Collection development & acquisitions: Sample library survey

This survey is based on one drafted by Barbara Doyle and Veronica Storey-Ewalt and published in: Evans, G. Edward. Developing Library and Information Center Collections. 3rd Ed. Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, 1995. 65-66.

The staff and directors of the Anytown Public Library are conducting this survey to evaluate library service and plan for the future. Check off the boxes which best reflect your knowledge, use or opinion. Your input is valuable to us.

1. Do you know the location of Anytown Public Library?

Yes

No

2. Have you ever used the library?

Yes

No

3. Is there another library you use regularly?

Yes

No

Which library?

Why?

4. When was the last time you used the Anytown Public Library?

In the last week	In the last six months
In the last month	In the last year
In the last three months

5. Why do you usually come to the library?

Keeping up on a subject	Sports or recreation
Making or fixing something	Personal or family health
My work or job	Government information
A hobby	To attend a program
Personal interests	To bring my children
Class or course reading	A course paper or report
Other:

6. How often do you find what you are looking for?

Less than 50% of the time

50 – 75% of the time

More than 75% of the time

7. Which of these items have you checked out from the library?

Paperback books	Magazines
CDs	Newspapers
Audiocassettes	Children's toys
Films	Cameras
Video cassettes	Art prints
Equipment loan	Maps

8. Which of these services have you used?

Children's storytime	Bookmobile
Website	Teen homework help
Films or lectures	Referral to other places
Adult tutoring	Materials by mail
Computer training	Online chat with reference staff
Materials from other libraries	Phoning the library to answer a reference question

9. What two things would increase your use of or satisfaction with the library?

Open longer hours	More newspapers
More help with looking for books or materials	More copies of a popular book
More help answering questions	More childrens' materials
More teen materials	More adult materials
More programs	More magazines
More electronic magazines	More video materials

10. What age group are you in?

under 12	19 - 39	65+
13 - 18	40 - 64

11. Sex:

Male

Female

12. Occupation

Agricultural	Business/Professional Military	Government
Homemaker	Industry/Manufacturing	Retail
Retired	Student	Unemployed

13. What was your approximate household income last year?

$0 - $9,999	$35,000 - $44,999
$10,000 - $14,999	$45,000 or more
$15,000 - $24,999	Don't know
$25,000 - $34,999	Prefer not to say

14. Highest education level you have reached:

Less than high school	Some college
High school graduate	College graduate

15. Number of people in your household:

16. Number of library card holders in your household:

17. How long have you lived in Anytown?

All my life	10 - 20 years	Less than 5 years
20 years or more	5 - 10 years

18. Part of town you live in (please circle number on the map below which is closest to your home).

Thank you for taking the time to answer this survey. Do you have any other comments or questions for us? Please mention them in the space provided on the next page.

Survey results highlightsHighlights from a community survey by Barbara Doyle and Veronica Storey-Ewalt and published in: Evans, G. Edward. Developing Library and Information Center Collections. 3rd Ed. Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, 1995. 67.

Requested materials or services:More romance, mystery, westerns
Open evenings and all day Saturday
More magazines
New children’s books

Subject areas of interest:Medicine
Agriculture (general and animal husbandry)
Home economics (cooking, nutrition, sewing, child rearing)
Children’s in 300/500/600 Dewey classes and fiction
Sociology and anthropology