Executive Summary
User Needs Assessment Report
USDA National Agricultural Library
Overview
The National Agricultural Library (NAL) assessed user needs via an online survey that ran from April 18 through May 16, 2006. The needs assessment was designed to identify the library's current and potential customers; to determine those customers' information needs, sources, and behaviors; and to assess their view of NAL's existing and potential services.
Outsell, Inc., a research and advisory firm for the information industry, conducted the survey and prepared a report summarizing key findings, analyzing the results, and offering service recommendations. A total of 6,113 completed surveys were received from both in and outside the federal government. Overall, the survey results and analysis suggest that:
- NAL's future lies in building "a 24/7 online full-text service that is multi-faceted to meet the needs of a diverse user population"; and
- such a service will require a significant "marketing and branding strategy to cement NAL's position as the foremost electronic resource for agricultural information."
Key Findings and Recommendations
- The AGRICOLA database and DigiTop, the Digital Desktop Library for USDA, are NAL's strongest brands.
- AGRICOLA is the most used service across all customer segments with one-quarter (25%) of all users reporting that they use AGRICOLA regularly. Librarians and agricultural scientists lead the pack, with 41 percent and 31 percent respectively identifying themselves as regular users.
- DigiTop stands out among USDA customers with 39 percent of USDA respondents using DigiTop regularly. Within that group, ARS staff reports the highest usage at 57 percent.
- AGRICOLA is the most used service across all customer segments with one-quarter (25%) of all users reporting that they use AGRICOLA regularly. Librarians and agricultural scientists lead the pack, with 41 percent and 31 percent respectively identifying themselves as regular users.
- Usage of all NAL services -- except document delivery -- is higher among non-USDA survey respondents than those within USDA.
- This discovery highlights a vital opportunity for NAL to better integrate its services into the workflow of USDA employees, increasing both NAL's name recognition and its active role in the Department's work.
- This discovery highlights a vital opportunity for NAL to better integrate its services into the workflow of USDA employees, increasing both NAL's name recognition and its active role in the Department's work.
- Not surprisingly, most respondents (81%) rely heavily upon the Web as a source for information.
- Traditional sources still hold sway with books (63%), academic journals (62%), scientific and technical information (54%), and conference proceedings and papers (50%) rounding out the top five spots for all respondents.
- Agricultural scientists report academic journals as their most used information source (84%) - but the Web still claims a considerable amount of their attention, with 74 percent using that genre heavily.
- Traditional sources still hold sway with books (63%), academic journals (62%), scientific and technical information (54%), and conference proceedings and papers (50%) rounding out the top five spots for all respondents.
- Access to digital content remains a big need for respondents and a targeted direction for NAL.
- Over one-third (37%) of total respondents want NAL to provide more online journals, articles, and other materials, with almost half (47%) of the agricultural scientists expressing the same desire.
- Across the government, 54 percent of respondents would like to see NAL offer desktop access to digital information for agencies beyond USDA, with that figure rising to 71 percent when looking solely at non-USDA respondents.
- Over one-third (37%) of total respondents want NAL to provide more online journals, articles, and other materials, with almost half (47%) of the agricultural scientists expressing the same desire.
- NAL should partner with Google, using Google's market power to raise awareness of NAL by exposing the Library's agricultural content via sponsored links, search engine optimization, and other focused Google services.
- When specifically seeking agricultural information, 54 percent find it through a search engine, with Google the search engine of choice (81%).
- Over half (52%) of the survey respondents have never used the services of NAL, with 73 percent citing as their reasons a lack of awareness of the Library or of what the Library can do for them.
- When specifically seeking agricultural information, 54 percent find it through a search engine, with Google the search engine of choice (81%).
- NAL has ample room to grow in the forestry and natural resources communities.
- Professionals within the fields of forestry and natural resources indicate a need for information that NAL covers, such as invasive species (39%) and water quality (24%), yet only 5 percent of these respondents use the library frequently. This same group also cites insufficient training as a "major problem" in obtaining and using NAL's information services.
- These numbers suggest an opportunity for NAL to make inroads by bringing together these potential customers with new and existing resources and making sure they know how to find and use those resources.
- Professionals within the fields of forestry and natural resources indicate a need for information that NAL covers, such as invasive species (39%) and water quality (24%), yet only 5 percent of these respondents use the library frequently. This same group also cites insufficient training as a "major problem" in obtaining and using NAL's information services.
- NAL services rank well, particularly for the accuracy and quality of the information provided.
- With "5" considered excellent, NAL scored a 4.3 on accuracy of information and a 4.0 on quality of information across all respondents. All other service categories ranked 3.7 and above.
- Those respondents who individually ranked NAL as "fair" or "poor" in the listed service areas commonly point to a limited journal selection online, navigation difficulties, and/or poor search functions as their main complaints.
Important Qualifications
- The survey was Web-based. Invitations to take the survey were sent via e-mail across USDA and posted to a variety of agriculture-related and professional library listservs. A link to the survey was also put up on the NAL Home page. Consequently the survey may have missed a segment of customers who do not use the Web or frequent listservs.
- The data gathered provides confidence levels of 99 percent (+/- 2.1%) for the USDA. However, 87 percent of the USDA responses came from only three agencies, the Agricultural Research Service (23%), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (33%), and the Forest Service (31%).
- The survey methodology does have its limitations. This needs assessment was intended to collect descriptive data that would increase our understanding of our customers and give us insight into their information needs. The data cannot be used to describe a large population or be assumed to be representative of that population.
Conclusions
According to Outsell, NAL has the opportunity to become "the number one resource for all things related to food, agriculture, and forestry." Its information products and services, when used, are well-received, and the subjects it addresses match respondents "unmet needs." But with over half the survey respondents not even aware of NAL, the quality information that NAL collects and distributes remains under-utilized. To reverse the tide, NAL needs to invest its energy in the Web environment and fervently market its digital offerings.
- With "5" considered excellent, NAL scored a 4.3 on accuracy of information and a 4.0 on quality of information across all respondents. All other service categories ranked 3.7 and above.
