Justification

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number: 2010-0042)

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION:

Evaluating the Pilot Los Angeles Public Library Sensor Loan Program: Patron Air Sensor Use Component

PURPOSE:

Although air quality around Los Angeles (LA) has improved notably over the past four decades, the region still faces ongoing air quality challenges and citizen groups want increased access to neighborhood-scale air quality information that will help them make informed choices and improve health outcomes. The Los Angeles Public Library system (“LAPL”) is one of the largest in the country with 72 branches serving four million residents. EPA and LAPL are collaborating on a pilot Los Angeles Public Library Sensor Loan Program (“LAPL Pilot”) that will allow residents to check out air sensor equipment just as they would check out a book. Through this project, select branches of the LAPL will receive air sensors, instruction on their use, and training on implementing related environmental education curricula. Library staff will use and/or adapt materials to train and educate library patrons. Air sensors will then be loaned out to patrons with the goal of increasing LA communities' understanding of local air quality while testing a model for other communities.  EPA will provide 30 air quality sensors to LAPL and LAPL has purchased an additional 10 sensors for a total of 40 sensors. EPA with contractor support trained approximately 24 “lead librarians” on the use of the sensors, air quality, and environmental education curricula. The training was provided in an online format at the end of May 2020. Lead Librarians will then train up to 300 other librarians within LAPL prior to launching an air sensor loan program. We anticipate each sensor will be loaned out approximately 3 times for a total of 120 users during the pilot period. We are seeking approval to conduct an evaluation of the LAPL Pilot. The evaluation will consist of three surveys intended to gather qualitative feedback on the quality of the training and pilot sensor loan program to improve our services and training. The first survey will gauge the effectiveness of the training for the Lead Librarians and their preparedness to launch a loan program. This survey will be given to up to 24 librarians following the training. The second survey will be provided to all participating librarians (approximately 300) following the end of the pilot loan program to assess the loan program from the librarians’ perspective. The third survey will be provided to library patrons who borrow a sensor, and will be filled out upon return of the sensor to the library.  We will seek approvals for each component of this project individually under this Generic Clearance, the first survey having already received approval. This current request only covers evaluation of the patrons that check out a sensor.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS:

The LAPL will distribute 2 sensors at 20 of their 72 branches to be loaned out. The sensors will be loaned out like any other material, on a first come first served basis to any library card holder. The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to fill out, for a total burden time of 1,800 minutes/30 hours. 

TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)

[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form [x] Customer Satisfaction Survey

[ ] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software [ ] Small Discussion Group

[ ] Focus Group [ ] Other: ______________________

CERTIFICATION:

I certify the following to be true:

1. The collection is voluntary.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.

3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal agencies.

4. The results are not intended to be disseminated to the public.

5. Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing influential policy decisions.

6. The collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions from respondents who have experience with the program or may have experience with the program in the future.

Name: Rachel Freed, Life Scientist, EPA R9

To assist review, please provide answers to the following question:

Personally Identifiable Information:

1. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [ ] Yes [x] No

2. If Yes, will any information that is collected be included in records that are subject to the Privacy Act of 1974? [ ] Yes [x] No

3. If Yes, has an up-to-date System of Records Notice (SORN) been published? [ ] Yes [x] No

Gifts or Payments:

Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to participants? [ ] Yes [ x ] No

BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden
Los Angeles Public Library Patrons	120	15 minutes	1,800 minutes
Totals			1,800 minutes

FEDERAL COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal government is $9,251.52.

This is based on the salary of a GS-13 Step 10 employee located in San Francisco, who’s hourly rate is $67.04. This analysis estimates a maximum of 1 hours work per respondent = 1hr x 120 respondents x $67.04 = $8,044.80 as well as 10 hrs to set up a data analysis system and 8 hrs to aggregate and analyze the data = 18 hrs x $67.04/hr =$1,206.72 Thus, the estimated cost will be $9,251.52.

If you are conducting a focus group, survey, or plan to employ statistical methods, please provide answers to the following questions:

The selection of your targeted respondents

1. Do you have a customer list or something similar that defines the universe of potential respondents and do you have a sampling plan for selecting from this universe? [x] Yes [ ] No

If the answer is yes, please provide a description of both below (or attach the sampling plan)? If the answer is no, please provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of respondents and how you will select them?

The potential respondents will consist of patrons that check out the air sensor at one of the 20 branches over the course of 3-6 months.

Administration of the Instrument

1. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)

[x] Web-based or other forms of Social Media

[ ] Telephone

[ ] In-person

[ ] Mail

[ ] Other, Explain

2. Will interviewers or facilitators be used? [ ] Yes [ x] No

Please make sure that all instruments, instructions, and scripts are submitted with the request.

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