Primary Research Group has published the International Survey of Research University Faculty: Pandemic’s Impact on Use of the Academic Library, ISBN 978-157440-663-4
This report presents data and commentary about current and expected use of the library during from 127 faculty at 53 research universities in the USA, the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland. Respondents relate how often they visited the library prior to and during the pandemic, and how the pandemic experience will influence their use of the library post pandemic.
The study provides highly detailed data on how use of key library services such as the eBook collection, library online databases, the print materials collection, virtual reference services and inter-library loan – have changed during the pandemic. In addition, the report presents data on how faculty judge library performance in COVID-related areas such as maintaining social distancing, disinfecting library materials, supporting online education, providing information on campus COVID developments, and other issues. The data summary for the report was written by Laura Horne-Popp, Assistant University Librarian, University of Central Missouri.
Just a few of this 128-page report’s many findings are that:
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Faculty at private institutions were more likely than those at public institutions to plan to visit the library about as often post pandemic and pre-pandemic.
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More than 71% of Assistant Professors used their library eBook collection more or much more during the pandemic than prior to it.
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Humanities faculty demonstrated the largest increase in database usage behavior during the pandemic.
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67% of faculty have not changed their use of inter-library loan services during the pandemic.
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Approximately 43% of faculty felt very safe in the library during the pandemic.
Data in the report is broken out by many variables related to the individual survey participants and their institutions including but not limited to: for individuals, age, general academic field and gender of respondent; for institutions, world university ranking, host country, tuition level, public/private status, and work title. In addition, the data is broken out for institutions that are completely or predominantly online and those for which in-person classes play a greater role.
A PDF edition of this report is currently available directly from Primary Research Group for $114.00; a print edition at the same price will be available for shipment on February 26, 2021 and can be ordered now. Site licenses are also available.
For a table of contents, list of participating institutions, the questionnaire and an excerpt – view the product page for this report at:
https://www.primaryresearch.com/AddCart.aspx?ReportID=637
Orders can also be emailed to: orders@primaryresearch.com or faxed to 212-412-9097. Reach us by phone at 212-736-2316 or order on our website at www.PrimaryResearch.com.