HHI 2014 Contact Verification Script

Heritage Health Index 2014 – Institution Contact Information Verification Phone Script

DATA AVAILABLE TO VERIFICATION INTERVEEWERS:

Identification Number

Type of Institution (library, museum, historical society/site, archive, scientific repository/research organization)

Institution Name

Address, City, State, Zip

Phone Number, Extension

Contact Name (optional)

Contact Title (optional)

Email Address of Contact (optional)

OBJECTIVE:

Verify institution is in operation and is responsible for collection holdings. Verify mailing address. Verify or obtain appropriate contact information for respondent including name, title, and email address.

SCRIPT:

[If person on list does not answer phone, ask to speak to them. If no name is listed, if the person is not available, or if the person no longer works with the organization continue below.

NOTE: In the case of smaller institutions, the phone number we have may be a personal phone number. If that person is no longer working with the organization, ask for the name and phone number of who is, or whether the organization has its own telephone number.]

“Hello, my name is _________________ and I am calling on behalf of Heritage Preservation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. We are conducting the second national survey about the preservation needs of America’s collected heritage and we have randomly chosen your institution to participate. We will be emailing the survey and website link to your institution within the coming month and I’d like to confirm the information I have to make sure that it gets to the appropriate person.

First of all, let me confirm the name of your institution ___________ (Read from the list. Make corrections directly on list.)

And is this the correct address? _____________ (Read from list. Make corrections directly on list.)

[IF A SPECIFIC NAME IS ON THE LIST, CONFIRM TITLE AND SPELLING, OTHERWISE ASK:]

May I have the name of your Director or President so that we can email him or her a letter explaining this research project? (Record name and title on list. If they do not want us to send it to the Director, explain that the survey is about conservation and preservation issues and obtain the name of someone who has those responsibilities, or who manages their collections.)

[IF EMAIL IS ON THE LIST AND MATCHES THE DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT/CONTACT’S NAME, CONFIRM, OTHERWISE ASK:]

In order to send the (contact person) the survey, we need to obtain the email address. Can you provide me with that? “Thank you very much for your help!”

HOW TO RESPOND TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Institution wants to know more about the survey: The Heritage Health Index is a national survey being sponsored by Heritage Preservation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The purpose of the study is to measure the condition and preservation needs of collections in museums, libraries, archives, historical societies, archaeological repositories, and scientific research collections. The results of the study will be widely publicized through the media, industry associations and events, and on the Internet. The survey package will answer many of their questions. More information is available on Heritage Preservation’s website at www.heritagepreservation.org.

Institution wants to know more about who is sponsoring the survey: Heritage Preservation is a national non-profit organization that works with collecting institutions to help them preserve their collections. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is a federal agency that makes grants to museums and libraries.

Institution wants contact information for Heritage Preservation: You may contact Lesley Langa, the Director of the Heritage Health Index study at Heritage Preservation; email address: [email protected]; phone: 202-233-0824

Institution claims they don’t have time to complete the survey: Your institution will have 8 weeks to complete the questionnaire. When this survey was conducted 10 years ago, many institutions felt it was very worthwhile and noted that it helped them gather a handy set of information that they could use in writing grant proposals and in long-range planning.

[IF THEY INSIST] May we email you the survey to review? If you decide you will not be able to complete it you may log into the web survey and make that comment.

Institution claims they get too many surveys and they don’t want to participate in another: I understand, but the Heritage Health Index is an important survey because it is the only time information will be gathered about the status of all collections in the U.S. It includes all types of institutions with collections and your response is important. Institutions that participated 10 years ago noted that it helped them gather a handy set of information that they could use in writing grant proposals and in long-range planning.

[IF THEY INSIST] May we email you the survey to review? If you decide you will not be able to complete it you may log into the web survey and make that comment.

Institution claims they don’t have a staff person to complete the survey: The survey is straightforward and easy to understand. Anyone who works with the collection will be able to respond to it. [IF THEY INSIST] May we email you the survey to review? If you decide you will not be able to complete it you may log into the web survey and make that comment.

Institution claims that they don’t have any collections: This survey includes collections of all types: books, archival materials, photographs, moving image and recorded sound, digital, historic artifacts, art, archaeological artifacts, and natural science specimens. (Institution) does not have any of these collections? [IF NOT, NOTE THIS IN THE RECORD]. Thank you for your time today.

Institution claims that their collection/institution is too small to participate: It is important that institutions of all sizes participate in the survey so we can correctly assess the condition and preservation needs of U.S. collections. [IF THEY INSIST] May we email you the survey to review? If you decide you will not be able to complete it you may log into the web survey and make that comment.

Institution claims that they don’t do preservation or have a preservation program: It is not necessary for your institution to be involved in preservation to respond to the questionnaire. An important part of the survey is gathering information about the condition and needs of U.S. collections. [IF THEY INSIST] May we email you the survey to review? If you decide you will not be able to complete it you may log into the web survey and make that comment.

Institution claims that they don’t know the condition and preservation needs of their collections: It will be possible to express this on the survey questionnaire, and it is important that the Heritage Health Index record that condition and preservation needs are unknown at some institutions. [IF THEY INSIST] May we email you the survey to review? If you decide you will not be able to complete it you may log into the web survey and make that comment.

Institution is concerned about how you got their name and information: Heritage Preservation has been working with the Institute and Museum and Library Services and other associations to make sure that the survey is distributed to institutions of all types and sizes. They compiled the list from many different sources. [IF THEY INSIST] I understand your concern, if you wish I can ask Heritage Preservation to call you to speak to you further about this.

Institution is concerned that responding to the survey will put their name on a mailing list or SPAM list: Your information will only be used in conjunction with this survey and will not be given to anyone else.

Institution wants to know “what’s in it for them” if they participate: By completing the Heritage Health Index you will be contributing to the field by participating in a national survey that will document the current condition and preservation needs of U.S. collections. If you participate, Heritage Preservation will contact you with the link to the study results. Institutions that participated 10 years ago also noted that it helped them gather a handy set of information that they could use in writing grant proposals and in long-range planning.

Any other question or excuse to get out filling out the survey: May we email you the survey to review? It will include a full explanation of the project and a name of someone to contact in case you would like to discuss this further.

IF THEY OUTRIGHT REFUSE TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY OR BELIEVE THEY ARE NOT APPROPRIATE PLEASE NOTE THEIR REASON. “I will note this; thank you for time today.”