Form NSF 1562 NSF 1562 Agency Director Stewardship Survey

National Science and Technology Council (NSTC)

Committee on Science (COS)

Interagency Working Group on Scientific Collections (IWGSC)

Agency Director Stewardship Survey

Dear Participant,

The FY 2007 Research and Development Budget Priorities Memorandum established Federal scientific collections as one of the two areas requiring special attention by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC). Arguing that object-based scientific collections provide the fundamental infrastructure for contemporary and future research, the NSTC Committee on Science formed the Interagency Working Group on Scientific Collections (IWGSC) to address the scientific, environmental, societal, and national security needs for such collections, including an assessment of current collection resources.

The survey that follows will establish for the first time the scope and breadth of federally held object-based scientific collections. The survey results will provide a snapshot of the current condition of object-based scientific collections held, supported, or used by federal agencies. The information collected will enable the NSTC to assess the priorities for and stewardship of scientific collections.

On behalf of the NSTC/COS Interagency Working Group on Scientific Collections, we thank you for your participation in this survey.

Signed:

David Evans, The Smithsonian Institution

Phyllis Johnson, US Department of Agriculture

INSTRUCTIONS

In the pages that follow, we ask that you provide information regarding the object-based scientific collection and any associated ancillary collections that are part of your Agency’s holdings or for which your Agency has permanent responsibility.

ONLINE INSTRUCTIONS

The on-line version does not allow you to return to a previous section once you have started the next section. Upon completing each section, you will be given the option of:

Saving your responses and continuing to the next section

OR

Saving your responses and continuing the survey at a later time.

Reminder: Once you start a section, even if you only view it, you must complete that section because the survey does not allow you to return to a section that you have already viewed. For example, if section C is the last section you were working on, and you choose to save and continue later, when you open the document you will be directed to section D even if you have not completed section C.

For your convenience in completing the on-line survey, we suggest that you print out a copy of the survey and review all the sections prior to completing the on-line version.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

If you have any questions about this survey, please contact William Tompkins [[email protected]], 202-357-3125.

DEADLINE

In order for us to include your response with those of all other participating agencies, we ask that you complete this survey no later than June 2, 2006.

COLLECTIONS INCLUDED IN THIS SURVEY

This survey includes only object-based scientific collections maintained or financially supported by the Federal government, and any ancillary materials directly related to the object-based scientific collections. The survey is designed to allow you to report on up to 6 separate collections.

“Object-based scientific collections” are defined as collections primarily acquired, maintained and used for scientific research, such as natural and physical science specimens, living animals and plants, archaeological and ethnographic objects, or technological objects of current or contemporary design.

“Ancillary collections” include important materials that are associated with an object-based scientific collection, but only if the material is directly used for scientific research, such as archival and library materials, audio and visual media, and data that might reside in databases.

COLLECTIONS EXCLUDED FROM THIS SURVEY

Historic and artistic collections that do not function as scientific collections are excluded from the survey. For example, a collection of wreckage from an aircraft accident would fall outside the scope of the survey if it were part of a current investigation, maintained for historical purposes only, or otherwise closed to access. However, this same collection would be within the scope of the survey if it were being maintained for the use of researchers who are researching metal fatigue, fire dynamics, failure propagation, or other related phenomena.

Library collections are also excluded unless the collection is in support of the research objects themselves.

Collections of data (both analog and digital) or databases containing such data are excluded from this survey unless those data collections are associated with an object-based scientific collection and are used directly to support the conduct of scientific research, in which case they may be treated as ancillary collections. (See “Ancillary collections” definition above).

Independent, non-object based collections of data are not included in this survey as the NSTC/COS plans a separate study of collections of data.

STRUCTURE OF THE SURVEY

The survey is divided into several sections. Information about your agency will be used for administrative purposes only.

• Reporting Unit’s Information

• Reporting Unit’s Description

• Reporting Unit’s Mission

• Reporting Unit’s Scientific Collections

• Reporting Unit’s Strategic Planning

• Scientific Collections Staffing

• Scientific Collections Funding

These sections are followed by detailed questions regarding the Maintenance and Stewardship of your agency’s object-based scientific collections. In every case, we invite you to describe the adequacy of resources at three points in time:

• Current (FY2005)

• Five years from now

• Ten years from now

We ask you to reflect on these resource issues in the following areas:

• Staffing Resources

• Staffing Qualifications

• Staff Training

• Facilities Housing

• Facilities Storage Space

• Collections Storage

• Collections Preservation

• Ancillary Collections Storage

• Ancillary Collections Preservation

• Intellectual Control

• Collections Documentation

• Collections Accessibility

• Data Accessibility

• Electronic Accessibility

• Funding

In the final section, we invite you to list your agency’s most pressing challenge relative to the stewardship of your object-based scientific collections.

A. Reporting Unit’s Information

In this section, we ask that you provide the name of your reporting unit, parent organization, and the name of the individual completing the survey complete with contact information.

A-1. Name of the reporting unit:

Street Address:

City, State, Zip:

A-2.

Name of parent agency or organization, if applicable:

A-3.

Name of the individual completing this survey:

Title:

Street Address:

City, State, Zip:

Telephone: (ex: 123-456-7890)

Fax: (ex: 123-456-7890)

Email:

Today’s date: (ex: 12/31/2006)

A-4. Which level listed below best describes the level at which you are reporting about your scientific collection? (Mark just one.)

1. Agency director

2. Bureau/division director

3. Program director

4. Collections manager

5. Other, please specify ___________________________________

A-5. May the NSTC Interagency Working Group on Scientific Collections include your reporting unit on a published list of survey participants? (Mark just one.)

1. Yes

2. No

B. Reporting Unit’s Description

In this section, we ask that you provide descriptive information regarding your reporting unit’s governance and primary purpose.

B-1. Which of the following most closely describes your reporting unit’s governance? (Mark just one.)

1. Federal agency

2. Independent federal agency

3. State agency

4. Local (county or municipal) agency

5. Non-profit, non-governmental organization

6. Other, please specify: __________________________________________________

B-2. Which of the following most closely describes your reporting unit’s primary function or service? (Mark just one.)

1. Archaeological repository

2. Bio-repository

3. Medical research center

4. Museum

5. Nature center or zoo

6. Regulatory agency

7. Scientific research organization

8. Other, please specify: __________________________________________________

C. Reporting Unit’s Mission

In this section, we ask that you provide information regarding your reporting unit’s mission.

C-1. Are object-based scientific collections related to your agency’s mission? (Mark just one.)

1. Yes

2. No (Go to question D-1)

C-2. Which of the following scientific collections-related activities are included in your agency’s mission? (Mark all that apply.)

1. Acquisition

2. Disposal

3. Documentation

4. Preservation

5. Access and use

6. None

D. Reporting Unit’s Scientific Collections

In this section, we ask that you provide information regarding an assessment of your reporting unit’s scientific collections.

D-1. What percentage of your agency’s total object-based collections is scientific? (Mark just one.)

1. 0%

2. 1 - 25%

3. 26 - 50%

4. 51 - 75%

5. 76 - 99%

6. 100%

D-2. Has your agency completed a survey or assessment of the condition of its object-based scientific collections? (Mark just one.)

1. Yes

2. Yes, but only a portion of the collection

3. Yes, but not recently

4. No

5. No, but one is planned, explain: ________________________________________

E. Reporting Unit’s Strategic Planning

In this section, we ask that you provide information regarding the presence of a strategic plan on scientific collections.

E-1. Does your agency have a written, long-range strategic plan for its object-based scientific collections? (Mark just one.)

1. Yes

2. Yes, but is not current

3. No (Go to question F-1)

4. No, but is under development (Go to question F-1)

E-2. Which of the following collections related activities are included in the strategic plan? (Mark all that apply.)

1. Acquisition

2. Disposal

3. Documentation

4. Preservation

5. Access and use

6. None

F. Scientific Collections Staffing

In this section, we ask that you provide information regarding the staff responsible for object-based scientific collections.

F-1. What is the current staffing associated with all agency scientific collections? Number of full-time paid staff

Number of part-time paid staff

Number of full-time unpaid staff

Number of part-time unpaid staff

F-2. Is collections staffing able to meet the needs of all agency scientific collections? (Mark just one.)

1. Yes

2. No

3. Do not know

F-3. How would you characterize the size of your scientific collections staff? (Mark just one.)

1. Staffing is stable and vacancies are replaced

2. Staff is increasing and new hires have been added

3. Staffing is unstable and declining

G. Scientific Collections Funding

In this section, we ask that you provide information regarding funding for object-based scientific collections.

G-1. Does your agency’s FY06 budget have funds specifically allocated for scientific collections care and management activities? (Mark just one.)

1. Yes

2. No specific line-item in budget, but other budgeted funds are available

3. No (Go to question G-3)

G-2. For FY05, what was the agency’s annual budget designated specifically for the care and management of scientific collections?

Budget in $

G-3. What is the source of your agency’s funds designated for the care and management of scientific collections? (Mark all that apply.)

1. Federal

2. State

3. County or municipal

4. Corporate

5. Foundation

6. Individual donor

G-4. Does your agency rely on external funding sources to support scientific collections-related activities? (Mark just one.)

1. Yes

2. No (Go to question H-1)

G-5. What percentage is supported by external funding sources? (Mark just one.)

1. 1 – 24%

2. 25 – 49%

3. 50 – 74%

4. 75 – 99%

5. 100%

6. Do not know

H. Maintenance and Stewardship of Object-Based Scientific Collections

In this section, we ask that you rate your reporting unit’s current condition in a number of categories and what you think it will be 5 and 10 years from now.

H-1. Staffing Levels

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree or disagree	Agree	Strongly agree	Not applicable	Do not know
Collections staffing levels were adequate in FY2005	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Collections staffing levels will be adequate in 5 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Collections staffing levels will be adequate in 10 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏

H-2. Staffing Qualification

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree or disagree	Agree	Strongly agree	Not applicable	Do not know
Collections staff were qualified in FY2005	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Collections staff will be qualified in 5 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Collections staff will be qualified in 10 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏

H-3. Staff Training

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree or disagree	Agree	Strongly agree	Not applicable	Do not know
Collections staff were appropriately trained in FY2005	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Collections staff will be appropriately trained in 5 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Collections staff will be appropriately trained in 10 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏

H-4. Facilities Housing

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree or disagree	Agree	Strongly agree	Not applicable	Do not know
Facilities housing collections were appropriate and adequate in FY2005	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Facilities housing collections will be appropriate and adequate in 5 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Facilities housing collections will be appropriate and adequate in 10 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏

H-5. Facilities Storage Space

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree or disagree	Agree	Strongly agree	Not applicable	Do not know
Storage space allotted for collections was sufficient in FY2005	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Storage space allotted for collections will be sufficient in 5 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Storage space allotted for collections will be sufficient in 10 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏

H-6. Collections Storage

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree or disagree	Agree	Strongly agree	Not applicable
Collections were appropriately stored in FY2005	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Collections will be appropriately stored in 5 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Collections will be appropriately stored in 10 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏

H-7. Collections Preservation

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree or disagree	Agree	Strongly agree	Not applicable
Collections were appropriately preserved in FY2005	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Collections will be appropriately preserved in 5 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Collections will be appropriately preserved in 10 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏

H-8. Ancillary Collections Storage

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree or disagree	Agree	Strongly agree	Not applicable
Ancillary collections were appropriately stored in FY2005	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Ancillary collections will be appropriately stored in 5 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Ancillary collections will be appropriately stored in 10 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏

H-9. Ancillary Collections Preservation

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree or disagree	Agree	Strongly agree	Not applicable
Ancillary collections were appropriately preserved in FY2005	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Ancillary collections will be appropriately preserved in 5 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Ancillary collections will be appropriately preserved in 10 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏

H-10. Intellectual Control

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree or disagree	Agree	Strongly agree	Not applicable
The agency had appropriate intellectual control over the collections in FY2005	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
The agency will have appropriate intellectual control over the collections in 5 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
The agency will have appropriate intellectual control over the collections in 10 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏

H-11. Collections Documentation

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree or disagree	Agree	Strongly agree	Not applicable
Collections were documented in an electronic database in FY2005	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Collections will be documented in an electronic database in 5 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Collections will be documented in an electronic database in 10 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏

H-12. Collections Accessibility

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree or disagree	Agree	Strongly agree	Not applicable
Physical collections were accessible to users in FY2005	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Physical collections will be accessible to users in 5 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Physical collections will be accessible to users in 10 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏

H-13. Data Accessibility

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree or disagree	Agree	Strongly agree	Not applicable
Manual collection’s data were accessible to users in FY2005	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Manual collection’s data will be accessible to users in 5 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Manual collection’s data will be accessible to users in 10 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏

H-14. Electronic Accessibility

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree or disagree	Agree	Strongly agree	Not applicable
Electronic collection’s data were accessible to users in FY2005	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Electronic collection’s data will be accessible to users in 5 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Electronic collection’s data will be accessible to users in 10 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏

H-15. Funding

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree or disagree	Agree	Strongly agree	Not applicable
Collection’s stewardship responsibilities were met with current funding in FY2005	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Collection’s stewardship responsibilities will be met with funding in 5 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏
Collection’s stewardship responsibilities will be met with funding in 10 years	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏	❏

I. Major Challenges

In this section, we ask that you list any major challenges facing your reporting unit’s regarding object-based scientific collections.

I-1. In the space provided, list the major challenges your reporting unit faces in their attempts to support and maintain their object-based scientific collections? (No more than 25 words.)

If you have any questions about this survey, please contact William Tompkins [[email protected]], 202-357-3125.

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY