Supporting Statement A for
Title of Study
Consumer Health Information in Public Libraries User Needs Survey (NLM)
OMB Control #: TBA
Name: Alla Keselman
Address: 6707 Democracy Blvd., MSC 5467
Telephone: 301-496-3420
Fax: 301-480-3537
Email: keselmana@mail.nih.gov
Table of Contents
A. JUSTIFICATION 2
A.1 Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary 2
A.2. Purpose and Use of the Information collection 3
A.3 Use of Information Technology and Burden Reduction 3
A.4 Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information 3
A.5 Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities 3
A.6 Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently 3
A.7 Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5 4
A.8 Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice and Efforts to Consult Outside Agency 4
A.9 Explanation of Any Payment of Gift to Respondents 4
A.10 Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents 4
A.11 Justification for Sensitive Questions 4
A.12 Estimates of Hour Burden Including Annualized Hourly Costs 4
A.13 Estimate of Other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents or Record
keepers 5
A.14 Annualized Cost to the Federal Government 5
A.15 Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments 6
A.16 Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule 6
A.17 Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate 6
A.18 Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions 6
List of Attachments:
Attachment 1- NLM ACA Survey Instrument
Attachment 2- NLM ACA 60-day Comment Tracking Log
Attachment 3- 60-day comment submission from ALA
Attachment 4- NLM ACA 30-day Federal Register Notice
A. Justification
A.1 Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary
NLM is legislatively mandated by 42 USC 286 to assist the advancement of medical and related sciences and to aid the dissemination and exchange of scientific and other information important to the progress of medicine and to the public health. This mandate specifically directs the NLM to promote the use of computers and telecommunications by health professionals (including health professionals in rural areas) for the purpose of improving access to biomedical information for health care delivery and medical research.
In 1994, the NLM was designated a "Federal Reinvention Laboratory" with a major objective of improving its methods of delivering information to the public. At a minimum, necessary elements in improving the delivery of information include; (1) development of easy-to-use access and delivery mechanisms that promote the public's understanding of health information, drawing on research in lay terminology, graphical and multimedia presentations; (2) assisting those providing health information to the public to make effective use of electronic services through Internet connections, training, and other means, with an emphasis on those serving low income populations and seniors; (3) promoting integrations of NLM services with other electronic services covering regional, state, or local health information; and (4) conducting and supporting research, development, and evaluation of the public's health information needs, information seeking behavior and learning styles, information systems that meet the public's needs, and the impact of access to information.
The purpose of the proposed data collection is to conduct an online national anonymous survey of library staff to better understand challenges and successes of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) [Pub. L. No. 111-148, 124 Stat. 119, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, H.R. 4872, 111th Cong. § 1106, Pub. L. No. 111-152, 124 Stat. 1029] information provision in public libraries. Public libraries have been identified as a key resource for public information about the PPACA, which took full effect on October 1, 2013. Public library staff received limited training about PPACA-related resources, and, at the present, research and funding into the challenges of such information provision are almost nonexistent. This survey will be sent to a national sample of 1,558 library workers in 10 highest-impact libraries in states with federal health insurance exchanges and 10 highest-impact libraries in states with state-run health insurance exchanges. Fifty percent response rate is expected. The study is a collaboration between the Division of Specialized Services, National Library of Medicine and Dr. Catherine Arnott Smith at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Data collection and analysis will be conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Survey Center that has extensive expertise in such survey research. Questions will focus on library staff training in PPACA information provision, experience with PPACA information provision, resources used, challenges, successes, and information needs.
The results of this study will be used by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an institution of higher education preparing future library workers, and the National Library of Medicine to inform preparation of outreach and training materials as well as advising other organizations and institutions providing PPACA information provision assistance to public.
Public libraries have been identified as a key resource for public information about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), which took full effect on October 1, 2013. A national anonymous survey of library staff will help us better understand the challenges and successes of information provision in this critical area of high information need. Research and funding into the challenges of health information in public libraries is, at present, almost nonexistent. In the present environment of health insurance reform and presumption of informed consumer choice, this is a critical knowledge gap. Information collection from library workers will supply much-needed feedback on the specific areas of challenge for information provision by public libraries. The results of this study will be used by the Principal Investigators’ home institutions – the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an institution of higher education preparing future library workers, and the Specialized Information Services division of the National Library of Medicine – to inform preparation of outreach and training materials as well as advising other organizations and institutions providing PPACA information provision assistance to public libraries (e.g., American Library Association). To improve our understanding of the challenges and gaps in information provision and awareness around PPACA, the information we get from this survey will be used to inform and improve NLM’s services to public libraries, as well as increase our understanding of the resource and education needs of public library workers.
A.3 Use of Information Technology and Burden Reduction
This collection of information is being done through a Web-based survey coordinated by the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Survey Center. Initial invitations will be done by U.S. mail; these letters will describe the purpose of the study and give a link for access to an online survey. No personally identifiable information will be collected about the participants, thus obviating the need for the Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA).
Based on the investigators’ literature review and extensive familiarity with the field of library science and library science education, there is no similar information already available in any form; this is the first survey of its kind.
This information collection does not impact small businesses or other small entities.
If this information collection is not conducted, there will be no information collected in a standardized, anonymous, scientific manner to help inform Federal program activities about the resource needs of public libraries regarding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act information support.
This information collection will be implemented in a manner that fully complies with 5 CFR 1320.5
This proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register on October 30, 2015, (Vol. 80, No. 210, Pg. 66914), and allowed 60-days for public comment. A single comment submission was received which is currently under review for further consideration. Consultation of an outside agency is not possible in this instance. There is no single representative organization for every library worker who might theoretically be contributing information in this study. It is not mandatory that library staff (whether paraprofessional or professional) join the American Library Association, and there is no other national organization that would represent every potential taker of the survey. Each state has its own library agency, but membership in the state-level association is not mandatory either.
A.9 Explanation of Any Payment of Gift to Respondents
A raffle prize of an Apple Ipad device (cost below $500) is being awarded to one respondent based on the advice of the University of Wisconsin Survey Center, which has found that raffles greatly increase response.
A.10 Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents
This is a Web-based survey. Subjects are able to take the survey at a location of their choosing; the survey asks no sensitive or personal questions; no personally identifiable information is collected about the participants and none is necessary to achieve the aims of the research; only information identifying public libraries at which the subjects are employed is collected. Data is stored through the services of the UW Survey Center, which is conducting the survey. Electronic files and data are stored on secure servers hosted at the University of Wisconsin Madison. These servers are housed in locked, climate-controlled rooms. Access to these servers is restricted by firewall. Any connections to the servers from outside the network must travel over the UW Madison’s virtual private network. Survey data are stored in a MySQL database. Connections to this database are limited to on-campus IP space and WiscVPN connections.
A.11 Justification for Sensitive Questions
No questions will be asked of a personal or sensitive nature.
A.12 Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
The maximum number of possible respondents to this survey is 1558 library workers. The University of Wisconsin Survey Center, which is providing consultation on this project, estimates that the Web-based survey will take no more than 30 minutes to complete, and that a typical response rate for a survey for this size is 50% (779 of expected respondents).
A.12-1 Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
Type of Respondents |
Number of Respondents |
Number of Responses per Respondent |
Average Time per Response (Minutes/Hours) |
Total Annual Burden Hour |
Library workers |
779 |
1 |
30/60 |
390 |
Total |
|
779 |
|
390 |
A.12-2 Annualized Cost to the Respondents
Type of Respondents |
Total Burden Hours |
Hourly Respondent Wage Rate |
Annual Cost |
Three Year Cost
|
Library workers |
390 |
$20.35*
|
$7936.50 |
$23,809.50 |
* Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2014 25-9099 Education, Training, and Library Workers: http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes259099.htm
A.13 Estimate of Other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents or Record Keepers
This information collection involves no other cost burden to respondents beyond that already outlined in section A.12 above. No system and technology acquisitions are necessary. The University of Wisconsin Survey Center is an existing unit of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and no special equipment will be required to handle information collection for this survey.
The estimated annualized cost to the federal government is approximately $27,266.65, which amounts to a total estimated cost of $81,799.95 over the duration of three years. Table A.14-1 contains estimated costs by category of cost.
Table A.14-1 Annualized Costs to the Federal Government
Staff |
Grade/Step |
Salary |
% of Effort |
Fringe (if applicable) |
Total Cost to Gov’t |
Federal Oversight |
|
|
|
|
|
NIH Project Oversight Officer |
GS14-7 |
$130,666 |
2.5% |
|
$3,266.65 |
Contractor Cost |
|
|
|
|
|
U of W Survey Center |
|
|
|
|
$24,000.00 |
Travel |
|
|
|
|
NA |
Other Cost |
|
|
|
|
NA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total cost |
|
|
|
|
$27,266.65 |
A.15 Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments
This is a new collection of information
The following time schedule is projected for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection of information, completion of report, publication dates, and other actions.
A.16 - 1 Project Time Schedule |
|
Activity |
Time Schedule |
Letters sent to respondents |
1 - 2 months after OMB approval |
Survey online |
1 month after OMB approval |
Survey taken offline |
4 months after OMB approval |
Analyses |
2 months after OMB approval (ongoing for life of project) |
Publication |
12 months after OMB approval |
A.17 Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate
An exemption to the display of the OMB Expiration date is not being requested for this clearance.
A.18 Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions
This collection of information involves no exceptions to the Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Subject | Supporting Statement A |
| Author | NLM |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-24 |