[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Survey Results for "What is an archivist?"



First Thank you all who participated. Charles Schultz will be closely
examine the individual responses, but I wanted to share the overall results
who as soon as possible. The survey wasn't perfect by any means and it could
have been less North American-centric (wording-wise). So thank you all who
provided constructive criticism. The survey was launched late yesterday
afternoon and was open for less than 24 hours so I think the response rate
was very good, almost 10% of the list subscribership.

peterk

Total respondents: 224 (for each question zoomerang tabulates who actually
answer that question)

1. Did you know what an archivist is by the time you completed High School?
        Yes     49      22%
        No      172     78%
        Total:  221

2. Did your parents know what an archivist is before you became one?
        Yes     79      36%
        No      143     64%
        Total   222

3. Do your immediate neighbors know what an archivist is?
        Yes     52      24%
        No      165     76%
        Total   217

4. At what point in your college/university undergraduate days did you learn
about the archival profession?
        Freshman        39      22%
        Sophomore       38      21%
        Junior          48      27%
        Senior          55      31%
        Total           180

5. At what point during your undergraduate/university career did you decide
to become an archivist?
        Freshman        5       3%
        Sophomore       7       4%
        Junior          12      6%
        Senior          38      19%
        Graduate Sch    136     69%
        Total           198

6. In which of the following age brackets do you belong?
        20-29           40      18%
        30-39           80      36%
        40-49           54      24%
        50-59           40      18%
        60-69           9       4%
        70 and up       0
        Total           223

7. My highest degree earned is
        High school diploma     3       1%
        Bachelors               30      13%
        Masters                 179     80%
        Doctorate               11      5%
        Total                   223

NOTE: The following question was intended to find out how many years total a
respondent had worked in the archival field

8.My work experience in cumulative years is
        0-3             49      22%
        4-6             48      22%
        7-10            30      145
        10-14           29      13%
        15-19           20      9%
        20 and up       46      21%
        Total           222

9. I believe that the various professional archives associations...promote
awareness of the profession
        Strongly agree                  2       1%
        Agree                           46      21%
        Neither Agree/Disagree          65      29%
        Disagree                        101     45%
        Strongly Disagree               9       4%
        Total                           223

10. I am a member of the Academy of Certified Archivists
        Yes             37      17%
        No              185     83%
        Total           222

11. When you tell a stranger that you are an archivist, do they know what an
archivist is?
        Yes             21      10%
        No              194     90%
        Total           215

12. The general public believes that archives are cold, musty, dusty places
that hold old records.
        Strongly agree          28      13%
        Agree                   137     62%
        Neither Agree/Disagree  41      18%
        Disagree                16      7%
        Strongly disagree       0
        total                   222

13. I have been with my current organization
        0-3             114     51%
        4-6             34      15%
        7-10            28      13%
        11-15           15      7%
        16-19           7       3%
        20 or more      20      9%
        unemployed      5       2%
        Total           223

14. Newspaper stories accurately portray what an archives is
        Strongly disagree       15      7%
        Disagree                98      44%
        Neither Agree/Disagree  77      35%
        Agree                   33      15%
        Strongly Agree          0
        Total                   223



15. I live in the following region
        New England             20      9%
        Mid-Atlantic            44      20%
        Southeast               28      13%
        Southwest               28      13%
        Rocky Mtns              12      5%
        Midwest         41      18%
        Plains States           6       3%
        Pacific Coast Region    8       4%
        Other                   16      7%
        Total                   224
NOTE: The Other category had some interesting results and here they are

North Carolina to be specific
Texas!
Virginia
South Texas
Australia
Australia
South Africa
Scotland, UK
Washington DC
Texas
Europe, France

5 others checked "Other" but did not provide a location.

Peter A. Kurilecz CRM, CA
Manager, Records Management Group
Woodside Summit Group Inc
Midlothian, Virginia
Office: 804-744-1247 x23
Fax: 804-744-4947
mailto:peter.kurilecz@woodsidesummitgroup.com

A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to listserv@listserv.muohio.edu
      In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
                    *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu

Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html

Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>