IMLS Generic Clearance To Conduct Pre-Testing of Surveys

This is a request to renew a generic clearance for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) that allows IMLS to develop, test, and improve its surveys and methodologies. The procedures utilized to this effect include but are not limited to tests of various types of survey operations, focus groups, cognitive interviews and laboratory activities, respondent debriefing questionnaires, field tests, pilot testing, exploratory interviews, experiments with questionnaire design, and usability testing of electronic data collection instruments. This generic testing clearance is a helpful vehicle for evaluating quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments and various data collection procedures. It will allow IMLS to take advantage of a variety of methods to identify quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments and procedural problems, suggest solutions, and measure the relative effectiveness of alternative solutions. Using these techniques IMLS will strive to simplify quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments for respondents, reduce respondent burden, and increase the quality of the quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments used in continuing research. Thus, with the potential to increase respondent comprehension of questions and use of data collection tools, an increase in the quality of the data collected through these surveys would be achieved as well. During the three-year generic clearance and depending on the methodological need, IMLS may administer various methodological testing activities, which may include cognitive testing of new quantitative and qualitative data collection items or instruments, field tests including split sample experiments in multiple panels, and usability testing of electronic data collection or dissemination instruments. The focus of these activities will include testing of items and research about one-off/topical surveys, as well as other methodologies of creating, administering, or disseminating results from quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments. IMLS will rely on the following authorizing statute for data collections submitted under this generic clearance with each generic Information Collection (IC) submission to OMB: • Section 9108 of the Museum and Library Services Act of 2018 provides general legislative authority for the planned data collection. This section authorizes policy research, data collection, analysis and modeling, evaluation, and dissemination of information. 20 U.S.C. § 9108. The specific methods proposed for coverage by this clearance are described in Part B.

The latest form for IMLS Generic Clearance To Conduct Pre-Testing of Surveys expires 2027-04-30 and can be found here.

Cognitive Testing for FY 2025/26 Public Libraries Survey

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Education - Cultural and Historic Preservation