Table of Contents

Dedication iii
Identifying and Analyzing User Needs:
A Practical Manual on Disk
Table of Contents for Manual on Disk ix

Figures and Worksheets from Manual on Disk xi
Foreword xiii
Preface xv
Acknowledgments xix

Chapter 1: Getting involved 1

What Is a Community Information-Needs Analysis? 2
What a Community Information-Needs Analysis Is Not 3
Assumptions Behind the Process 4
Issues Behind the Need 6
Reasons for Conducting an Information-Needs Analysis 8
Fitting into the Planning Process 10
Summary 12

Chapter 1 Readings 13

Chapter 2: Laying the Groundwork 15

Involving Others 15
Getting Administrative Support 17
Getting Middle Management and General Staff Support 18
Responding to Staff Concerns 20
Setting Up Logistical Procedures 25
Accomplishing Initial Tasks 29
Making Initial Decisions 32
Summary 37

Chapter 2 Readings 38

Chapter 3: Preparing to Conduct a Study 41

Resources 41
Identifying Stakeholders 45
Ethical Considerations 47

Chapter 3 Readings 48

Chapter 4: Framing Questions and Choosing Tools 51

Framing the Research Questions 51
Which Techniques for Which Question 68
Chapter 4 Readings 73

Chapter 5: Designing Data-Gathering Instruments 75

Asking Patrons: General Principles 76
Person-to-Document 102
Summary 119

Chapter 5 Readings 120

Chapter 6: Using In-House Data and Drawing Samples 125

In-House Data 125
Community Data 132
Sampling Techniques and Principles 133

Chapter 6 Readings 149

Chapter 7: Launching a Study 153

Scheduling 153
Training for Each Data-Gathering Technique 155
Maintaining the Data Gathering 163
Chapter 7 Readings 164
Chapter 8: Analyzing the Results 167
Developing an Overview 168
Running the Statistical Analysis 169