Research Protocol

Laura Bush 21^st Century Librarians Grant Program

Telephone Interview Protocol

Research Programs

Instructions to Interviewer

One workday prior to telephone interview, send a reminder confirmation email to the respondent.

Prior to the interview, read archival data for this grant project to identify and become familiar with what is known about it. This interview builds on data obtained from archival documents. Information that is known from archival data will not be sought again in this interview, unless clarification is requested in the text of the protocol.

Prior to the interview, plan and tailor the interview protocol to satisfy remaining information needs. Review the tailored protocol and mentally rehearse its execution. Consult the case selection matrix document and consider identified “unique aspects” and “additional considerations” to shape the interview.

This telephone interview protocol is a guideline for discussion, not a script for recitation. Keep the intent of the study and of the research questions in mind as you use probes to delve further into a particular topic for clarification or richness.

Keep track of time, and pace questions to end the interview on time. Sometimes interviewees will not have a lot to say in response to a particular question. Do not spend excessive time probing for an answer. Move on when you are confident that the provided answer is sufficient and complete.

Introduction (5 minutes)

Hello, this is <<NAME>> from ICF International calling on behalf of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Is this <<NAME OF POC WITH WHOM THE INTERVIEW WAS COORDINATED>>?

We are interviewing recipients of grants from the Institute’s Laura Bush 21^st Century Librarians grant program (LB21 for short). The interviews are designed to learn more about grant recipients’ experiences with the LB21 grant program. I understand that your department received a Master’s Program Grant in <<YEAR>>. Is this correct?

I’d like to verify that you are the primary point-of-contact for your organization’s LB21 grant project that began in <<INSERT YEAR>>. Are you knowledgeable about the grant project that your organization completed with LB21 funds?

• [IF YES: CONTINUE INTERVIEW.]

• [IF YES, BUT NOT A GOOD TIME: SCHEDULE A CALL BACK INCLUDING DATE, TIME, AND PHONE NUMBER TO USE.]

• [IF NO: OBTAIN CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE GRANT PROJECT’S MAIN POINT OF CONTACT.]

Let me briefly review some administrative information and the Privacy Act Notification.

(Statutory Authority)

IMLS is authorized to collect this information under the Museum and Library Services Act of 2010.

(Purpose and Use)

As I mentioned in my initial email contact with you, the purpose of this interview is to better understand the ways in which the projects funded by LB21 grants pursued their goals and to learn more about the outcomes of the grant-funded projects. In particular, we want to learn what project methods, components, and features were used and how effective they were in helping to achieve the goals of the project. We would also like to learn about the lasting effects of the project, including project elements or curricular changes that persisted after the grant ended, changes to policy or practice, and effects on participants. The study we are conducting will help inform the awards made to future grantees and help ensure that the LB21 grant program continues to be effective in supporting and developing the field of Library and Information Science.

(Length of the Study)

The interview will take about one hour to complete. Is now still a good time to talk?

(Voluntary participation / Privacy act)

Your participation is strictly voluntary, and you may choose to end the interview at any point. Information gathered during this interview will be reported using a blended case-study format. That is, we will combine the information that you provide with information obtained from interviews with grant recipients that had similar project goals. Although we will avoid using the names of specific institutions and individuals, it may be possible for institutions or individuals to be identified from other project information that is reported. Of course, the purpose of this IMLS evaluation is to improve the grant program moving forward, by gathering information from all grantees included in this study. The goal is not to pinpoint particular weaknesses of your particular grant. In addition, none of your responses today will affect review of your current or future funding.

The OMB Control Number for this study is: XXXX-XXXX. The collection expires MONTH ##, 20XX.

Verification Questions:

Do you understand that your participation is voluntary? [Yes/No]

Do you understand that while we will make every effort to protect the identity of the program and will only report data in the aggregate, there may be combinations of data that will uniquely identify you to other institutions or individuals? [Yes/No]

Do you have any questions about this? [Yes/No]

Do you consent to continue with the interview? [Yes/No]

[INTERVIEWER AND TRANSCRIBER: Record responses to each question]

Thank you for agreeing to talk with me today.

In preparing for this interview, I have reviewed your grant report that was most recently submitted to IMLS.

USE OF FUNDING (15-20 minutes)

1. In your report, we interpret that your goals for initially pursuing the LB21 grant were <<enter goals>>.  Is this correct? 

• [IF YES]  Were there any additional goals you had in mind when pursuing the LB21 grant?

• [IF NO]  What were the goals you had in mind for your program when you initially pursued the LB21 grant?

2. [IF A DESCRIPTION OF THE RESEARCH IS NOT PROVIDED IN ARCHIVAL DATA, ASK] Please describe the research that was supported through LB21 funds. [Map to Research Question 1-1]

[IF A DESCRIPTION OF THE RESEARCH IS PROVIDEDOR IMPLIED IN ARCHIVAL DATA, ASK] Your final report described the research that was supported through LB21 funds as <<enter abbreviated description of research project>>. Does this correctly describe your research under the LB21 grant project? [Map to Research Question 1-1]

FOLLOW UP:

• How was this research idea conceived? For example, was it based on previous research, a need you saw within the field of LIS or within your own institution, some combination of the two? [Map to Research Question 1-1]

• Did the research funded through the LB21 grant build on a previously funded research effort? [Map to Research Question 1-2]

• What was this research effort?

• How was the previous effort funded?

• Would any of this research have been conducted if LB21 funds had not been received? [Map to Research Question 1-2]

• [IF YES] How would it have been funded if LB21 funds had not been received?

• Did your research employ social media in any way? [Map to Research Question 8-3]

• How was social media used?

• Which social media outlets did you use?

• What other roles are social networking tools playing at your institution? [Map to Research Question 8-3]

3. [IF A FOCUS ON EFFECTIVE METHODS FOR TRACKING PARTICIPANTS IS UNCLEAR BASED ON ARCHIVAL RESEARCH AND PREVIOUS DISCUSSION] Did your research project discern effective ways to track program participants over time? [Map to Research Question 8-1]

[IF NO, SKIP TO Q3]

[IF YES, CONTINUE]

[IF EFFECTIVE METHODS FOR TRACKING PARTICIPANTS IS MENTIONED IN ARCHIVAL RESEARCH OR PREVIOUS DISCUSSION] You mentioned that your research included a focus on effective ways to track program participants over time. [Map to Research Question 8-1]

FOLLOW UP:

• What were your findings regarding this? [Map to Research Question 8-1]

• Were any new methods of tracking participants developed, or did you focus on testing existing methods? [Map to Research Question 8-1]

• [IF NEW METHODS WERE DEVELOPED] How did you conceive of these methods?

• How effective were they?

4. [IF THE INCLUSION OF DIVERSITY IS UNCLEAR BASED ON ARCHIVAL RESEARCH AND PREVIOUS DISCUSSION] Did your research address the issue of diversity in librarianship? [Map to Research Question 7-1]

[IF NO, SKIP TO Q5]

[IF YES, CONTINUE]

[IF DIVERSITY IS MENTIONED IN ARCHIVAL RESEARCH OR PREVIOUS DISCUSSION] You mentioned that your research included a focus on diversity in librarianship through <<indicate how diversity was addressed>>. Is there anything I missed in this description? [Map to Research Question 7-1]

• Probe for any additional clarification

FOLLOW UP:

• Please describe how your research addressed the issue of diversity in librarianship as it relates to recruitment.

  • [IF RELEVANT] What were the results of your findings?

5. [IF THE DEFINITION OF DIVERSITY IS NOT PROVIDED IN ARCHIVAL DATA, ASK] For the purposes of your project, how did you define "diversity?" [Map to Research Question 7-2]

[IF A DEFINITION OF DIVERSITY IS PROVIDED IN ARCHIVAL DATA, ASK] You mentioned <<enter specified definition of diversity>>. Is this how you defined diversity for this project grant? [Map to Research Question 7-2]

• Probe for any additional clarification

6. Do you believe the research funded through LB21 has had a substantial effect on your institution or your LIS department? [Map to Research Questions 4-1, 10]

FOLLOW UP:

• Has the research changed the way you operate your department, faculty, or institution? [Map to Research Questions 4-1]

• In what way? [Map to Research Questions 4-2]

• Has it affected the way you manage grants awarded to your department, faculty, or institution? [Map to Research Question 4-1]

• In what way? [Map to Research Question 4-2]

• Why do you think it has had this effect/these effects?

7. Has your research yielded any significant contributions to the LIS field? [Map to Research Question 10]

FOLLOW UP:

• What are these contributions? [Map to Research Question 10]

• Has the research influenced other LIS research? [Map to Research Question 10]

• Why do you think your research has had this effect/these effects?

SUSTAINABILITY OF PROGRAMS (10-15 minutes)

8. Did the LB21 funded research, or elements of the research program continue after the LB21 grant had ended and the funds were expended? [Map to Research Question 3-1]

FOLLOW UP:

• [IF YES] How long did the research program as a whole continue after the LB21 funds were expended? [Map to Research Questions 3-1, 3-2]

• [IF THE PROJECT DID NOT CONTINUE AS A WHOLE] How long did any of the elements of the research program continue? [Map to Research Questions 3-1, 3-2]

9. Were any of the programs or program elements eliminated after the LB21 grant funds were expended and the grant was over? [Map to Research Questions 3-1, 3-2]

• Why were they eliminated?

10. Were any of these programs or program elements sustained after the LB21 grant funds were expended and the grant was over? [Map to Research Questions 3-1, 3-2]

FOLLOW UP:

• Which of these were sustained? [Map to Research Question 3-2]

• [IF THE PROGRAM AS A WHOLE IS NAMED] Why do you believe that the research program was sustained? [Map to Research Question 3-2]

• [FOR EACH ELEMENT OR ENHANCEMENT NAMED] Why do you believe that <<list program/program element>> was sustained? [Map to Research Question 3-3]

• How was this research program sustained? [Map to Research Question 3-3]

  • [PRIMERS] For example resources, partnerships, collaborations, internal or external funding.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES (10-15 minutes)

11. Has the research conducted with LB21 grant funds affected the enrollments of master’s and/or doctoral students in the LIS programs at your institution? [Map to Research Questions 5-1, 5-2]

FOLLOW UP:

• [IF YES] What has been the magnitude and nature of this influence?

• Has it affected the ability of master’s and/or doctoral students to remain enrolled in the LIS programs? [Map to Research Questions 5-1, 5-2]

• [IF YES] What has been the magnitude and nature of this influence?

12. Has this research affected doctoral research within your department? [Map to Research Question 6-1]

FOLLOW UP:

• How has it been affected?

• Has it affected doctoral research with other faculty or in another LIS program? [Map to Research Question 6-1]

• How has it been affected?

13. Has the research you conducted under this LB21 grant project had an effect on your professional career? [Map to Research Question 10]

FOLLOW UP:

• What effect has it had?

• Why do you believe the research had this effect on your career?

FINAL COMMENTS (5 minutes)

14. Those are all of the specific questions that I have for you. Are there any additional comments about the LB21 program you would like to share?

Closing Text:

Those are all of the questions that I have for you today. Thank you for taking the time to share your opinions and experiences with us.  Your thoughts are very valuable to our efforts to inform the Laura Bush 21^st Century Librarians Grant Program on these matters. If you would like more information or if you have any questions about this research, please contact XXX at ICF or YYY at IMLS. This contact information was also listed on the consent document we provided in the confirmation email. Once all interviews have been completed, you will receive a copy of the final report. It will be sent to the email we have on file for you.

OMB Control No.

Expiration Date: Page 1