    Health, Nutrition, and Food - examples of this include food stamps, Medicare/Medicaid, nutrition programs for children/families
    Law and Politics - examples of this include voter registration, immigration, courts/laws, tax
    Recreation - examples of this include local/state/national parks, fishing/hunting licenses
    Other

11. Of the services that you offer concerning the usage of government information, do you evaluate the outcomes of these activities? (Choose all that apply.)

EVALUATION	Classes	Workshops	Tutorials	Walk-in/ Impromptu	Special Services
Keep track of complaints/compliments
Collect usage statistics
Survey participants about their experience
Do not evaluate
Other (please describe)

Questions 15-23 refers to specific public access computing center services as listed in Q12.

10. How does your public access computing center offer Walk-in/Impromptu services?

Choose all that apply….

Method of Impromptu Service	During Center Hours	Outside Center Hours
In person
Telephone
Email
Instant Messaging/Chat

10. On a scale of 1 to 5, how does your public access computing center generally approach questions from users who walk-in?

Teaching users how to 1 2 3 4 5 Providing users with

find the requested the requested information

information themselves

10. How frequently does your public access computing center offer classes concerning government information?

Several times a year

Monthly

Once a year

Other (specify)

N/A

10. At your public access computing center, the instructors for the classes concerning government information are (select all that apply):

Public access computing center staff ___________

Community volunteers ___________

Commercial vendors ___________

Other (specify) ___________

N/A ___________

10. At your public access computing center, the instructors for the workshops concerning government information are (select all that apply):

Public access computing center staff

Community volunteers

Commercial vendors

Other (specify)

N/A

10. If your public access computing center offers tutorials, are they (select all that apply):

In person

Print-based

Computer-based

Other (specify)

N/A

10. If your public access computing center offers tutorials, are they primarily:

Choose one….

Designed by public access computing center staff ___________

Designed by Third-parties ___________

N/A ___________

10. How does your public access computing center decide what government information topics to address with class and workshop offerings?

10. How does your public access computing center promote class and workshop offerings that address government information?

10. Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your public access computing center and the services it provides to low-access individuals in their search for government information?

Thank you for your time.

If you have any questions about this study, please contact the Library Research Center at (217) 333-1980 or via email at surveys@lrcmail.lis.uiuc.edu

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