DLS Services Survey DLS issued a survey seeking members to rank in order of importance the DLS services that are funded by the Area and Per Capita Grant for IL Library Systems. The survey stated that the ranking would be used to determine how DLS will implement a 16.5% cut in area/per capita grant funds. The survey was open for submissions during the period of December 2-18, 2009. Survey Responses Library Directors/Official DLS Contacts o Survey audience = 130 persons/institutions o Survey responses = 104 surveys submitted o Percent response = 95% response rate DLS Member Library Staff & Affiliated Persons o Survey audience = 322 persons on the DLS announcements list o Survey responses = 311 surveys submitted o Percent response = 97% response rate DLS Board Members o Survey audience = 11 persons o Survey responses = 5 surveys submitted via DLS Board survey 1 o Percent response = 46% response rate Survey Number Rankings The lower the number, the higher the priority of the service. For example, a service with a compiled rating of 9.20 was rated a higher priority than a service with a compiled rating of 12.06. Survey Presentation of Services To address the bias that occurs when the same answer appears at the top of the list for each respondent, the names of DLS services were presented in random order. 1 Two additional DLS Board members submitted surveys via the Library Directors/Official DLS Contacts survey for a total of 7 DLS Board member surveys & a 64% response rate Page 1 of 7
Results of Survey - Rating Averages DLS Sevices (listed in alphabetical order) Library Directors & Official DLS Contacts DLS Member Library Staff DLS Board of Directors Totals Advocacy 5.85 5.94 2.80 14.59 Consulting 6.36 6.57 6.80 19.73 Continuing Education 3.73 3.93 4.40 12.06 Delivery 3.26 2.74 3.20 9.20 DLS Professional Collection 8.93 8.97 11.4 29.30 DLS Staff Attendance @ Member Library Events 8.78 9.10 7.60 25.48 Group Plans & Vendor Discounts (Good Deals) 5.38 5.75 7.40 18.53 Member Recognition 9.09 9.42 10.00 28.51 Networking Groups & Email Lists 5.28 5.41 5.00 15.69 Partnership Projects 7.51 7.10 4.40 19.01 Professional Advancement 7.98 7.67 9.20 24.85 Resource Sharing 5.40 5.08 5.80 16.28 DLS SERVICES (listed in the order of priority) Compiled TOTALS Delivery* 9.20 Continuing Education* 12.06 Advocacy* 14.59 Networking Groups & Email Lists 15.69 Resource Sharing 16.28 Group Plans & Vendor Discounts 18.53 Partnership Projects 19.01 Consulting* 19.73 Professional Advancement 24.85 DLS Staff Attendance @ Member Events 25.48 Member Recognition 28.51 DLS Professional Collection 29.30 * Indicates proposed CORE SERVICE for System & Area Per Capita Grant Page 2 of 7
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List and Description of DLS Services Funded by Area and Per Capita Grant * Advocacy - Assist members in telling the library s story and sharing the library s value in their community & beyond. Coordinate details of state & national library days for members. Assist with arranging meetings with legislators, develop DLS legislator contact list, provide notice on legislation regarding libraries, & host DLS legislative & candidates breakfasts. * Consulting - Promote the availability of grants, assist members with applications for grants, & review grant applications prior to submission as requested. Assist members with individual questions regarding a wide variety of issues, practices, policies, standards, & procedures. Make site visits to become familiar with member libraries. * Continuing Education - Provide training & professional development opportunities (more than 124 events in FY2009), including DLS Day & DuKane School Library Institute. Cooperate with the IL State Library, IL Library Systems, & other organizations to support, plan, & present programs. Assist members with Library Learning (L2). * Delivery - Five-day-a-week van delivery of materials (approximately 1.6 million items a year) to & from member public libraries & the larger library community. Provide Van on Demand (VOD) service to DLS members with less frequent delivery needs. Connect to IL Systems & the IL State Library through the IL Library Delivery Service (ILDS). * DLS Professional Collection - Purchase & make available through MAGIC s integrated library system a collection of materials about libraries & the provision of library service. Loan items to members & other libraries that make requests to borrow materials. Respond to questions about the collection. * DLS Staff Attendance at Member Library Events - DLS staff members attend non-dls-sponsored programs & events at member libraries. Personal presence of DLS staff in support of member sponsored activities. Events include but are not limited to open houses, grand openings, galas, & other special programs. * Group Plans & Vendor Discounts (Good Deals) Provide discounts for supplies, equipment, furniture, & staffing service (LAC) vendors. Offer groups insurance programs for dental, vision, & employee assistance (ComPsych). Coordinate the ordering by members of products & services at discounts, including ALA READ CDs, ILA publications, & conference registrations. * Member Recognition - Highlight & encourage outstanding contributors to DLS member libraries through three annual awards: Friend of the Library, Support Staff of the Year, & Librarian of the Year. Write nomination & support letters for awards & recognitions presented to members. Highlight members in Here & Now, DLS e-news, Twitter, & Facebook. * Networking Groups & Email Lists - Offer special interest groups (SIGs) & roundtables on a variety of topics in order for library staff members to share local library activities & ideas, build peer relationships & discuss professional topics of common interest. Schedule, facilitate, & participate in SIG meetings. Provide email lists to support groups. Page 6 of 7
* Partnership Projects - Facilitate reading incentive & library appreciation programs with Wolves, Sky, Cougars, Bulls, White Sox, Ravinia, Ringling Bros. Circus, Broadway in Chicago, & others. Partner with the Macy s Museum Adventure Pass Program & Smart Money Week Program. * Professional Advancement - Provide an annual scholarship to one LTA & one MLS student. Raise funds by hosting the DLS scholarship dinner or other fund-raising event(s). Post job ads on Here & Now. Serve as host for LTA practicum student. * Resource Sharing - Work with members & Library Partnership Trust on e-resource projects. Arrange e- resource demonstrations & trials. Coordinate projects for placing interlibrary loan requests through web catalogs (DLS web holds project; SHARE). Resolve interlibrary loan problems; reroute misdirected materials. Assist members with updating membership information in statewide directories. Provide an email list for giveaway and for-sale items. Page 7 of 7