Dear ARLIS/NA community,

You are invited to participate in the Census of Art Information Professionals. Please click on the link below to participate:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/artcensus

This survey represents the first attempt by ARLIS/NA to survey the demographic makeup of the art information profession, and to gather data not collected by our annual membership forms. The survey should take between 15-20 minutes to complete.

Background:

Census reports indicate that the demographics in North America are changing. In response, many organizations have conducted demographic surveys in the library and museum professions to examine diversity trends in our professions in comparison to the communities we serve. Examples of such studies include the following:

• American Libraries Association: Diversity Counts

• American Alliance of Museums: Demographic Transformation and the Future of Museums

• Association for Research Libraries: Changing Demographics of Research Libraries: Trends and Implications

• Music Library Association: Survey of Personnel Characteristics

• Society of American Archivists: A*CENSUS

• Higher Education Arts Data Services Project

• Andrew Mellon Foundation and Association of Art Museum Directors: Art Museum Staff Demographic Survey

Results and Anticipated Impact:

The results of the survey will provide ARLIS/NA with a snapshot of the current characteristics of the art information profession, and will be made available in aggregate form on the ARLIS/NA website. This information will provide benchmarks that the organization can use for assessment, and it will prove enlightening in determining future strategic initiatives for the Society, such as recruitment and diversity initiatives. We also hope it will help current librarians articulate needs to their administrations.

Privacy:

Every effort has been taken to protect your privacy and to ensure that your responses will be kept confidential. This project has been approved by the Institutional Review Board of Miami University on behalf of ARLIS/NA. Further details are included in the Informed Consent form, which is embedded in the first page of the survey. No data will be collected without your informed consent.

Questions:

If you have any questions regarding the survey, please do not hesitate to contact Stacy Brinkman at [log in to unmask] or 513-529-6650.

Please distribute:

This survey is being distributed to the ARLIS-L, VRA, AASL, and ACRL-Arts listservs. Please feel free to distribute to other individuals or groups involved in the art information profession.

Thank you very much for your participation!

The ARLIS/NA Census of Art Information Professionals Task Force

Stacy Brinkman ([log in to unmask]), PI and Chair

Jon Evans ([log in to unmask])

Billy Kwan ([log in to unmask])

Lily Pregill ([log in to unmask])