1.4 Interviewing tips and sample questionnaires

Tips for conducting interviews

• Arrange the interview in advance and explain the purpose of the interview.
• Find out about the person or people you are interviewing in advance, if possible - the type of work they do, and what subjects they are interested in.
• Write down a list of questions, allowing space between questions to write down people’s responses. A tick or one-word answer will help your interview flow.
• Think of an opening statement explaining why you are asking these questions, such as: ‘We are planning to set up a resource centre for … and want to ensure that it provides services that you will find useful’.
• Keep interviews brief but cover enough to serve the purpose (30 minutes).
• Finish by thanking the person and saying that when you have completed the interviews and analysed the results, you will distribute a summary of the main points.

1.4.1 Information needs assessment questionnaire (example)

The following questions can be used for focus group discussions, individual interviews or questionnaires. Possible answers to some are listed. It sometimes helps to use these to prompt people. If you use a questionnaire, list possible answers with a ‘tick box’ beside them, so that people only need to tick a box.

1a. Please tell us briefly about the work that you do.

For example, activities and tasks, people you provide services to (your target audience)

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

1b. Please tell us briefly about the main health problems (morbidity and mortality) in your area.

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

2a. Where do you currently get information?

• government departments
• NGOs
• mass media
• public libraries
• other (please specify)

____________________________________________________________

2b. Is there a resource centre or library where you have found information that is useful to you? 

• yes 
• no

If yes, where is it?

____________________________________________________________

3. What subjects do you need information about and would you like to see contained in the proposed resource centre?

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

4. Which of the subjects you listed above are most important?

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

5a. What type of information would be useful, and what would be the priority?

• books
• training materials
• journals
• newsletters
• videos
• other (please specify)

____________________________________________________________

5b. How might you use the different types of information?

• self-learning/awareness
• teaching/training
• working with the community
• planning activities
• other (please specify)

____________________________________________________________

5c. What balance would you like between printed materials and audiovisual materials?

____________________________________________________________

6. What language(s) would you like materials to be in?

____________________________________________________________

7. What geographical focus would be most useful?

• local
• national
• regional and/or international (please specify)

____________________________________________________________

8. What services should the resource centre provide?

• lending
• current awareness (informing users of newly received materials)
• resource lists
• photocopying
• advice on useful resources
• other (please specify)

____________________________________________________________

9. What equipment and teaching aids would you find useful?

• video player
• slide projector
• overhead project
• duplicating machine
• photocopier
• other (please specify)

____________________________________________________________

10a. Where would you like the resource centre to be located? 

10b. When would you like the resource centre to be open

11. Are there any other issues that we should take into consideration?

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

1.4.2 Questionnaire for other organisations that provide information

On the next page is a sample questionnaire for other organisations that provide information. You may need to change parts of it to suit your needs, such as the categories listed under the question, ‘Who uses the information in your resource centre?’

Remember to include an introductory paragraph, explaining why you are asking people to complete the questionnaire. It is also useful to include a date by which you would like the questionnaire to be returned. Remember to include the address for returning the questionnaire.

Questionnaire for information providers (example)

We are planning to set up a resource centre, and we are currently assessing the information needs of people who will use it. As part of this needs assessment, we are carrying out a survey of other organisations that provide information. Your answers to this questionnaire will help us to ensure that the new resource centre will not duplicate existing services.

We would be very grateful if you could complete this questionnaire and return it by [add date] to: [add your name and address].

2. Resource centre

a. Briefly describe the role of the resource centre and its main activities.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

b. Is anyone responsible for information activities?
If yes, please give job title, experience and how much time is allocated to information-related activities.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

3. Collection size and content

a. How many materials are in the resource centre? _______________________

b. What are the main subject areas? _____________________________________

c. What formats do you collect?

• books
• journals/newsletters
• videos
• CD-ROMs
• slides
• posters
• others (please list) _______________________________________________

d. What gaps exist in the information collection?
Please specify type, e.g. reference material, language, format (book,
manual etc), educational level.
__________________________________________________________________

4. Information sources and use

a. What other resource centres exist locally?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

b. What organisations, nationally, regionally and internationally, do you
get information from?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

c. Who uses the information in your resource centre?

• teachers/trainers
• hospital workers
• community health workers
• community groups
• others (please specify) ____________________________________________

d. How is the information used?

• teaching and training
• share with colleagues
• personal reference
• basis for developing own materials
• research
• problem-solving (give examples if possible)
• other (please specify) _____________________________________________

5. Organisation of information

a. How do you store your information materials?

• in box files
• organised on shelves
• heaped on shelves
• no organised order
• other (please specify) _____________________________________________

b. If your information is organised, what classification scheme do you use?
Please give details or attach an example.
__________________________________________________________________

c. What systems for processing and accessing the information have been
developed?

• card catalogue
• computer database
• database on website
• other (please specify) _____________________________________________

6. Information services

What are the main information services offered by your resource centre?

• lending
• current awareness (informing users of newly received materials)
• resource lists
• photocopying
• advice on useful materials
• Internet
• e-mail
• CD-ROM
• other (please specify) ________________________________________________

7. Access

a. How accessible is the resource centre to users (steps, layout, narrow
corridors)?
__________________________________________________________________

b. What are the resource centre's opening hours?
__________________________________________________________________

c. Is it easily accessible (for example, is it near public transport)?
__________________________________________________________________

d. How are the shelves laid out (in rows, or round the edge of the room)?
__________________________________________________________________

Thank you for completing this questionnaire