How Do I Participate in the SPEC Survey Program?

To propose a SPEC survey topic, submit a brief written proposal that includes an overview of the topic as well as a discussion of why it is important to examine the topic at this time. Prospective authors are expected to have conducted some preliminary literature review of the proposed topic and also to be familiar with the SPEC Kit format. Proposals should be e-mailed to Lee Anne George, ARL Publications Program Officer.

The process to complete a SPEC Kit— from drafting the survey to publication— takes approximately a year. ARL staff and the author establish a timeline for each project. Typically, survey authors work on their drafts over the summer, polish them in the fall, and work with ARL staff to get the surveys ready for posting on the Web in January/February after the ALA Midwinter conference. The six surveys are posted one after the other into the spring, authors analyze their data and begin submitting draft SPEC Kits soon after that, and the final SPEC Kits begin to be published in June/July and continue at the rate of about one a month through December. ARL offers guest authors a small honorarium for their contribution to the program.

What Steps are Involved in Completing a SPEC Kit?

Step 1

Once a topic has been approved, the author, in conjunction with ARL staff, prepares a short, concise survey for distribution to the SPEC Survey Liaisons. Each survey includes an introduction outlining its purpose followed by 15–20 questions. Authors are asked to keep surveys short to facilitate higher return rates and minimize the time needed by library staff to complete a response.

Step 2

ARL staff design the Web survey response form, announce the new survey, collect and tabulate the responses, gather the representative documentation from respondents, and deliver a package of data and documentation to the author. The author compiles the literature review and selects representative Web sites.

Step 3

The author analyzes the survey results, drafts the executive summary, organizes the survey results, and selects the best documentation for inclusion in the SPEC Kit.

The executive summary includes an overview of the topic, analysis of the survey results, and a brief examination of any noted issues or trends. This summary is both an introduction to the printed SPEC Kit and a stand-alone document on the ARL Web site.

The survey results section presents the original survey questions and tabulations of responses, along with other summary data. Tables and charts can be used to organize the responses as appropriate.

The representative documents section includes the author’s selection of the most useful documentation that was submitted by survey respondents. The author organizes the documents in the order they will appear in the SPEC Kit and indicates which institution submitted each document.

Step 4

The author sends the first draft of the complete SPEC Kit to the ARL Publications Program Officer for editing and production. A complete SPEC Kit consists of the executive summary, survey results, literature review, list of relevant Web sites, and original copies of representative documentation. When all of the pieces are assembled, the SPEC Kit should be about 100 to120 pages and no more than 200 pages. ARL staff and the author work collaboratively to edit the text and review the representative documentation. Occasionally, follow-up with survey respondents is necessary.

All material prepared by the author should be submitted in electronic format, preferably as e-mail attachments. Formatting of the executive summary, survey results, list of responding institutions, literature review, and Web resources is performed by ARL staff, as is layout of the representative documentation and creation of the table of contents.

When the final draft is ready, ARL staff work with the printer to publish the completed SPEC Kit. Upon publication, ARL staff send a complimentary copy and an honorarium to the author. All survey data and documentation are stored at ARL.

Who Do I Contact for More Information?

Lee Anne George
Publications Program Officer
Association of Research Libraries
21 Dupont Circle, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20036
ph: (202) 296-2296
fax: (202) 872-0884
e-mail: leeanne@arl.org