The Survey of Reading & Leisure Practices of
Multilingual Library Patrons
Call for Participants
conducting a research study about reading and leisure practices of multilingual library patrons. The
study is conducted by Dr. Keren Dali (keren.dali@du.edu).
If you’d like to share your views and experience, we welcome your participation in this anonymous
survey. You’re invited to take part in this survey if you:
• are 18 years of age or older;
• live in the U.S.;
• speak one or more of the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, or Spanish
(the largest overlapping language groups served by participating libraries); and
• choose to read for leisure or to pursue culture and entertainment activities in one or more of the
languages mentioned above (either exclusively or in addition to English).
If you’re interested in participating, the survey is available in the following languages: English; Arabic,
Chinese; French; Haitian Creole; and Spanish. It is available both online and in print.
The following library branches also have a limited number of print questionnaires in community
languages:
• Rawlings Library
Your voice is important for helping public libraries become more inclusive spaces and design more
diverse, accessible, and equitable services, programs, and collections. To learn more about this study,
click on the survey links above or look for a print questionnaire in the designated branches.
Below is the researcher’s contact information:
Dr. Keren Dali: keren.dali@du.edu; Tel: 303-871-7923
Morgridge College of Education, University of Denver, 1999 E. Evans Ave., Denver, CO 80208
This study has been approved by the University of Denver Institutional Review Board.
This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services
Title: The Survey of Reading Practices of Multilingual Readers
Survey: You are invited to participate in this anonymous survey that examines the culture, leisure, and reading practices of multilingual library patrons. For the purposes of this survey, multilingual patrons are community members who prefer to use information and engage in leisure and cultural activities in languages other than English either exclusively or primarily. This survey is part of the larger study that collects data to enhance the capacity of public library staff to serve multilingual communities in culturally and linguistically sensitive areas, such as leisure reading and cultural programming. In addition to the study of multilingual library patrons we will later conduct the study of library staff
who serve multilingual patrons. The collected data will be used to provide recommendations for improving collections and library staff training, and for helping library staff to study their communities in the future.
Purpose: This survey explores the culture, leisure, and reading of multilingual library patrons in their countries of origin and in the U.S. It is intended to better understand these practices and the interactions of multilingual patrons with public libraries and other community and cultural agencies. The description below pertains only to this survey. No direct benefits will accrue to participants for participation in this survey; however the collected data will help us enhance the capacity of public library staff to serve multilingual communities irrespective of their knowledge of world
languages and improve our understanding of multilingual library patrons in the context of cultural and reading practices in their countries of origin.
Who can participate: You’re eligible to take part in this survey if you:
• are 18 years of age or older;
• live in the U.S.;
• speak one or more of the following languages either exclusively or in addition to English: Arabic, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, or Spanish (those are the largest overlapping language groups served by participating libraries); and
• choose to read for leisure or to pursue culture and entertainment activities in one or more of the languages mentioned above.
What we ask you to do: We ask you to respond to the anonymous survey questionnaire that should take about 20-25 minutes to complete. The survey includes multiple-choice questions; short-answer questions; and a few open-ended questions (with write-in boxes). The survey is made available to you through your public library branch in a stamped envelope addressed to the researcher’s institutional address.
Who conducts the survey? This research is conducted by Dr. Keren Dali, Morgridge College of Education, University of Denver). This project is made possible in part by the Institute of Museum & Library Services (IMLS). This study has been approved by the University of Denver Institutional Review Board. Consent to Participate in this Survey: If you decide to participate, please understand that your participation is voluntary, and you have the right to withdraw and discontinue participation at any time. The alternative is not to participate. If you decide to participate, please complete the following survey. Your completion of this survey indicates your consent to participate in this research study. No benefits will accrue to you for answering the survey, but your responses will be used to benefit public library staff serving multilingual patrons in culturally and linguistically sensitive areas, such as leisure reading and cultural programming. The survey will expand our understanding of culture, reading, and leisure practices of multilingual library patrons. Any discomfort or inconvenience to you is
minimal, and risks associated with your participation in the study are not expected to be any greater than anything you encounter in everyday life. Your survey responses will be entered into an Excel spreadsheet for further data processing (i.e., they will be digitized). The print questionnaires will be stored in the researcher’s institutional office under lock and key and destroyed when the study findings are published. Only the researcher and her assistants will have access to the survey data. The digitized survey data will be shared among the research team members through the University of Denver institutional OneDrive. No research data, albeit anonymized, will be shared via email, and no
copies of research data will be made on portable devices (e.g., USB drives). If you decide to participate, you are free to stop at any time; you may also skip questions if you don't want to answer some of them. We are careful to avoid any identifiable information. However, should we notice something that can potentially identify an individual or a library, this information will be removed or replaced in data reporting. Please feel free to tell other members of your community about this survey. The data will be reported in aggregate. In the future, this survey data will only be used to supplement the data from the survey of library staff that will follow this study as described in the first paragraph of this page. No other future use of this data will take place.
Compensation: While we cannot provide financial compensation to every individual who participated in this survey, you are free to enter a draw for a chance to win a $100 Amazon e-gift card. When the study is completed, we will randomly draw 10 email addresses and send the winners e-gift cards via email. If you want to enter the draw ONLY WITH YOUR EMAIL address and no other personal information, please email MCE.MultilingualLibrary@du.edu and tell us that you’d like to enter a draw for participation in the reader survey. This will allow you to keep your survey responses anonymous because we will not be able to link your personal information to your completed questionnaire.
However, you will no longer be anonymous to the research team, especially if your email contains your real name. If you choose to enter the draw, please understand that it may de-anonymize you as a participant. Your survey responses will remain anonymous in either case.
Please feel free to ask questions regarding this study. You may contact Dr. Keren Dali (Morgridge College of Education, University of Denver) if you have additional questions at keren.dali@du.edu or 303-871-7923.
If you are not satisfied with how this study is being conducted, or if you have any concerns, complaints, or general questions about the research or your rights as a participant, please contact the University of Denver Institutional Review Board (IRB) to speak to someone independent of the research team at (303)-871-2121, or email at IRBAdmin@du.edu.