11 December 2019
The 2019 edition of the International Library Automation Perceptions survey is under way and will be open until 20 January 2019. Library workers are invited to take a few minutes to take part in the survey regarding technologies used in libraries.
The survey, now in its thirteenth annual iteration, provides an opportunity for libraries to register their perceptions of the strategic automation products they use, organisations that provide these products, and the quality of support delivered. The survey also probes at considerations for migrating to new systems and the level of interest in open source products.
While the numeric rating scales support the statistical results of the study, the narrative comments provide insight into the current state of library automation satisfaction. Comments will be published in the survey results, though redacted to conceal any text that might identify the individual or organisation responding.
Librarians are asked to help others in the library community who might be in the process of evaluating library automation options by responding to the survey. Information regarding vendor performance and product quality can be helpful when making strategic decisions regarding automation alternatives. The survey also provides constructive criticism to the vendors involved to help them address any prevailing issues or concerns.
Those who have responded in previous years, are asked to respond again this year to help identify any trends regarding improvement or worsening of the products or support services.
More information and instructions on how to participate are available on the Library Technology Guides site. The report summarising the results from last year’s survey, 'Perceptions 2018: An International Survey of Library Automation', including data from all previous years, is also available.