The data collection approach is the piece of the research pie that is most intimidating to me. I was an English major, and I tend to think more in terms of words and ideas...numbers and statistics scare me. Coming up with the idea for the research was easy, putting into words how I would answer my research questions and through what data collection method presented a challenge.
Having completed a draft of that portion of the proposal, I am now able to reflect on how that process took place.
I knew all along that I wanted to do a survey. I was dead set on surveying everyone in Richland County and demanding to know why they do not love the library as much as I do. Why don't they love it, and what can I do to change their minds? I'm working on a sample survey, and am hoping that the questions are presented in a way that will encourage their feedback in a non-intimidating way. But before I even get to the study, there is another piece of the research puzzle that did not become evident to me until Week 10.
I had obviously thought about how to target the surveys, but had not considered that this was actually another piece of the research. The post office has mailing lists available for purchase. Purchasing these lists would be wasteful if I did not use those mailing lists to research who the non-users are in certain zip codes. Step one of the data collection is obtaining mailing lists for certain zip codes in Richland County and cross-referencing these lists with the existing patron database of cardholders to identify homes without library card holders. This research is valuable in providing information about specific zip codes or areas of Richland County and will shape the remainder of the data collection. Perhaps this data shows that there are certain areas with high non-user populations; is there a geographic pattern?
Step two will be the actual survey. This step is two-fold as there will be an initial test mailing to a small sample followed by a larger mailing. The test mailing is necessary to show any misinterpreted questions and any tweaks that need to me made. The survey will go out and hopefully a good return rate will result.
I am still debating whether a third phase should be added. I see so much value in focus groups. Surveys do have their limitations and are not always the ideal research method. I chose this method for my research questions because I am looking for answers from the community at large to identify patterns and characteristics of non-users. A survey is ideal in this situation as I am able to target the survey sample to non-library cardholders. But close-ended questions do not always get to the root of the problem; a focus group could help fill in the gaps, especially with questions about converting non-users into library users. The issue is time and budget. Ideally, with unlimited resources focus groups would be an added element to the research. There would be an option for survey takers to indicate their interest in further participation in a focus group setting.
After reviewing other research proposals and recognizing my fear of numbers, I will also consult a statistician to help evaluate the relationships between certain characteristics and library non-use to ensure proper data analysis and that the data is accurate and reliable.
I wish this survey was actually going to happen. I am so curious as to how it would turn out. I'm an intern at RCPL and would love to see how the results would help them to increase the library user population and what to see what trends would be revealed and if they mirrored my assumptions. Maybe one day...
