Librarian blogger survey results
Friday, September 7, 2007 by level1librarian
Found via LibrarianInBlack:
The results of Meredith Farkas’s 2007 Survey of the Biblioblogoshpere: Demographics are out. I encourage you to read her comments. What struck me was that there were two questions out of 11 that a significant number of respondents skipped. These asked about any other advanced degrees the respondents had (question 6) and the age when the respondents got their MLS degrees (question 7). Around one fifth were mute on these matters, while not squeamish in the least to answer about their age and gender, for example.
Their reaction really surprised me. Meredith’s questions seem to offer a good range of options, so it’s hard to believe that not finding a suitable way to answer is the problem. I can’t fathom why just these two questions should prove difficult. Meredith’s questions are not invasive; I can’t see a difference in answering questions 6 and 7 as well as the rest.
While I’m not proud of some decisions I’ve made, I am content with my past. I could not be where I am without the experiences and education I’ve had. Furthermore, this is the perfect time and place for me to be studying library and information science. The more I know about the field, the better pleased I am with my decision to get a MLS.
With question 7, anyone who doesn’t have an MLS (or isn’t in the process of getting one) would skip the question, which was about the percentage who did skip it, I think. Not sure about why people skipped question 6, since there was an option for people who didn’t have any other advanced degrees. Whenever you create a survey, it’s impossible to predict how people are going to react to certain questions or what they are thinking when they answer it.