Internet Based Subject Guides

[Morris, Sara]

Please find below a questionnaire about interned based subject guides.
Please take a few minutes to complete it and return it to
smorris at library.msstate.edu by February 29th.  If you think someone else at
your institution is better suited to answer this questionnaire please
forward it to him or her.

We hope to use your responses to determine how academic librarians develop
and maintain internet based subject guides.  Your help in this matter is
greatly appreciated.

Thank you,


Sara Morris					Marybeth Grimes
Reference Librarian				Reference Librarian
Mitchell Memorial Library			Mitchell Memorial Library
Mississippi State University			Mississippi State University
smorris at library.msstate.edu			mgrimes at library.msstate.edu




1.  Name of institution:
________________________________________________________________

2.  Your title:
________________________________________________________________________


3.  Does your library web site have internet based subject guides?     Y / N

4.  Why or why not?


	If you answered "No" to question 3, please go to question 13.

5.  Please check all those who are responsible for creating subject guides.
If more than one person in a category creates the pages, please indicate
number.

_____ Web Master				_____Subject Bibliographer

_____ Reference Librarian			_____Committee
____Other (please explain)
			

6.  How does your library determine what subjects are included on the
internet based subject guides?



5.  How often are the internet based subject guides updated?  

____daily	____weekly	 ____monthly	       ____once a year
____other (please explain)



6.  Does your library keep statistics on how often your internet based
subject guides are visited?  Y / N

7.  Does your library incorporate/solicit patron input when creating or
maintaining the internet based subject guides?  Y / N
8.  How does your library select web sites for inclusion to your internet
based subject guides?  Please mark all that apply.

____Our library has a written policy and we follow the guidelines.
___I/we surf the web to find sites.
___I/we use directories (i.e. Argus Clearinghouse, Internet Public Library)
to find sites.
___I/we use current awareness guides (i.e. Scout Report) to find sites.
___I/we consult subject guides maintained by other universities.
___other (please explain)

9.  Do you feel satisfied that you're finding all the good, useful sites
using the methods mentioned in question 8 to compile your internet based
subject guides?

___Yes, I feel satisfied with the way I find sites for the subject guides.
___I feel somewhat satisfied with the way I find sites for the subject
guides.
___No, I don't feel satisfied with the way I find sites for the subject
guides.

10.  Are the links to the web sites annotated?  Y / N

11.  Do you include fee based sites to your internet based subject guides?
Y / N

12.  How do you insure your links are valid? Please check all that apply.
___The library  has software that automatically checks the links.
___I/we manually check our links.
___other (please explain)

13. Do you have any comments?




Please return to smorris at library.msstate.edu