Please note: this is a WWW version of the print questionnaire mailed to 300 national MLA members and 80 non-members during the spring and summer of 1997. The formatting did not transfer exactly from the print version to the HTML version, but the text is the same.

This survey is designed to collect information on the education, professional background, including MLA participation, and aspects of the current employment situations of selected MLA members and potential members. Our hope is that this survey, sent to 350 individuals, will give us a much better picture of ourselves, and that, in turn, will help the MLA better articulate and meet the needs, hopes, and aspirations of its members.

Please fill out the questionnaire as completely as possible and place it in the accompanying envelope by June 30, 1997. Do not put your name or any other identifying information on the questionnaire. All information will remain completely confidential; there will be no way to trace any survey form or particular responses back to individuals. Your response is vital since we are sending this survey only to a representative sample of MLA members and potential members.

If you have any comments or questions on this survey, please write them on the questionnaire or contact any of the MLA Working Group on Music Library Personnel Characteristics: David Lesniaski, chair; Timothy Cherubini, Charles Coldwell, Pat Fisken, Richard Griscom, Michelle Koth, Renee McBride, Cindy Richardson.

1 Please check here______ if you do not have a college degree, and continue with question 2. If you have a college degree, please complete the following tables, checking all items which apply to you:

	DEGREES OR STUDY IN MUSIC	major(s) (select from list below):	year awarded :
__	BA (or equivalent)
__	BM (or equivalent)
__	MA
__	MM
__	PhD/DMA/EdD
__	diploma
__	undergraduate coursework in music but not major
__	graduate coursework in music; no degree
__	other (please specify):

A:	musicology / music history	B:	music education	C:	music therapy
D:	theory / composition	E:	music administration	F:	music technology
G:	vocal performance	H:	instrumental performance	I:	conducting
J:	other (please specify above):

	DEGREES IN LIBRARY SCIENCE	year awarded :
__	BA (or equivalent)
__	MLS (not ALA accredited or certified)
__	MLS (ALA accredited or certified)
__	MLS with music librarianship specialization
__	PhD

	DEGREES IN FIELDS OTHER THAN MUSIC OR LIBRARY SCIENCE		year awarded:
__	BA/BS	major:
__	MA/MS	major:
__	PhD/EdD	major:
__	other (please specify)	major:

2 Are you actively pursuing a degree or certificate now? q yes q no

Degree/certification: Major or concentration:

3 How important are continuing education activities to your professional development or advancement?

unimportant

somewhat important

important

extremely important

4 Within your locale how often do you participate in

	more than 2 per year	1-2 per year	fewer than 1 per year	never or almost never
national workshops or seminars
regional workshops or seminars
classes offered by an academic institution

5 How often do you participate in any of the following outside your locale (i.e., requiring travel):

	more than 2 per year	1-2 per year	fewer than 1 per year	never or almost never
national workshops or seminars
regional workshops or seminars
classes offered by an academic institution

6 Please list any languages other than English in which you have some proficiency and indicate () the degree of proficiency on the following scale (include programming languages and scale appropriately):

language	basic or bibliographic knowledge	some reading or speaking ability	moderate reading or speaking ability	fluency or near fluency

7 Please check any of the following you have done during your career. These contributions need not be limited to music or librarianship; they can be in any field. Include any activity here you would feel comfortable placing on a professional resume or vita.

__ published reviews (of books, scores, recordings, software, etc.)

__ published articles or book chapters

__ published books (author or co­author)

__ edited books, journals, or newsletters

__ moderated an electronic list or discussion group

__ published compositions

__ appeared on recording, video, or radio/television broadcast (e.g., as featured performer or composer)

__ organized sessions or workshops (through national or regional organizations or agencies)

__ taught or led sessions or workshops (through national or regional organizations or agencies)

__ presented papers at national or regional conventions

__ gave recitals (as soloist, principal performer, or featured composer)

__ received grants, commissions, or other awards or honors for professional work

__ other (please describe):

8 Please check any of the activities in the following list which you regularly do (or once regularly did):

__ Solo singing __ Composing or arranging

__ Choral singing __ Teaching (private)

__ Solo instrument performing (specify): ________________ __ Sound recording collecting

__ Ensemble playing __ Book/score collecting

__ Conducting, directing, or coaching

__ Other music activities that are significant to you (please describe):

9 Please select those categories below which best describe your current employment (or your primary job if you have more than one):

If you are employed in a library, please check all that apply from letters A through G. If you are not employed in a library, please check all that apply from letters H through Q.

A	___	Academic or conservatory library (check all of 1-6 below which apply)
		1	___	exclusively or primarily undergraduate institution
		2	___	some graduate work (limited masters level programs in music)
		3	___	substantial graduate component (large variety of masters and doctoral programs in music)
		4	___	private institution
		5	___	state-supported institution
		6	___	conservatory, school of music, or conservatory within a larger institution
		If you selected any of 1-6 above, please give:
		total student enrollment at your institution:
		total number of music majors (both undergraduate and graduate):
B	___	Public Library
		Population of primary service area (excluding reciprocal agreements): ___________
C	___	Secondary or other school library
D	___	Orchestra library
E	___	Archive or special collection
F	___	Governmental library (Federal, State, Armed Services)
G	___	Other library: ___________________________________
		If you selected any of A-G above, please continue with question 10.
H	___	Music or book publishing
I	___	Sound recording industry or distribution
J	___	Educator (including library school faculty and faculty in disciplines other than music)
K	___	Performing musician
L	___	Bibliographic utility or other commercial library service
		If you selected any of H-L above, please continue with question 11.
M	___	Student
N	___	Retired
O	___	Unemployed (job seeking)
P	___	Unemployed (not job seeking)
Q	___	Other: ___________________________________
		If you selected any of M-Q above, please continue with question 22.

10 Are your current position's responsibilities [check one]:

__ primarily related to music __ split between music and non­music subjects

__ primarily unrelated to music (if you selected this option, please skip to question 12)

11 If your current responsibilities are primarily or partly related to music, do you work in

__ an integrated collection with no separate service point for music

__ an separate music, media, or performing arts collection housed within a larger collection

__ a physically separate branch music library

__ other (please specify):

Which of the following best describes the library containing the music collection:

__ a fine/performing arts library (several subjects including music)

__ a music library (music with perhaps 1-2 other subjects, but the collection emphasis is music)

__ a media or sound recording collection

__ other

12 How many total FTE staff (including librarians and paraprofessionals but excluding student, internship, or volunteer positions) work in you library or system? _____

How many FTE librarians work in your library or system? _____

How many total FTE staff (using the above definition) work in your department, unit, or branch? _____

How many FTE librarians work in your department, unit, or branch? _____

13 How many total years have you worked as a librarian (post MLS): _____

How many years did you work as a library clerk or paraprofessional prior to being awarded your MLS (exclusive of student positions or work required in your MLS program): _____

Did you work as a library clerk or paraprofessional after earning your MLS? __yes __ no

If YES, for how long? _____

14 From the list below, please indicate the percentage of your time you spend on the following activities.

Activity	% time
administration/management or unit or library
supervision (including volunteers or students)
reference
BI or user education
circulation
ILL/document delivery
cataloging/ database maintenance
systems/computer or technical support
media technical support
acquisitions
collection development
liaison with other areas or departments
supervision (including volunteers or students)
research
conservation/preservation
classroom teaching (other than BI or library instruction)
marketing/sales/fundraising
musical performance
other

15 How many years have you worked in your current position: _______

How many years have you worked at your current institution (organization or firm): ________

If you are a librarian, how many total years have you worked as a librarian (post MLS): _________

If you are a librarian, how many years did you work as a library clerk or paraprofessional prior to being awarded your MLS (exclusive of student positions or work required in your MLS program):_______

16 What percentage FTE is your current position? (use your institution's definition of FTE):_____

How many hours per week are officially assigned to your position? ______

How many hours per week on the average do you actually work? (include paid or unpaid overtime) : _____

What is your salary? Please list whichever is most convenient:

Annual salary: Monthly salary: Hourly salary:

17 What benefits does your current position provide (even if you choose not to use them):

	benefit
____	individual health insurance
____	family health insurance
____	dental insurance
____	optical insurance
____	retirement
____	life insurance
____	disability insurance
____	free or discounted tuition (for self or family)
____	full convention/meeting reimbursement
____	partial convention/meeting reimbursement
____	unpaid leave of absence (personal or professional)
____	paid sabbatical or research leave
____	other. Please describe:

18 What means of job security does your position offer (even if you do not yet have this status):

__tenure __"permanent" or "continuing" status __none

__other (please specify):

19 Which of the following best describes your present contract or employment status:

__ tenured __ tenure-track, untenured __ permanent or continuing status (other than tenure)

__ multi-year renewable contract __ single-year renewable contract

__ non-renewable contract (e.g. a temporary position, however long, with a termination date)

__ other (please specify):

20 Is your position represented by a union or bargaining unit? q yes q no

21 If you are at an academic institution (if not, please continue with question 21):

Do you have faculty status? q yes q no

Regardless of whether or not you have faculty status, do you feel you have equality with the teaching faculty at your institution? q yes q no

22 Please use the scale below to indicate your satisfaction with:

		very dissatisfied			very satisfied
	your profession	1	2	3	4
	your professional education	1	2	3	4
	your on-the-job training	1	2	3	4
	your geographic location	1	2	3	4
	your current institution/place of employment	1	2	3	4
	your current job	1	2	3	4
	your salary	1	2	3	4
	your physical environment in your primary work environment	1	2	3	4
	your professional status within the institution	1	2	3	4
	your autonomy in carrying out your job responsibilities	1	2	3	4
	your support from your library (or firm's) administration	1	2	3	4
	your access to continuing education activities	1	2	3	4

23	Have you ever (please check):		yes	no
		experienced formal or informal mentoring that has significantly enhanced or accelerated the progress of your career?
		served as a mentor for a colleague?
		interrupted your pursuit of an educational degree for child bearing/rearing?
		resigned a professional position for child bearing/rearing?
		resigned a position to relocate with your spouse or family?
		taken a leave of absence of 6 months or longer from a professional position for child bearing/raising or for the care of other family members?

24 In what year were you born? ____

25 Your gender: Female __ Male __

26 Your race or ethnic origin (check all that apply): African/African American__ Asian/Asian American__ Chicano(a)__ European/Anglo American__ Hispanic/Hispanic American__ Native American__

Pacific Islander__ Other __

27 Your sexual orientation: bisexual __ heterosexual __ lesbian/gay __

28 Country ____________ and State or Province ____________ in which you work.

29 From the list below, please select the best description of where you work:

___in a rural area more than an hour's commute from a metropolitan area of at least 100,000 people

___ in a rural area within an hour's commute of a metropolitan area of at least 100,000 people

in a suburb within a metropolitan area of population

___ Less than 100,000 ___ 250,000 to 499,000 ___ 1 million or more

___ 100,000 to 249,000 ___ 500,000 to 999,000

in a city within a metropolitan area of population

___ Less than 100,000 ___ 250,000 to 499,000 ___ 1 million or more

___ 100,000 to 249,000 ___ 500,000 to 999,000

30 Are you currently a member of the national MLA organization? q yes q no (if you answered no, please skip to question 32).

If you currently are an MLA member,

For how many years have you been an MLA member? _____________

Has this membership been ___continuous or ___interrupted?

31 If you currently are a national MLA member, please rate the importance of the following factors in your decision to become or remain an MLA member:

		unimportant			very important
a.	Notes	1	2	3	4
b.	MLA Newsletter	1	2	3	4
c.	placement service	1	2	3	4
d.	other professional publications	1	2	3	4
e.	contact with other members of the profession	1	2	3	4
f.	important for institutional promotion	1	2	3	4
g.	other (please describe): (please skip to question 34)	1	2	3	4

32 If you currently are not a national MLA member, have you ever been a member? q yes q no

33 If you currently are not a national MLA member, or at any time had a lapse in membership, please indicate the importance of the following factors regarding your decision:

		unimportant			very important
a.	MLA not relevant to my professional goals or interests	1	2	3	4
b.	change in employment position or situation	1	2	3	4
c.	cost of membership	1	2	3	4
d.	member of other relevant national organization (e. g. AMS, Sonneck Society, SEM)	1	2	3	4
e.	national organization duplicates chapter offerings	1	2	3	4
f.	institution holds membership	1	2	3	4
g.	other (please describe):	1	2	3	4

34 Please place a check mark beside all the national MLA meetings listed below that you attended:

q	1997 New Orleans	q	1993 San Francisco	q	1989 Cleveland
q	1996 Seattle	q	1992 Baltimore	q	1988 Minneapolis
q	1995 Atlanta	q	1991 Indianapolis	q	1987 Eugene
q	1994 Kansas City	q	1990 Tucson

35 If you attended at least one of the above meetings, please indicate the importance of the following factors regarding your decision:

		unimportant			very important
	continuing education workshops	1	2	3	4
	specific sessions, programs, or speakers	1	2	3	4
	keeping current with developments in the field	1	2	3	4
	contact with other members of the profession	1	2	3	4
	viewing exhibits	1	2	3	4
	important for institutional promotion	1	2	3	4
	social aspects	1	2	3	4
	opportunity to travel	1	2	3	4
	other (please describe):	1	2	3	4

36 For the meetings listed above you did not attend, please indicate the importance of the following factors regarding your decision:

		unimportant			very important
	not a member of MLA at the time	1	2	3	4
	insufficient institutional financial support	1	2	3	4
	time off from work not possible	1	2	3	4
	personal or family obligations	1	2	3	4
	program(s) not of interest	1	2	3	4
	not relevant to my work or professional goals at the time	1	2	3	4
	other (please describe): (if you have never attended a national meeting, skip to question 40)	1	2	3	4

37 Do you normally receive financial support (yes____ no____ ) or release time (yes___ no___) from your employer in order to attend national MLA meetings?

38 If you can, please indicate an average percentage of your expenses which are covered by your institution or an average dollar amount provided by your institution for your attendance at national meetings:

about ______% OR about $__________

39 If you were or are a national MLA member have you ever (please check all that apply) :

__	served as a board member
__	served as a special officer (e.g. publicity, placement)
__	chaired a committee, working group, or task force, or coordinated a roundtable
__	been appointed to a committee, working group, or task force
__	presented a paper at a plenary session
__	served as a panel member at a plenary session
__	presented a paper at a committee/subcommittee/roundtable meeting
__	served as a panel member at a committee/subcommittee/roundtable meeting
__	served as a panel member at an Ask MLA session

40 Are you currently an MLA chapter member: q yes q no (if you answered no, please skip to question 42)

41 If yes, please indicate the importance of the following factors regarding your decision:

		unimportant			very important
a.	chapter publications	1	2	3	4
b.	chapter activities or meetings	1	2	3	4
c.	contact with other members of the profession	1	2	3	4
d.	important for institutional promotion	1	2	3	4
e.	other (please describe): (please skip to question 44)	1	2	3	4

42 If no, please indicate the importance of the following factors regarding your decision:

		unimportant			very important
a.	chapter not relevant to my professional goals or interests	1	2	3	4
b.	change in employment position or situation	1	2	3	4
c.	cost of membership	1	2	3	4
d.	duplicates activities of national organization	1	2	3	4
e.	institution holds membership	1	2	3	4
f.	other (please describe):	1	2	3	4

43 How often do you attend MLA chapter meetings?

q never or seldom	q sometimes
q often	q almost all or all the time

44 If you attended at least one chapter meeting in the past 10 years, please indicate the importance of the following items regarding your decision:

		unimportant			very important
	continuing education workshoips	1	2	3	4
	specific session, programs, or speakers	1	2	3	4
	keeping current with developments in the field	1	2	3	4
	important for institutional promotion	1	2	3	4
	social aspects	1	2	3	4
	opportunity to travel	1	2	3	4
	other (please describe):	1	2	3	4

45 For chapter meetings of the past 10 years that you did not attend, please indicate the importance of the following items regarding your decision:

		unimportant			very important
	not a member of the chapter at the time	1	2	3	4
	insufficient institutional financial support	1	2	3	4
	time off from work not possible	1	2	3	4
	personal or family obligations	1	2	3	4
	program(s) not of interest	1	2	3	4
	not relevant to my work or professional goals at the time	1	2	3	4
	other (please describe):	1	2	3	4

46 Please place a check mark () beside library, professional, or scholarly music groups other than MLA to which you currently pay membership dues:

__ __ __ __ __ __

national library or archival associations other than MLA (ALA, IAML, etc.) state or regional library associations utility or system user group (e. g. III, NOTIS, MOUG) scholarly music associations (e.g. AMS, SEM, Sonneck Society) performing or composers organization or association other professional or academic associations (e.g. AAUP)

47 Do you subscribe to MLA-L? q yes q no

48 If you answered yes, how important are the following reasons for subscribing to MLA-L?

		unim-portant			very im-portant
	get quick answers to questions I have	1	2	3	4
	help others with their questions	1	2	3	4
	contact with other members of the profession	1	2	3	4
	keep up with news or issues in the profession	1	2	3	4
	a pleasant diversion from everyday work	1	2	3	4
	other (please explain):	1	2	3	4

49 If you answered no, how important are the following reasons for not subscribing to MLA-L?

		unimportant			very important
	too little useful information	1	2	3	4
	no convenient access to email	1	2	3	4
	employer discourages use of email	1	2	3	4
	other (please explain):	1	2	3	4

50 Please circle which of these services you have convenient access to:

email at home

email at work

WWW at home

WWW at work

51 Do you subscribe to electronic lists and discussion groups other than MLA-L? q yes q no

Thank you for completing this questionnaire!