FY20 SLAA Communications Plan

SLAA FY 2020 Communications Plan

This document summarizes the planned communications between the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) or its contractor and respondents to the State Library Administrative Agencies (SLAA) Survey for fiscal year 2020.

There are 51 SLAAs in the United States, one for each state and the District of Columbia. SLAAs have a Chief Officer who is the state librarian for that state. For the SLAA survey, the respondent primarily responsible for entering the data is called the “Key Holder.” The Chief Officer certifies the data once the Key Holder enters and submits it.

Data collection for this survey is web based. All communications between IMLS or its contractor and the respondents will be conducted through electronic mail. Some communications will be a group message which blind copies the recipients for privacy. Others will be tailored messages with programmatic fills, for example for recipient email and name. Final follow up messages will be individually created manual messages with the content varying based on the survey status. When the contractor sends out messages to recipients, the “Sender” will be a dedicated project mailbox with “SLAA” as the sender name.

Table 1 summaries the planned communications for this survey. The body of each message communication appears sequentially after the table.

Table 1. Summary of Communications for the SLAA Survey

	Communication	Sender	Recipient	Timeframe relative to data collection	Purpose	Attachments
1	Key Holder identification	IMLS	SLAA Chief Officers	October 15, 2020	Identify responsible person for responding to survey	None
2	Prenotification	IMLS	Key Holders	December 3, 2020	Notify respondents, provide preparatory materials, provide timeline	Survey Instrument User's Guide Collection Instructions Letter to Key Holder
3	Invitation	Contractor	Key Holders	January 11, 2021	Announce that data collection is open, provide system credentials, provide timeline	None
4	Group Updates	Contractor	All Key Holders	Periodically throughout data collection: January 25, 2021 February 8, 2021 February 22, 2021	Provide status update of completions, reminder of deadlines, reminder of help and support resources	None
5	Non-Response Reminder	Contractor	Key Holders of SLAA who have not responded	February 1, 2021	Remind respondents, provide system credentials	None
6	Second Non-Response Reminder	IMLS	Key Holders of SLAA who have not responded; copy Chief Officer	February 12, 2021	Remind and notify Chief Officer	None
7	Follow up on incomplete surveys	Contractor	Key Holders who have not responded	February 22, 2021	Reminder	None
8	Notification to certify	Contractor (automated mail from system)	Chief Officer	On a flow basis as Key Holders complete data entry	Notify Chief Officer to review and certify data; provide Chief Officers with system credentials	None

1. Key holder (respondent) identification

Sender	IMLS
Recipient	SLAA Chief Officers
Timeframe	October 15, 2020
Method	E-mail
Purpose	Identify responsible person (Key Holder) for responding to survey
Attachments	None

Subject: Announcing the FY 2020 State Library Administrative Agency data collection!

 

Dear Chief Officer:

 

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is pleased to announce that the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 State Library Administrative Agency (SLAA) data collection is set to launch in January 2021!  Your participation is vital to the success of this data collection.  So that we can provide SLAAs with timely and relevant data, we plan on releasing the survey data and results in Summer 2021.

 

In anticipation of the data collection start, each SLAA should first designate a contact person (Key Holder) for the FY 2020 survey. The Key Holder will be responsible for the data submission. We strongly urge you to appoint the survey respondent as the Key Holder.  Please email SLAA@rti.org by COB Friday, November 13, 2020 with that person’s current contact information, including email and phone number.

 

What’s New?

RTI International (RTI) will continue to serve as the data collection agent on the FY 2020 SLAA collection.  RTI is an independent, nonprofit research institute that provides expertise in survey research, statistics, and technical services to government and commercial clients worldwide. The RTI SLAA team is currently preparing for the FY 2020 data collection launch in January 2021.

 

What’s Next?

Please submit contact information for this year’s Key Holder as soon as possible.  Later in November and December, you will receive emails from RTI providing additional information about the data collection and Key Holder training. Please add SLAA@rti.org to your email “whitelist” or “safe-senders” list so that you do not miss any important information about the SLAA survey.

 

So you can start gathering your data now, please find attached the FY 2020 SLAA Survey Questionnaire and Instructions for your reference. There have been no changes to the questionnaire or instructions since the FY 2018 SLAA cycle. You can also find additional information on the SLAA survey at the following web address: https://www.imls.gov/research-evaluation/data-collection/state-library-administrative-agency-survey.

 

Please let us know if you have questions about the survey or about the information that we will be collecting from you. Watch for additional information about the FY 2020 SLAA data collection in coming weeks.

 

Thanks in advance for your cooperation in this very important effort. We look forward to working with you!

 

Sincerely,

Marisa

2. Prenotification

Sender	IMLS
Recipient	Key Holders
Timeframe	December 3, 2020
Method	E-mail Recipients blind copied on group message
Purpose	Notify respondents and provide preparatory materials
Attachments	Survey Instrument User's Guide Collection Instructions Letter to Key Holder

Subject: Welcome to the FY 2020 SLAA Survey!

Dear SLAA Key Holder:

Congratulations on being named your state's Key Holder (KH) for the State Library Administrative Agency (SLAA) Survey for fiscal year (FY) 2020. You will play an important role in this national data collection effort, and we look forward to working with the library community to keep this program strong. This data is vital to advancing library services in the United States, which is the core mission of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

Background
This survey is the 22^nd in a series of successful SLAA surveys administered through a cooperative effort of the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA), RTI International (the new data collection agent this cycle), and IMLS. IMLS is authorized to collect these data under the Museum and Library Services Act of 2018 as stated in section 210, Policy Research, Data Collection, Analysis and Modeling, Evaluations, and Dissemination.

Survey Content and Data Collection Schedule
There are no changes to the FY 2020 SLAA Survey from the FY 2018 collection.  As in past years, some items are completed for you with prior-year responses when the data are not expected to change between data collections, but please update any information that has changed. The User’s Guide (attached) provides a general overview of how the online data collection tool works.

Shortly, RTI will be sending out an invite to a training webinar for Wednesday December 16, 2020, [TBD] pm ET. For those KHs who are also State Data Coordinators for the Public Libraries Survey, this training will be a repeat of RTI's presentation on Thursday December 10, 2020.  If you are unable to attend next week’s training, we will share out the presentation and recording before January 11.

Key dates on the FY 2020 SLAA Survey schedule are:

• Survey training webinar: Wednesday, December 16, 2020

• Data collection opens:  Monday, January 11, 2021

• John Lorenz Award deadline:  Friday, February 19, 2021*

• Data collection ends:  Friday, March 5, 2021**

*The survey must be submitted by this date to receive the John Lorenz Award for Timely and Accurate Submission of SLAA Data.
**This is the final survey submission date.
 
Key Holder Responsibility
As Key Holder, you are responsible for your state’s data submission. On January 11, 2021, the day the data collection opens, RTI will email you with the web address for the survey, key survey dates, your SLAA user ID and password, and Help Desk information. Once you have reset your password, please do not share your user ID or password with anyone.  Once you log in to the survey you will find the following documentation (also attached to this email):

• User’s Guide: This document contains important information for proper use of the web-based SLAA Survey system.

• FY 2020 SLAA Survey: This is an informational copy of the survey only and should not be filled out and returned.

• FY 2020 Instructions for Completing Survey Items: This document provides instructions on how to answer each item in the survey.

Once you have completed the FY 2020 SLAA survey, an automatic message will be sent to the State Librarian requesting that they log in to the survey and certify the accuracy of your data submission. 

IMLS will provide tabulations of the final data in a report; the final data file and related data products will be available on the IMLS Web site at  https://www.imls.gov/research-evaluation/data-collection/state-library-administrative-agency-survey.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no person should be asked to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number for this information collection is [TBD] (expires [TBD]). The time required to complete this voluntary information collection is estimated to average 25 hours per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, please write directly to SLAA@rti.org.

If have any questions regarding this data collection, please contact the SLAA Help desk at SLAA@rti.org or 1-866-509-7472. We look forward to receiving your FY 2020 SLAA data submission, and we thank you in advance for your time and effort in completing this important survey.

Sincerely,
Marisa

3. Invitation

Sender	Contractor
Recipient	Key Holders
Timeframe	January 11, 2021
Method	E-mail Programmed individualized messages
Purpose	Announce that data collection is open, provide system credentials, provide timeline
Attachments	None

Subject: FY 2020 State Library Administrative Agency (SLAA) Survey Now Open

Dear [Key Holder First Name Last Name],
 
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) invites you to submit your data for the State Library Administrative Agency (SLAA) Survey for fiscal year (FY) 2020. Thank you again for agreeing to take part in this important national data collection effort, and we look forward to working with the library community to keep this program strong.

Please submit your SLAA data as soon as possible using the following credentials:

Website:        https://submitslaa.imls.gov/

Username:    [Username]

Password:     [Starter Password]

When you first log in, you will be prompted to change this password, confirm your e-mail, and set up security questions.

Key deadlines for the FY 2020 SLAA Survey schedule are:

• John Lorenz Award deadline:  Friday, February 19, 2021

• Data collection ends:  Friday, March 5, 2021

• Data release: Summer 2021

• Report release: Fall 2021

IMLS will provide tabulations of the final data in a report; the final data file and related data products will be available on the IMLS Web site at  https://www.imls.gov/research-evaluation/data-collection/state-library-administrative-agency-survey.

RTI International is the new data collection agent for this cycle of the SLAA. If have any questions regarding this data collection, please contact the SLAA Help desk at SLAA@rti.org or 1-866-509-7472. We look forward to receiving your FY 2020 SLAA data submission, and we thank you in advance for your time and effort in completing this important survey.

Sincerely,

FY 2020 SLAA Data Collection

4. Group Updates

Sender	Contractor
Recipient	All Key Holders
Timeframe	Periodically throughout data collection: January 25, 2021 February 8, 2021 February 22, 2021
Method	E-mail Recipients blind copied on a group message
Purpose	Provide status update of completions, reminder of deadlines, reminder of help and support resources
Attachments	Training slide deck for the first status update and none for remaining updates

Subject: SLAA – Update for Keyholders

SLAA – Update for Keyholders – [DATE]

FY 2020 Data Collection Updates

• Thank you all for your participation so far in the SLAA. Congratulations to the [#} states that have certified their data and [#] states that have locked their data!

Reminders

• Website: https://submitslaa.imls.gov

• John Lorenz Award deadline:  Friday, February 19, 2021

• Data collection ends:  Friday, March 5, 2021

Training and Resources

• A User’s Guide, Survey instructions, and validation reference guide are available for Keyholders from the website after login

• A slide deck that was used for in-person training for those of you who are also SDCs and the December 2020 webinar is attached

SLAA Help Desk

• Reach out to the SLAA Help Desk if you have questions about data submission:

  • Email: slaa@rti.org

  • Phone: 1-866-509-7472

5. Non-Response Reminder

Sender	Contractor
Recipient	Key Holders of SLAA who have not responded
Timeframe	February 1, 2021
Method	E-mail Programmed individualized messages
Purpose	Remind respondents, provide system credentials
Attachments	None

Subject: FY 2020 State Library Administrative Agency (SLAA) Survey Reminder

Dear [Key Holder First Name Last Name],

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) wants to remind you to submit your data for the State Library Administrative Agency (SLAA) Survey for fiscal year (FY) 2020. Please login to the website below as soon as possible to submit your important data. The submission deadline for the John Lorenz Award is coming soon on February 22^nd. Only states submitting their data on or before this date will be eligible for the John Lorenz Award.

Please submit your SLAA data using the following credentials:

Website: https://submitslaa.imls.gov/

Username: [Username]

Password: [Starter Password]

When you first log in, you will be prompted to change this password, confirm your e-mail, and set up security questions.

Key deadlines for the FY 2020 SLAA Survey schedule are:

• John Lorenz Award deadline: Friday, February 19, 2021

• Data collection ends: Friday, March 5, 2021

If have any questions regarding this data collection, please contact the SLAA Help desk at SLAA@rti.org or 1-866-509-7472 or Marisa Pelczar at mpelczar@imls.gov. We look forward to receiving your FY 2020 SLAA data submission, and we thank you in advance for your time and effort in completing this important survey.

Sincerely,

FY 2020 SLAA Data Collection

6. Second Non-Response Reminder

Sender	Contractor
Recipient	Key Holders of SLAA who have not responded; copy Chief Officer
Timeframe	February 12, 2021
Method	E-mail Programmed individualized messages
Purpose	Remind and notify Chief Officer
Attachments	None

Subject: Upcoming Deadline for FY 2020 SLAA Survey

Dear [Key Holder Name],

We are nearing the end of the data collection period for the FY 2020 State Library Administrative Agencies (SLAA) Survey, with a deadline of Friday, March 5. Our records show that South Carolina is one of only four SLAAs that has not yet started reporting on the SLAA Survey.  Can you please let Elizabeth Robbins, this study’s project lead from RTI International, and myself know of your state’s status, and if there is anything we can do to assist with your SLAA survey submission?

Thanks in advance for your time and attention to this matter. Collected since 1994, this survey has always had a 100% response rate, reflecting the strong cooperation between the SLAA partners and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Your participation is vital to the success of this data collection. 

Sincerely,

Marisa

7. Follow up on incomplete surveys

Sender	Contractor
Recipient	Key Holders who have not responded
Timeframe	February 22, 2021
Method	E-mail Individualized messages
Purpose	Reminder
Attachments	None

Subject: SLAA Reminder

Good Afternoon, [Key Holder Name],

As a reminder, the FY20 SLAA Survey data collection is slated to close this Friday, March 5.  If there’s a chance that you may not be able to meet Friday’s deadline, please let us know as soon as possible so we can work with you to ensure your State’s data are submitted.  We are here to help with any content or technical questions you may have, and can be reached at SLAA@rti.org or 1-866-509-7472.  Thanks for your time and attention to this survey, your participation is vital to its success.

SLAA Survey

8. Notification to certify

Sender	Contactor
Recipient	Chief Officer
Timeframe	Flow basis as Key Holders completed data entry
Method	E-mail Automated mail from web data collection system
Purpose	Notify Chief Officer to review and certify data; provide Chief Officers with system credentials
Attachments	None

Subject: State Library Administrative Agency Survey

Dear State Librarian,

Your State Library Administrative Agency Survey is submitted. Please use your User ID and the initial password to login to the SLAA web tool to review the information and certify the survey.

Link to the SLAA web tool: https://submitslaa.imls.gov
Your User ID: [Username]
Initial password: [Starter Password]

You will need to create your own password after login.

Thank you,
FY 2020 SLAA Data Collection