User Needs Assesment

Photo Diary Study

First email - second email - volunteer info

Hello,

Thank you for your recent participation on the MIT Libraries Services Survey! You indicated on the survey that you were willing to be contacted in order to assist the Libraries gather further information.

We have an opportunity for you to participate in a study designed to help us understand the information seeking tasks of graduate students in order to inform the evolution of the Libraries' systems and services.

If you volunteer, during any 7 days in January (ending January 22nd), we will ask you to take photos and notes of all information seeking tasks you perform related to your academic and research life, such as using Google, finding or reading articles, newsfeeds, etc. Afterward you would participate in a 1.5 hour interview at the end of January or early February to tell us about those tasks in some detail.

For your efforts, upon the completion of the interview, you will receive a $50 Amazon gift certificate.

We will be seeking a balance in participation among MIT's many departments and will select volunteers on that basis until all study slots are filled.

In order to participate you will need:
- a way to take digital photos for seven days in January
- to take notes for those days about your information seeking tasks related to your academic work
- to come to a 1.5 hour interview after that week with MIT Libraries' staff
- a signed consent form allowing the Libraries to use your comments and photos (without personal identifying info) in our publications and presentations

If you would like to volunteer, please RSVP to userneeds-rsvp@mit.edu by December 28th (by replying to this email). You will be notified of your selection by Jan 4th, along with further details about how to participate.

Thank you for considering this opportunity,

The MIT Libraries User Needs Assessment Group
Nicole Hennig
Millicent Gaskell
Tracy Gabridge

 

Second email

Dear MIT Libraries Photo/Diary Study volunteer:

Thank you for volunteering to help us with our upcoming study! We have selected your name from among the volunteers in order to have a balanced group of people representing different departments and groups at MIT.

Here is what we'll need from you:

1) Read the description of the study attached to this email.

2) Read the consent form and agree to its contents (signed copies will be exchanged during the interview).

3) If you agree to the contents of the consent form, reply to this message <"userneeds-rsvp@mit.edu"> by Friday, January 6th, to confirm that you will participate. If you are unable to participate, please let us know.

4) Record your information-seeking behavior for 7 consecutive days in January, with the last day on or before Jan. 22. (see specific
instructions attached)

5) Respond to an email from one of our staff who will make an appointment for an interview to be conducted with you sometime between Jan. 23 and Feb. 10. You will receive this email sometime in the next few days.

6) Participate in the interview and accept and enjoy your $50 Amazon gift certificate.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Send your questions to "userneeds-rsvp@mit.edu."

Thank you so much for volunteering! Your input is extremely valuable to us in improving the services offered by the MIT Libraries.

The MIT Libraries User Needs Assessment Group
Nicole Hennig
Millicent Gaskell
Tracy Gabridge

Volunteer info

Web site created on February 6, 2006 - Nicole Hennig