Librarians' Assessment of Automation Systems: Survey Results, 2007-2010

For the last four years, Marshall Breeding has conducted an online survey to measure satisfaction with multiple aspects of the automation products used by libraries. In this issue of Library Technology Reports, Breeding and Andromeda Yelton take a deeper look at the survey data, including an expansion of findings based on the 2010 iteration, an examination of trends seen across the four years, and additional analysis not previously published. Brief interpretive narratives help place the data in context.
In this Report, the authors
• Explain the basis and origins of the survey and what it attempts to measure
• Examine the qualitative data to find themes and trends
• Break down the data quantitatively by library size, library type, and more
• Provide profiles of different vendors and how they are reflected in the survey data
• Categorize information to reveal less obvious trends

Authors:

Marshall Breeding, director for innovative technology and research for the Vanderbilt University Library, is a leading authority on library vendors and automation systems.

Andromeda Yelton is a member of the founding team at Gluejar. She is a 2011 ALA Emerging Leader and a 2010 winner of the LITA/Ex Libris Student Writing Award.

from ALA TechSource, June 2011