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RUNNING HEAD: PATRON SATISFACTION WITH EARLY LITERACY PROGRAMS 1

STUDYING PATRON SATISFACTION

WITH EARLY LITERACY PROGRAMMING

BY

MARY PARMELEE

A Special Project Proposal Submitted to the School of Graduate Studiesin Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of Master of Science

Southern Connecticut State UniversityNew Haven, Connecticut

April 2013

PATRON SATISFACTION WITH EARLY LITERACY PROGRAMS 2

Abstract

Early literacy programming is a critical component of the services offered by public libraries. As

such, it is incumbent upon said libraries to serve as many children as effectively as possible. A

gap in the information and library science literature exists for establishing and evaluating best

practices with respect to early literacy programming offered by public libraries.

This study seeks to provide a framework for developing best practices for early literacy

programs offered by public libraries serving affluent, well-educated service communities. To do

so, a self-completion questionnaire will be distributed to patrons of the Westport Library both

online and in-person.

Nine hypotheses regarding patron satisfaction will be tested with the dependent variable

of patron satisfaction determined from six questions. One open-ended question will be asked to

allow patrons to provide additional information. An analysis of the data should provide a

framework for establishing best practices which can be used by similar public libraries.


Introduction and Overview

Public libraries have long been known as the benchmark for story times for pre-school

children. In fact, those story times are viewed by the public as one of the most important services

a public library can offer. As a result of national reading initiatives, library services for children

from birth to age 3 have continued to evolve and increase. Moreover, brain research continues to

confirm that early literacy activities can greatly enhance literacy and school readiness. As such,

it is incumbent upon public libraries to not only offer early literacy programs, but to serve as

many young children as possible.

The Children's Department of the Westport Library (the "Department") keeps attendance

statistics for its early literacy programs. These statistics reflect numbers only. As noted by

Fasick (2008), attendance statistics alone cannot provide information on impact. To date, there

has been no evaluation, beyond observation and anecdotal evidence, of patron satisfaction, of the

number of children who attend multiple programs, the effectiveness of the programs or whether

there is a need for additional programming or changes in Department policies regarding

attendance. In the past, program offerings have been changed based on staff opinion with no

input from patrons.

All of the early literacy programs offered by the Department require an accompanying

adult. Improving adult satisfaction with the offered programs could increase attendance (Walter,

1992). A survey of adult customer satisfaction can provide the library staff with the information

needed to increase the percentage of the community served.

The purpose of this study is to conduct research on the many aspects of early literacy

programs offered by public libraries. While not a case study, this study will focus on the

Westport Library as the selected site for examination. The study will examine scheduling,


attendance policies, the scope of the service population and program content as well as a gap

analysis of the number and type of programs offered with the number and type of programs

desired. The study will explore the extent to which program age delineations have been followed

or ignored by patrons. The results of this survey will be used to enable the Department's staff to

develop a framework for program scheduling and to develop best practices with respect to those

programs. The survey will seek data on patron satisfaction to determine the relationship, if any,

between their experience with programs and their level of satisfaction.

For public libraries to keep and grow their patron base, they must meet or exceed patron

expectations. One expectation is that of quality programs. This present two issues: who

determines the expectations and how is quality defined. Matthews (2008) argues that the patron,

not the library, should define expectations, and that a customer satisfaction survey can be used to

delineate those expectations. Similarly, Miller (2004) contends that patron satisfaction, as a

measure of the library experience meeting patron needs, is a measure of quality. As such, patron

satisfaction surveys can be used not only to determine expectations but also to determine the

quality of library service meeting those expectations.

In this study, the dependent variable of patron satisfaction will be measured from their

reactions to story time content, whether they would recommend the program to a friend, whether

their child remembers and repeats the rhymes, finger plays and songs from story time, whether

attending the programs helps them to support their child's early literacy development, and

whether their child looks forward to attending story time. The independent variable of

experience will be measured from the age of the child, program attendance (both at the Westport

Library and other libraries), the number of story times currently attended and which they would

like to be permitted to attend, the time of day for program offerings, consistency in program


leadership, whether they obtain sufficient information from the programs to support their child's

early literacy development and whether they use other library services before or after attending

programs.

The Department currently offers a variety of programs for children ages birth through 5.

These programs are:

1. Baby Mother Goose - offered on Mondays at 9:30 am for non-walkers under the age

of 2. This program typically is led by the same librarian each week.

2. Toddler Mother Goose - offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 9:30 for

walkers under the age of 2. Patrons are asked to attend only one program per week, but staff

recently discovered that multiple patrons are attending two or more sessions each week. While

this increases the exposure to early literacy skills for some, it also means that the Department has

not had an accurate picture of the number of children served by this program. This program

typically is led by the same librarian for each day of the week , that is, the same librarian

conducts each Tuesday program, etc.

3. Rhythm & Rhyme - offered Mondays at 10:30 for children under the age of 5. This

program is led by one librarian 3 weeks out of 4, and by a different librarian 1 week out of 4.

Patrons are welcome to attend Rhythm & Rhyme as well as other library programs. Attendance

at this program typically averages 200 - 240 people.

4. Itty Bitty's - offered on Saturdays at 10 am throughout the school year for children

under the age of 5. This program is led by a rotation of 4 librarians over 4 weeks and, like

Rhythm & Rhyme, does not mean patrons are excluded from other library programs.

5. Good Times with Nursery Rhymes - offered on Wednesdays at 11 am for 2-year-olds.

This program is led by the same librarian each week.


6. StoryBook Art - offered on Tuesdays at 11 am for 2 and 3-year-olds, although

younger children who want to attend are permitted. This program is led by the same librarian

each week.

Host Agency

The Westport Library is located in Westport, Connecticut and will be the host agency for

this research study. Since 1886, the Westport Library has been devoted to enriching the lives in

its community and currently serves a population of 26,391. (U.S. Census Bureau) Of the total

population, 1671 (6%) is age 4 and younger, with an additional 3896 (19%) ages 5 - 17. The

Children's Department provides materials and services for birth through grade eight. (Westport

Library Policy). The service community of the Westport Library is affluent and well-educated.

(CT Economic Resource Center, 2011) For example, on average, over 98% of the kindergarten

students previously attended pre-school or nursery school, compared to 80.5% for the state. (CT

State Dept. of Education, Strategic School Profiles, 2009-2010) This demonstrates the

importance of early education activities to its residents.

Significance and Relevance

It is widely acknowledged that patrons expect children's services as a basic part of the

services offered by a public library, with 74% of respondents recently specifying programs for

children and teens as important or very important for a library to offer. (Pew, 2013) In fact, a

1995 study by the U.S. Department of Education found that 86% of public libraries offered

programs for preschool and kindergarten children. Yet, eleven years after publication of Output

Measures for Public Library Service to Children, Walter (2003) identified four "significant

unanswered questions" (p. 571) regarding children's services. She noted that a public library


typically averages 50 - 60% of its users from patrons under the age of 18, yet "a surprising

amount of this activity remains unexamined by the research community." (Walter, 2003, p. 572)

While patrons will be asked about the impact of the programs on their child's early

literacy development, true program effectiveness will not be included in this study. To do so

would require a longitudinal study of children which is beyond the scope of this project.

Similarly, data will not be included on the differing experience levels or training of the staff.

Because we do not know how choices are made about how and whether to use library

services for preschoolers, we do not know what constitutes best practices for these services. This

project will help to determine what practices would best serve the patrons of an affluent

suburban town. These practices can be generalized to libraries with a similar service community.

Additionally, this project should provide a framework by which libraries with a different type of

service community can examine their own practices and policies.

Hypotheses to be tested by this study are:

1. The level of satisfaction will be highest among those patrons who attend more than

one program.

2. The level of satisfaction will be highest among those patrons who do not follow the

Department's attendance policies.

3. The level of satisfaction will be highest among those patrons who attend programs at

other libraries.

4. The level of satisfaction will be highest among those patrons who do not have a gap

between the number of programs they attend and the number of programs they would like to

attend.


5. The level of satisfaction will be highest among those patrons who chose early morning

as their optimum time for attending programs, as this is the only time the Department currently

offers early literacy programs.

6. There will be a positive correlation between the programs attended and the responses

concerning consistency of program leadership.

7. The level of satisfaction will be highest among those patrons who would like more

information about encouraging their child's early literacy development.

8. The level of satisfaction will not vary regardless of how the patron learned about story

time.

9. The level of satisfaction will be highest among those patrons who use other library

services before or after they attend story time.

Literature Review

Children's Services

The Public Library Development Program of the Public Library Association identified

eight roles for public libraries. Of these, only one related only to children, the role identified as

"Preschoolers' Door to Learning". In order for a library to succeed in this role, the staff must be

knowledgeable about early childhood development and early literacy. (Walter, 1992)

One of the four research gaps identified by Walter is the effectiveness of public library

service for children. Indeed, library services to preschoolers and their parents and caregivers is

identified as an area with little to no data, despite the fact that public libraries are offering more

services for preschoolers as a result of research in cognitive development. (Walter, 2003)


Early Literacy

Early literacy, also known as emergent literacy or reading readiness, is a term of art that

has been used since the 1970s. In 1998, the International Reading Association and the National

Association for the Education of Young Children adopted a joint position statement. Included in

that statement is the recognition that birth through age 8 are the most important years for literacy

development. Early literacy encompasses those skills that are seen as pre-reading skills,

including print awareness, and goes far beyond merely reading a book to a child. (Brito, 2001)

The impact of early literacy activities on brain development has changed what previously was

viewed as an undervalued specialty. (Whitehead, 1997)

The increased emphasis on early literacy skills has led to the vision of the public library

as a part of our educational system, albeit a place of informal learning. (Ghoting 2006; Neuman

& Celano, 2010) "Recognizing that the need to encourage pre-literacy skills exists for all

children regardless of parental education or income, the library has taken up the challenge of

kick-starting the educational preparation of the next generation of U.S. citizens." (Neuman &

Celano, 2010, p. 31) Indeed, story times in libraries "set the standard for a quality early literacy

program . . ." (Nelson & Braafladt, 2012)

This researcher has chosen to use only the term early literacy to encompass reading

readiness and emergent literacy. This is because some (Ghoting, 2006) believe that use of the

term "emergent literacy" implies that the skills emerge on their own and ignores the impact

teaching those skills can have on literacy. As noted by Nueman & Celano (2010), "[i]t is the

contrast between assisted and unassisted performance that differentiates learning from

development." (p. 8)


Early literacy skills include both constrained and unconstrained skills: language

readiness (oral language skills including vocabulary development and phonological awareness),

background knowledge and print conventions (letter knowledge and both print and book

awareness). (Ghoting, 2006; Neuman & Celano, 2010) Neuman & Celano (2010), in their

evaluation of Every Child Ready to Read, describe the many state and individual library

programs which focus on development of these skills and the "resulting effects on literacy

improvement." (p. 7)

The most well-known early literacy initiative is a joint effort of the Public Library

Association and Association for Library Service to Children divisions of the American Library

Association called Every Child Ready to Read ("ECRR"). This program fostered a two-pronged

approach to early literacy programming in libraries and shifted the emphasis from the child to the

caregiver. One prong was to continue with traditional programs for children, but to include

within those programs information (sometimes referred to as asides) on early literacy practices.

The second prong was to hold parent workshops in which parents would be given more formal

instruction in early literacy practices.

Assessment of Early Literacy Programs

In 2010 a comprehensive assessment of ECRR was conducted of users of ECRR

(including children's librarians, state librarians and library directors), graduate library programs

and non-users of ECRR. Data was collected by means of survey methodology, including a self-

directed questionnaire, and followed by focus groups for more information on key questions.

Data was collected on training, materials, ease of implementation, the impact of ECRR on the

library and it's service community, and the development and utilization of partnerships with


other community organizations. This assessment had numerous recommendations and led,

eventually to the revised program known as Every Child Ready to Read 2 ("ECRR2").

With the adoption of ECRR2, library early literacy programs moved away from the six

generally-accepted early literacy skills (print motivation, print awareness, letter knowledge,

vocabulary, narrative skills and phonological awareness). ECRR2 emphasizes instead the more-

welcoming five easy practices in which the six skills are embedded: reading (print motivation,

print awareness), singing (phonological awareness), writing (letter knowledge), playing

(narrative skills) and talking (vocabulary).

The Public Library Association conference in 2012 included a presentation by the

Brooklyn Public Library on developing grant-worthy early literacy programs. This presentation

included excellent questionnaires to use for measuring both output (the numbers) and outcomes

(the effect of the program on participants' lives), as well as measures for the effectiveness of the

programming. (Payne, 2012) It did not seek any patron input regarding changes to schedules.

In fact, the programs of the Brooklyn Library are aimed at a lower-income population than that

of Westport, and they actively seek participation in a minimum of 3 programs per week to

increase their effectiveness. Members of the service community of Westport have a variety of

alternatives to library programming, and, as such, the Department needs to be more sensitive to

both their competition and patron schedules.

Due to the emphasis on funding, the few evaluations of library early literacy programs

focus on outcomes - the changes these programs have made to the life of a patron. Outcomes

research differs from patron satisfaction in that the focus of outcomes research is on the user.

With patron satisfaction surveys, the questions are oriented toward the library. (Rubin, 2006)


Patron Input

As seen above, evaluations of early literacy programs that seek patron input do so to

evaluate the effectiveness of the program. Cullen, while evaluating user satisfaction surveys

used in academic libraries, noted "retaining and growing their customer base and focusing more

energy on meeting their customers' expectations is the only way for academic libraries to survive

in this volatile competitive environment." (Cullen, 2001, p. 663) While Cullen was speaking of

academic libraries, the competition among public libraries is as great, if not greater, than

academic libraries. Additionally, governmental demands for accountability has placed public

libraries in the position of justifying continued public monetary support by documenting the

impact of the library on its community. (Durrance, Fisher & Hinton 2005; McKnight, 2006)

Thus, Cullen's thesis can equally be applied to public libraries.

Cullen then discusses the service quality model, which seeks to meet customer needs and

expectations, and addresses the gaps between customer expectations and management's

perceptions of those expectations and concludes "the reluctance of library managers to take their

users' views into account will damage their institutions' abilities to compete and to survive . . . "

(Cullen, 2001, p. 667) Cullen then analyzes data which demonstrates differences between library

management, library staff and patrons' perceptions of patrons' needs and desires and concludes

that library managers should have more confidence in the ability of patrons to determine their

own needs.

Forrest & Williamson addressed the need for patron input in evaluating services of

research libraries, delineating the difference between measurements of library activity by inputs,

outputs, and outcomes. Included within outcomes was an analysis of a library's effectiveness "by

measuring results and effects such as user satisfaction." (Forrest & Williamson, p. 13) They


went on to discuss efforts of the Association of Research Libraries ("ARL") to persuade member

libraries to begin using outcome measurements. Of particular interest is the clear discussion of

LibQUAL as a survey instrument. LibQual is a suite of services offered by ARL that libraries

use to solicit, track, understand, and act upon users' opinions of service quality. The explanation

of LibQUAL's value in measuring outcomes was much more understandable to a novice

researcher than a similar discussion of SERVQUAL by Cullen. In particular, the discussion of

the gap analysis method used by LibQUAL to evaluate patron satisfaction was used by this

researcher to formulate questions relating to the difference between perceived and desired

services.

Perkins and Yuan compared web-based and paper patron satisfaction surveys in the

context of an academic library. (Perkins & Yuan, 2001) They concluded that additional

research was needed to determine if the minor, yet statistically significant, differences in

responses from web and paper surveys was attributable to their large sample of respondents.

Perkins continued the comparison of these two delivery methods and ranked the five most

important strengths and weaknesses of each delivery method, concluding that there is a place in

research for both methods to continue. (Perkins, 2004)

Miller provided the most complete analysis of the need and uses of patron surveys for a

public library, with suggestions ranging from using a smiley face flick and tick survey to

complex methodologies. Miller addressed the issue of survey design, noting that "user

satisfaction is a complex concept. . . . If satisfaction is a measure of how well the experience of

the library service equates to the client's needs then satisfaction can be a measure of quality."

(Miller, 2004, p.125 -126) Miller also included a discussion of bias, with examples of wording

of questions that are more, and less, biased as well as examples of instructions to respondents


and the advantages and disadvantages of three different methods of survey methodology:

personal interviews, telephone interviews and self-completion questionnaires.

Matthews continued the analysis of user satisfaction surveys in public libraries, noting

that the true issue to be examined is whether a patron will be a repeat customer, not what the

patron has to say about their satisfaction. Matthews draws upon a study conducted by the

Conference Board of Canada to conclude that the most important question to ask a patron is how

likely they are to recommend the library to a friend or colleague. (Matthews, 2008)

Conclusion

As seen above, evaluations of early literacy programs that seek patron input do so to

evaluate the effectiveness of the program. As such, carefully-crafted questionnaires are used in

longitudinal studies of changes in participants' literacy skills. While there are numerous articles

addressing the user surveys for research and academic libraries, there are no such published

studies with respect to early literacy programs offered by public libraries. (personal

communication, S. Ghoting, February 22, 2013) This study will fill that void and will provide

data as well as a questionnaire that can be adapted by other libraries to seek their patrons'

opinions. Data also will be obtained with respect to patron loyalty and whether the assumptions

held by the Department's staff regarding scheduling issues are in fact true. Variables to be

examined come from Walter (1992) and from personal experience. The concept of outcomes,

i.e., the effectiveness of the programs, will be used as a measure of satisfaction. Studies of the

effectiveness of library early literacy programs show that these programs do work; this study will

represent a contribution to the literature of management of children's services by helping public

libraries make it work for more people. As noted by Neuman & Celano (2010), the recent focus

on early literacy skills makes it imperative for libraries to identify any gaps in service delivery.


Moreover, Fasick emphasized that merely keeping track of attendance at programs, as the

Department has done, does not provide sufficient information regarding the impact of that

attendance on library patrons, nor on what would be best for patrons and how to change program

offerings for patrons. (Fasick, 2008, p.22)

Methodology

The main goal of this study is to assess patron satisfaction with the early literacy

programming offered by the Department so as to enable the Department to effectively serve

more patrons. As such, it is critical to obtain the input of two different populations: those who

attend the programs, and those who do not, so as to survey the entirety of the population. The

descriptive survey method will be used for data collection through a self administered

questionnaire. To reach both segments of the population, different means of questionnaire

distribution must be undertaken.

The primary means of data collection will be from distribution of paper copies of the

questionnaire to patrons at the Westport Library. The questionnaire will be distributed both to

attendees of the early literacy programs and the all-ages programs currently offered later in the

day. Additionally, questionnaires will be available at the Department's reference desk. This

method of distribution will reach both parents and caregivers who attend early literacy programs

and all-ages programs. Those patrons who do not attend the programs but who do use the library

also will be able to complete a paper questionnaire. Questionnaires will be numbered

sequentially to enable the researcher to calculate a response rate. Additionally, the questionnaire

may be accessed though a link sent by email to patrons on the Westport Library email

correspondence list. Distribution of the questionnaire in this manner will reach patrons who


attend programs regularly, who no longer attend programs, and who never attended programs. It

also will reach parents of children whose caregivers bring the children to the programs.

Using these methods of obtaining data will help to eliminate the bias that would come

from distributing the questionnaire only to early literacy program attendees. It also should

increase the rate of response for a more accurate measurement of satisfaction. (Perkins, 2004)

Some patrons may complete the survey more than once. While they will be encouraged to

respond only once, there is no practical way to eliminate this possibility and still maintain

anonymity. Therefore, patrons who feel strongly about their responses who respond more than

once will introduce a level of bias to the data. The likelihood of this type of bias has to be

weighed against the importance of anonymity to the survey participants as anonymity will enable

respondents to answer with complete honesty. Even with the dual methods of distribution, it is

important to recognize that a certain amount of bias in the response rate is unavoidable, as those

patrons who are not satisfied are less likely to read an email from the library, let alone take the

time to complete the survey. (Matthews, 2008, p. 54)

A large response rate is important because the data must be representative of this age

group to be useful going forward, as the actual children will be "aging out" of the surveyed

programs. A minimum of 100 responses would meet the statistical recommendation for an

acceptable sample size, i.e., for the sample to be considered representative of the whole.

(Walter, 1992). In addressing the issue of sample size, Miller recommended a sample of at least

200, with populations under this size being surveyed in their entirely. Miller also noted the

importance of the sample size for each question, not just the entire survey. (Miller, 2004)

The survey questions were based mainly upon Walter (1992) and Payne (2012), with

additional questions coming from the literature review and personal practice. The questionnaire


will be comprised of sixteen multiple choice, single word and yes/no questions plus one open-

ended question at the end of the survey (see Appendix E). The questions are designed to

"measure variables related to the objectives and nothing more or less." (Miller, 2004)

The first question will ask the age of the youngest child brought to a library story time.

This question is not only for demographic purposes, but, in combination with question 3, will

enable us to determine if patrons are following the age delineations of the programs.

Observation and anecdotal evidence suggest that a certain percentage of patrons deliberately

stagger their attendance so as to maximize the number of programs they attend. This raises two

issues: What percentage of the service population is being served, and are strict age delineations

necessary? Question 2 will ask the town of residence of the child, again for demographic

purposes, but also to see if the Department is bringing people in from beyond its service area.

Question 3 asks which story times the child usually attends. This will provide data on age

delineations and whether patrons follow current Department policies on program attendance for

Toddler Mother Goose. An analysis of the response to questions 3 and 4 will address the gap if

any, between perceived services and desired services by asking patrons the number of programs

they would attend if they were permitted to do so, similar to a LibQUAL survey . No question

will be asked regarding the minimum level of programs they would find acceptable for two

reasons: (1) The library does not wish to create concern on the part of patrons that there would

be a reduction in offered programs as a result of their participation in the survey, and (2)

providing the minimum is not a goal nor an accepted practice of the staff of the Westport

Library. Question 5 will ask about their preferred times for story time programs. This will

provide data to determine staffing decisions as well as sufficiency of offered programs. Question

6 asks if they go to story times at other libraries. This will help the staff of the Department to


determine the percentage of children for whom they are the sole provider of early literacy

instruction. Question 7 asks if it is important to have the same librarian lead story time each

week. Data obtained from this question can address issues regarding staffing and program times.

Question 8, which asks about whether the patron would like more information about encouraging

their child's early literacy development, will help the Department not only to determine

programming needs, but also to address future staff professional development. Question 9 will

help to assess the effectiveness of current marketing information on the programs. Questions 10 -

15 are used to operationalize the concept of satisfaction. Question 16 asks whether the patron

uses other library services when attending story time, to help ascertain if library utilization is

increased by program offerings.

As noted by Miller, the primary objective of a user satisfaction survey is to determine

patrons' criteria. (Miller, 2004, p.126) As such, six separate questions are addressed to this issue:

Question 10 asks if the child remembers and repeats the rhymes and fingerplays from story time.

The positive response to this question should increase as the age of the child and the number of

programs attended increases. Question 11, 14, and 15 address the content of the story time.

Question 12 is the question deemed by Matthews as the most important indicator of patron

satisfaction: would they recommend the program to a friend. Finally, question 13 asks whether

the child looks forward to attending story time. These six questions are used also to address the

issue of validity of the questionnaire, to ensure internal consistency of responses for satisfaction.

Question 17 is an open-ended question which allows respondents to provide additional

comments relating to the questions or their experience with the Department's programs in

general. It is hoped that the specificity of the questions asked will trigger ideas on these issues

from patrons.


The online survey will be conducted through a form created using Google Docs. The

survey will be sent to Westport Library patrons who have requested to be on the correspondence

email list and will be anonymously administered to protect participants' privacy. A cover letter

will be attached to the questionnaire explaining the reasons for the research and assuring

participants that their confidentiality will be protected and that all data gathered from this

research will be kept secure (see Appendix B).

Program attendees who accept a questionnaire also will be given a copy of the cover

letter (Appendix C). Additionally, the researcher will read a script (Appendix D), that states the

same points.

The researcher has worked with the administrators of the Westport Library in conjunction

with this survey to ensure that each question was written with potential research participants in

mind and pre-tested to check the appropriateness of the instrument's format, wording, and

content to fulfill the study's goal. In order to conduct the survey on the premises of the Westport

Library and through their correspondence email list, verbal permission was granted by the

Library Director for the researcher to continue with the process. A written letter of permission is

also included (see Appendix G).

Data Analysis

In order to determine customer satisfaction with the early literacy programs of the

Westport Library, this researcher will rely upon both the paper and the online survey to provide

calculable, clear data to present results. For the online survey, Google Docs will automatically

collect responses and generate spreadsheets, charts and graphs that connect with the survey. For

the paper survey, this researcher will use Excel to tabulate the responses and generate

spreadsheets, charts and graphs that connect with the survey. For the open-ended question, the


researcher will recognize themes and will code data within the answers to compare the meanings

of the responses. Each question will be examined three ways: online survey only, paper survey

only, and online and paper surveys combined. Satisfaction will be determined with programs as

a whole and with individual programs. In order to achieve a conclusion and to report the final

product of the study, descriptive statistics will be used to ascertain the occurrence of responses

and to preserve content analysis.

All questions with 5 possible responses will be coded on a 5-part Likert scale, with

Strongly Agree coded as 1, Agree as 2, No Opinion as 3, Disagree as 4, and Strongly Disagree as

5. While responses to each question on patron satisfaction (questions 10 - 15) will be examined

for internal consistency, they also will be totaled for an overall satisfaction score, with 6 being

the highest level of satisfaction and 30 being the lowest level of satisfaction. Similarly, question

5 also will be examined in two ways: a table will be completed which lists each respondent's

answers as well as a table in which responses will be coded as early morning (9:30 - 10:30), mid-

day (11 am - 12:30 pm), early afternoon (1 - 3), late afternoon (3:30 - 5), and evening (5 - 7:30).

This will enable the researcher to determine whether patrons have one preferred window of

opportunity for programs or if they would attend at different segments of the day.

The results produced by the researcher will eventually display real data about library

patrons which will supply useful information for the Department as well as other public libraries

interested in enhancing their early literacy programming.

Timeline

Emails will be sent the week of April 22, 2013. Similarly, hard copies of the

questionnaires will be distributed at programs the week of April 22nd and the week of April 29.


This timing is critical because over 80% of the programs will go on hiatus after May 6, and will

not resume until July.

Ethics Governing the Project

This investigation is dedicated to protecting the rights and welfare of human participants

involved in research that is conducted on the campus or in cooperation with other research

agencies, regardless of whether the project is funded externally, internally or receives no funding

support. This research subscribes to the basic ethical principles for the protection of human

subjects of research that underlie The Nuremberg Codes, The Helsinki Declaration, and The

Belmont Report, as presented in the Southern Connecticut State University Human Research

Participant Protection System, Policies, Procedures and Guidelines Manual.

Author's Qualifications

The researcher is a graduate student in the Department of Information and Library

Science of Southern Connecticut State University and has completed 24 credits toward the

Master in Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree. The researcher currently is enrolled

in ILS 580 Research in Information and Library Science, the Special Project Proposal course for

the MLIS program, under the direction of Dr. Chang Suk Kim, Professor and Graduate Faculty.

Additionally, the researcher holds a J.D. and LL.M (Taxation). The researcher successfully

completed the NIH Web-based training course "Protecting Human Research Participants" on

February 18, 2013 (see Appendix ). The Certification Number is 1123152 and the certificate

location is http://phrp.nihtraining.com/users/cert.php?c=1122152.

http://phrp.nihtraining.com/users/cert.php?c=1122152


PROJECT CONCLUSION

Overview

The data collection process will begin on April 22, 2013. The survey questionnaire will

begin to be distributed on that date both in paper and online format. Results will be collected

until May 3, 2013. Analysis of the research data will begin on May 6, 2013.


References

Connecticut Economic Resource Center. (2011, May). Westport, CT [CERC town profile 2011].

Retrieved February 12, 2013, from Town of Westport website: http://www.cerc.com/

TownProfiles/ Customer-Images/ westport.pdf

CT State Dept. of Education. 2009-2010 School Year. In Strategic School Profile Reports

[Connecticut Education Data and Research]. Retrieved from http://sdeportal.ct.gov/

Cedar/ WEB/ ResearchandReports/ SSPReports.aspx

Cullen, R. (2001). Perspectives on user satisfaction surveys. Library Trends,

49, 662-686.

Durrance, J. C., Fisher, K. E., & Hinton, M. B. (2005). How libraries and

librarians help: A guide to identifying user-centered outcomes. Chicago:

American Library Association.

Fasick, A. M., & Holt, L. E. (2008). Managing children's services in the public

library (3rd ed.). Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

Forrest, C., & Williamson, A. J. (2003). From inputs to outcomes: Measuring

library service effectiveness though user surveys. Georgia Library

Quarterly, 40(2), 12-18.


International Reading Association, & National Association for the Education of

Young Children. (2006). Learning to read and write: Developmentally

appropriate practices for young children. In G. Moss, T. J. Swim, D. J.

Cross, P. Sholl, & I. Laidroo (Eds.), Annual Editions: Early childhood and

elementary literacy (Vol. 05/06, pp. 3-16). Dubuque, IA: McGraw Hill.

Library services in the digital age. (2013, January 22). Retrieved February 13,

2013, from Pew Internet & American Life Project website:

http://libraries.pewinternet.org/

Matthews, J. R. (2008). Customer satisfaction: a new perspective. Public

Libraries, 47, 52-55.

Miller, L. (2004). User satisfaction surveys. Australasian public libraries and

information services, 17, 125-133.

Neuman, S. B., & Celano, D. (2010). An evaluation of Every Child Ready to Read:

A parent education initiative. Retrieved from

http://www.everychildreadytoread.org/project-history%09/

full-evaluation-report-2010

Park, S. J., & Capps, J. L. (2010). JELIS 2009 Satisfaction Survey. Journal of

Education for Library and Information Science, 51, 4-8.


Payne, R. (2012, March 19). It takes a village to raise a reader PLA 2012.

Retrieved March 26, 2013, from

http://ittakesavillagetoraiseareaderpla2012.pbworks.com/w/page/50564380/

It%20Takes%20a%20Village%20to%20Raise%20a%20Reader

Perkins, G. H. (2004). Will libraries' web-based survey methods replace existing

non-electronic survey methods? Information Technology and Libraries,

123-126.

Perkins, G. H., & Yuan, H. (2001). A comparison of Web-based and

paper-and-pencil library satisfaction survey results. College & Research

Libraries, 62, 369-377.

Policies of the Westport Public Library [PDF documents]. Retrieved from

http://www.westportlibrary.org/ about/ policiesRubin, R. J. (2006).

PLA Results Series: Demonstrating results: Using outcome

measurements in your library. Chicago, IL: American Library Association.

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Connecticut: an examination of 2010 census and 2005-2009 American community survey

data [PDF document]. Retrieved February 12, 2013, from Town of Westport website:

http://www.westportct.gov/ modules/ showdocument.aspx?documentid=1569

U.S. Census Bureau. (2011, March 10). GEO: Westport CDP, CT. In American factfinder (qt-pl)

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Walter, V.A. (1992). Output measures for public library service to children: A manual of

standardized procedures. Chicago, IL: Association for Library Service

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agenda. Library Trends, 51, 571-589.


Appendix A

IRB Approval Letter

Appendix B


Cover Letter for Online Survey

April, 2013Mary Parmelee501 Crescent StreetNew Haven, CT [email protected]

Dear Westport Library Patron:

I am a student at Southern Connecticut State University ("SCSU") and an employee of the Westport Library. I am completing a research project for a Master of Library and Information Science degree. My research project investigates "Patron Satisfaction with Early Literacy Programming of the Westport Library." I am asking for your participation in a survey I have developed and posted online. I have received approval from the Director of the Westport Library to conduct this research. The purpose of this survey is to determine the level of satisfaction of patrons with the library's early literacy programs for children age 3 and younger. The results of this survey will provide the Westport Library with the information needed to develop best practices regarding these programs.

Please note that your participation in this online survey is voluntary, refusal to participate will involve no penalty or loss of benefits to which you as a participant are otherwise entitled, and that you may discontinue your participation at any time without penalty or loss of benefits. If you have any question about this survey or research project, please contact Mary Parmelee at [email protected].

Questions about the research and participant's rights may also be directed to the SCSU Human Research Protection Program at 203-392-5243.

If you would like to participate, please use the link attached to your email newsletter. If you have already completed a paper survey distributed at a program, please do not respond to this email request. The survey consists of multiple-choice/fill-in-the-blank questions and one open response question. Please note that you do not have to respond to every question. The survey is submitted anonymously. No names or email addresses will be collected or published in the report presented to the Westport Library or the Special Project Final Report for SCSU. All data collected will be kept secure.

Please respond to the survey by May 3. Return of the survey indicates your consent to have your data used in this research. Completing the survey should take approximately 10 minutes.

Thank you very much for your time and participation.

Researcher: Mary Parmelee Research Advisor: Dr. Chang Suk KimInformation and Library Science Student Southern Connecticut State UniversitySouthern Connecticut State University [email protected]@owls. southernct.edu 203-392-5191

mailto:tomailtomparmelee@owls.%20southernct.edu

mailto:[email protected]


Appendix C

Cover Letter for Paper Survey

April, 2013Mary Parmelee501 Crescent StreetNew Haven, CT [email protected]

Dear Westport Library User:

I am a student at Southern Connecticut State University ("SCSU") and an employee of the Westport Library. I am completing a research project for a Master of Library and Information Science degree. My research project investigates "Patron Satisfaction with Early Literacy Programming of the Westport Library." I am asking for your participation in a survey I have attached. I have received approval from the Director of the Westport Library to conduct this research. The purpose of this survey is to determine the level of satisfaction of patrons with the library's early literacy programs for children age 3 and younger. The results of this survey will provide the Westport Library with the information needed to develop best practices regarding these programs.

Please note that your participation in this survey is voluntary, refusal to participate will involve no penalty or loss of benefits to which you as a participant are otherwise entitled, and that you may discontinue your participation at any time without penalty or loss of benefits. If you have any question about this survey or research project, please contact Mary Parmelee at [email protected].

Questions about the research and participant's rights may also be directed to the SCSU Human Research Protection Program at 203-392-5243.

If you would like to participate, please complete the survey and return to any staff member by May 3. If you have already completed a survey, whether paper or online, please do not take another survey. The survey consists of multiple-choice/fill-in-the-blank questions and one open response question. Please note that you do not have to respond to every question. The survey is submitted anonymously. No names or email addresses will be collected or published in the report presented to the Westport Library or the Special Project Final Report for SCSU. All data collected will be kept secure.

Please respond to the survey at your earliest convenience. Return of the survey indicates your consent to have your data used in this research. Completing the survey should take approximately 10 minutes.

Thank you very much for your time and participation.

Researcher: Mary Parmelee Research Advisor: Dr. Chang Suk KimInformation and Library Science Student Southern Connecticut State UniversitySouthern Connecticut State University [email protected]@owls. southernct.edu 203-392-5191

mailto:tomailtomparmelee@owls.%20southernct.edu

mailto:[email protected]


Appendix D

Script

Hello,

My name is Mary Parmelee. I am a student at Southern Connecticut State University and

an employee of the Westport Library. I am completing a research project for my Masters of

Library and Information Science that investigates patron satisfaction with early literacy

programming of the Westport Library. I have received approval from the Director of the

Westport Library to conduct this research. The results of this survey will provide us with the

information needed to develop best practices regarding these programs.

I am distributing surveys at all of our early literacy programs, as well as online by email.

Please take and complete only one survey. Completed surveys can be returned to any staff

member of the library.

Please note that participation in this survey is totally voluntary and anonymous. You do

not have to participate, and if you do participate, you do not have to answer every question.

Additional information regarding the research protocols I am following is on the letter

that I am distributing with the survey.

Completion of the survey should take about 10 minutes. You are welcome to take it

home and return it at a later date. All surveys should be returned by May 3.

Thank you very much for your time.


Appendix E

Survey Questionnaire

Please take a few minutes to answer these questions. We are interested in knowing how you and the child you bring to the library respond to our programs for our patrons ages 3 and younger. If you bring more than one child, please answer for your youngest child.

1. How old is the child you bring to story time?

0 to 12 months _____ 13-24 months _______ 25-36 months ________

2. What town does the child live in? ____________

3. Which story time(s) do you bring the child to? (please circle all that apply)

None

Monday 9:30

Monday 10:30

Tuesday 9:30

Tuesday 11:00

Wednesday 9:30

Wednesday 11:00

Thursday 9:30

Saturday 10:00

4. How many story times per week would you like to attend? (please circle one response)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 more than 8


5. If we were to offer story times at different times of the day, what times (please circle up to

three) of the day would be best for your child?

9:30am 10am 10:30am 11am 11:30am noon 12:30pm 1pm 1:30pm

2pm

2:30pm 3pm 3:30pm 4pm 4:30pm 5pm 5:30pm 6pm 6:30pm 7pm 7:30pm

6. Do you go to story times at other libraries?

NO RARELY FREQUENTLY ALWAYS

7. It is important to you to have the same librarian lead story time each week.

STRONGLY AGREE AGREE NO OPINION DISAGREE STRONGLY DISAGREE

8. I would like more information about encouraging my child's early literacy development.


9. How did you learn about story time?

NEWSLETTER WEBSITE WORD OF MOUTH OTHER (PLS. SPECIFY)

Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements:

10. My child remembers and repeats the rhymes and finger plays that he or she hears at story time.


11. The content of the story time seems appropriate for my child.



12. I would recommend that a friend bring his or her child to story time.


13. My child looks forward to attending story time at the library.


14. The division of story time into fingerplays, songs, rhymes, playtime, art project and story is well-structured and works well for my child.


15. Attending story time has better helped me to read, share songs and rhymes, and play with my child to support my child’s early literacy development.


16. Attending story time at the library gives me an opportunity to use other library services.


17. Please use the space to below to provide suggestions or to give us more information regarding any of the questions asked above. Finally, is there anything else you'd like to tell us about your experience with story times at the Westport Library?


Thank you for answering these questions. Please leave this form with any staff member.

Appendix F

NIH Certificate of Completion


Appendix G

Letter of Permission


Appendix H

Tools and Keyword SearchesTools:Microsoft Word - word processingMicrosoft Excel - data compilation and analysisNoodletools - citationsGoogle Docs - online survey, data compilation and analysisConstant Contact - online survey distribution

Keywords:emergent literacyearly literacylibrary children's programslibrary user satisfactionoutcome measurementpatron satisfaction surveysprogram evaluationuser satisfaction surveysyouth services


Appendix I

Variable Type of VariableAge of child OrdinalTown of residence NominalStory times attended NominalDesired number of story times IntervalDesired time for story time IntervalAttendance at other library's programs NominalConsistency of program leadership NominalDesire for more early literacy information NominalSource of knowledge of program NominalChild's memory of songs, etc. IntervalContent appropriate IntervalWould recommend to a friend IntervalChild looks forward to program IntervalStructure appropriate IntervalSupports early literacy development IntervalUse other library services Interval

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