ACQNET v3n017 (February 21, 1993) URL = http://www.infomotions.com/serials/acqnet/acq-v3n017 ISSN: 1057-5308 *************** ACQNET, Vol. 3, No. 17, February 21, 1993 ========================================= (1) FROM: Christian SUBJECT: Who's new on ACQNET today (9 lines) (2) FROM: Rosann Bazirjian SUBJECT: Survey of ACQNET back files use (179 lines) (1)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: February 21, 1993 From: Christian Subject: Who's new on ACQNET today Dottie Kizer Marcinko Head, Acquisitions Auburn University Library E-mail: MARCIDK@AUDUCADM.DUC.AUBURN.EDU (2)---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 08:13:32 EST From: Rosann Bazirjian (Syracuse University) [Late last Fall I decided to try to find out how useful the directories and back files are to you. So I sent most of you a questionnaire. Rosann Bazirjian was good enough to receive your replies and tally the responses. Her report follows. I hereby thank her for her time and effort. To put the data in perspective, at that time there were about 650 registered subscribers. I am not clear as to what interpretation to give these data, outside of the obvious one that most subscribers had more important matters to deal with than this questionnaire. So, your comment would be helpful-- C.] RESULTS OF THE SURVEY ON THE USE OF ACQNET FILES Please note: The totals to all questions do not necessarily agree with the total number of respondents, because some respondents indicated multiple answers to some questions. TOTAL NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS: 117 1. Does your computer system support File Transfer Protocol (FTP)? yes 107 no 8 no response 2 2a. Have you FTPd any ACQNET files? yes 32 no 82 no response 3 2b. If no, why not? not necessary 39 do not know how to FTP 19 save backfiles on own diskette 9 no time 6 print paper copies 8 resource problem (equip. shortage) 1 no FTP capability 8 no response 6 3a. Have you FTPd any of the ACQNET directories? yes 21 no 93 no response 2 3b. If yes, were the instructions clear? How could they be improved? instructions were clear 11 offer subscriber directory in segments (i.e. A-L, M-Z) or have updates in separate file 1 needed some help from Library Systems 1 instructions could use additional refinement (i.e., use of capital vrs. lower case letters-Cornell's system appears to be case sensitive 1 no response 7 3c. If no, why are you not retrieving the directories? not necessary 45 lack of time 5 didn't know they were there 6 kept paper copy at time I subscr. 17 do not know how to 7 resource problem (equip. shortage) 1 just began subscription 1 "Who's New on ACQNET" keeps it current 1 instructions not clear 1 no response 11 4. For users of the ACQNET directories, which file(s) do you use? ACQNET.DIR1 (subscribers arranged in last-name order)? 46 yes 6 no 65 no response ACQNET.DIR2 (subscribers arranged by e-mail address)? 5 yes 35 no 77 no response ACQNET.DIR3 (geographical listing of subscribers)? 27 yes 17 no 73 no response 5. If you use the directories, how do you use them, and how often? never use 2 use everyday 2 twice a year 1 weekly 1 every 2-3 months 3 once a month 3 several times a month 1 at the time I subscribed 1 once every 3-4 months 1 not very often 4 Use them to learn e-mail addresses of colleagues: 42 Use the geographical listing: 2 no response: 62 6. Whether you use the directories or not, how could they be improved? If not a user, would you use them then? will never use 10 might use someday 3 do not know 4 send them automatically 2 fine as they are 15 include another directory which alphabetizes by institution 3 send instructions more often on how to use them 4 include more information: offer option to purchase print version 2 supported formats 1 directories are too large 1 on-line system library uses 4 delete some of the blank lines 1 area of responsibilities 1 not have to retrieve them, but allow capability to menu into them & search on-site 1 are they kept up to date, i.e. names deleted, revised, when people move? 1 no response 64 7a. Have you ever used the ACQNET index? at the time I subscribed 21 occasionally since 26 often 2 never 66 no response 4 7b. do you keep a current copy of the index? yes 9 no 100 no response 8 7c. How easy to use is the index? How could it be improved? less frequent indexing 1 index more specific topics 2 written instructions do not match what is found on screen 1 publish instructions on how to access index occasionally 2 formatting problem 1 have never used 5 quite easy, no improvement needed 16 no response 89 8a. Have you ever used any of the back files (the files with the extension of .POS)? at the time I subscribed 16 occasionally since 26 often 0 never 72 no response 3 8b. How could they be improved? fine as they are 5 develop a server mechanism so that do not have to FTP into Cornell 1 no response 111 9a. Have you ever FTPd a back issue of ACQNET? yes 15 no 98 no response 4 9b. if yes, why? to find information on a topic discussed in a past issue 11 to see what issues had been discussed prior to subscribing 1 to catch up on missed issue 1 when I erased original transmission in error 2 9c. if no, are you expecting you might someday, or are the files useless to you? no, will never use 15 maybe someday 55 useless 3 no, have archives saved on diskette 5 no, print those that I want to retain 11 no, lack of time 2 no response 7 10a. Please rank these files in terms of their usefulness to you: extremely somewhat not no useful useful useful response a. subscriber directory 37 40 18 22 (name sort) b. subscriber directory 5 23 54 35 (e-mail sort) c. subscriber directory 13 46 27 31 (geographical) d. index 30 44 15 28 e. subject backgr. files 24 43 18 32 f. ACQNET individual 21 45 23 28 back issues 11. Do you make greater use of one file, or type of file, over the others? If yes, specify which file you use more and why. use subscriber directory by name most 16 do not use files 21 use index most 3 use ACQNET back issues most 1 use geographic directory most 1 use subject background files most 7 no response 68 12. Regardless of whether you use them or not, should the directories and the back files be maintained? Please state why. yes 94 no 10 no response 13 Reasons: building up a database to be able to retrieve info. shared in the past indispensable resource-could not find this info. elsewhere primary info. valuable to those doing research would hate to lose the wealth of information info. on past discussions prevents "reinventing the wheel" need to archive this information for historical purposes ******* END OF FILE ****** ACQNET, Vol. 3, No. 17 ****** END OF FILE *******