Academic Librarians and Academic Freedom Survey Questions

Consent Form

Q28. Experience of Academic Freedom in Libraries Consent Form     The goal of this research is to learn more about academic library workers’ experiences with and opinions about academic freedom. As a participant, my participation will include responding to a short survey and will take approximately 10 minutes total. The survey will include questions about my position in the workplace, my social identity, and my experiences of academic freedom. I will also be asked if I would like to participate in an interview, to be conducted at a later date and separate from the survey. My participation in the study is strictly voluntary, and that there will be no penalty if I decide not to participate, or to discontinue participating, which I may do at any time.     The researchers do not believe there are any risks to participants of this study, other than through a breach of confidentiality. The researchers will follow all institutional and governmental policies and best practices for securing the research data and ensuring confidentiality of participants. Participants will not be named or associated with identifying information in the published results. There are no benefits to the researchers from my taking part in this research; however, my participation will contribute to the professional knowledge on this topic.     By proceeding to take this survey, I agree to participate in the Experience of Academic Freedom in Libraries study to be conducted by Danya Leebaw and Alexis Logsdon. I understand that my name will only be recorded if I volunteer to be interviewed and that I will provide additional verbal consent at that time, which will be documented. I may decline to answer any question or withdraw from the survey or interview at any time without consequence. No means of identifying me will be provided to any future researcher in any event.      

For questions about this research, you may contact:  
-       Danya Leebaw, Director of Social Sciences and Professional Programs, at the University of Minnesota Libraries, 612-625-3814 or leeba005@umn.edu  
-       Alexis Logsdon, Research and Instruction Librarian, Fine Arts and Humanities, DeWitt Wallace Library, Macalester College, 651-696-6502 or alogsdon@macalester.edu     

This research has been reviewed and approved by an IRB within the Human Research Protections Program (HRPP) at the University of Minnesota. To share feedback privately with the HRPP about your research experience, call the Research Participants’ Advocate Line at 612-625-1650 or go to https://research.umn.edu/units/hrpp/research-participants/questions-concerns. You are encouraged to contact the HRPP if:  
● Your questions, concerns, or complaints are not being answered by the research team.  
● You cannot reach the research team.  
● You want to talk to someone besides the research team.  
● You have questions about your rights as a research participant.  
● You want to get information or provide input about this research.

I provide my consent.  (1) 
I do not consent to this survey.  (2) 

Library identity questions
Q1. Do you currently work in any capacity in an academic library?
Yes  (1) 
No  (2) 

Q2. Please describe your workplace classification. 
Yes (1)  No (2)  Unsure (3)
Did your position require an MLIS or equivalent degree? (1) 
Are you a unionized employee? (2) 
Are you faculty or “faculty-like” in your status? (3) 
Are you exempt from labor laws? (4) 
Are you in a supervisory role over other staff (not just students)? (5)

Q4.	How would you describe your function and/or department in the library? (Select all that apply)
a.	Reference and/or Instruction  (1) 
b.	Circulation and/or Public Services  (2) 
c.	Technical Services (including Acquisitions and Collection Development)  (3) 
d.	Archives and/or Special Collections  (4) 
e.	Administration  (5) 
f.	Facilities  (6) 
g.	Information Technology, Digital Scholarship, or Data Services  (7) 
h. Other (please describe)  (8) ________________________________________________

Q5.	How would you characterize the institution in which you work? (Select one)
a. Community college or trade school, public  (1) 
b. Trade school, private, non-profit  (2) 
c. Trade school, private, for-profit  (3) 
d. 4-year college, private, non-profit  (4) 
e. 4-year college, private, for-profit  (5) 
f. 4-year college, public  (6) 
g. University (master’s and/or doctoral-granting), private, non-profit  (7) 
h. University (master’s and/or doctoral-granting), private, for-profit  (8) 
i. University (master’s and/or doctoral-granting), public  (9) 
j. Other, please describe:  (10) ________________________________________________

Academic Freedom Questions

Q7. My institution has a policy about academic freedom (select one):
Yes  (1) 
No  (2) 
Unsure  (3) 

Q9. Is academic freedom important to you?
Not at all  (1) 
Somewhat  (2) 
Very  (3) 

Q10 
Please answer the following with regards to your protections for academic freedom. "I feel protected to freely express myself..."
Never (1)	Sometimes (2)	    Usually (3)	 All of the time (4)	N/A or Unsure (5)

Q10_1 When questioning workplace policies and procedures. 
Q10_2.  In my day-to-day interactions with faculty. 
Q10_3. In my day-to-day interactions with students. 
Q10_4. In my day-to-day interactions with coworkers in the library and other staff. 
Q10_5. When participating in non-library on-campus activities and organizations, whether or not related to my library role. 
Q10_6. When participating in off-campus activities and organizations. 
Q10_7 When expressing my views on social media, when my identity is known. 
Q10_8. In my research and publishing activities. 
Q10_9. In my various instruction activities, including consultations, virtual instruction (incl. research guides), and classroom teaching. 
Q10_10. In my cataloging and technical service activities. 
Q10_11. In my collection development decisions. 
Q10_12. In my programming decisions, including hosting and promoting speakers and conducting outreach on campus. 


Q11 Please answer the following with regards to your experiences of academic freedom. I have experienced the following infringements on my academic freedom, by anyone at my current or previous institution(s):
Yes (1) No (2) N/A or Unsure (3)

Q11_1. Directed to change instruction, reference, or other aspect of work. 
Q11_2. Formally penalized for questioning an institutional policy or decision, or otherwise questioning my superiors (e.g., demoted, reprimanded, written up, or fired). 
Q11_3. Informally penalized for questioning an institutional policy or decision, or otherwise questioning my superiors (e.g., scolded, experienced hostility, shut out of decision-making, lost opportunities for advancement, etc). 
Q11_4. Asked or directed not to participate in a particular activity or organization.


Q13. Please answer the following with regards to your experiences of academic freedom. "I have felt silenced by..." 
Yes (1) No (2) N/A or Unsure (3) 

Q13_1. Complaints from the public to my institution about my academic activities and beliefs. 
Q13_2. Complaints from the public to my institution about my non-academic activities and beliefs. 
Q13_3. Complaints from colleagues, students, or staff about my academic activities and beliefs. 
Q13_4. Complaints from colleagues, students, or staff about my non-academic activities and beliefs. 
Q13_5. Threats and harassment from the public due to social media presence, posts, and online activities. 
Q13_6. Threats and harassment from coworkers, students, faculty, or others on my campus. 
Q13_7. Fear that my ethnic, gender, sexual, religious, or other identity will put me at personal risk of verbal or physical violence. 
Q13_8. Fear that speaking up within or outside of work will hurt my career or jeopardize my employment status. 
Q13_9. Fear that speaking up within or outside of work could jeopardize my personal safety.


Q14. Please describe the effect these experiences have had on you. You may skip this question if you have not had any experiences above (or for any reason). "This/these experience(s) has/have affected my..."
Not at all or N/A (1)	Somewhat (2)	Significantly (3)

Q14_1. Mental well-being 
Q14_2. Physical well-being 
Q14_3. Motivation and engagement at work 
Q14_4. Ability to adequately do my job
Q14_5. Relationships with coworkers and students 
Q14_6. Sense that I belong in this position
Q14_7. Sense that I belong in this profession


Social Identity Questions

Q15. What is your gender identity?  (select all that apply)
Woman  (1) 
Man  (2) 
Transgender  (3) 
Non-binary  (4) 
Genderqueer/gender non-conforming  (5) 
Other  (6) ________________________________________________
Prefer not to respond  (7) 

Q16. With which sexual orientation do you identify? (select all that apply)
Asexual  (1) 
Bisexual  (2) 
Gay  (3) 
Heterosexual  (4) 
Lesbian  (5) 
Pansexual  (6) 
Queer  (7) 
Questioning or unsure  (8) 
An identity not listed, self-identify  (9) ________________________________________________
Prefer not to respond  (10) 

Q17. With which race/ethnicity do you identify? (select all that apply)
African American or Black  (1) 
American Indian or Alaska Native  (2) 
Asian American or Asian  (3) 
Hispanic or Latino  (4) 
Middle Eastern  (5) 
Pacific Islander  (6) 
White or Caucasian  (7) 
Other(s)  (8) ________________________________________________
Prefer not to respond  (9) 

Q18. We realize that the racial/ethnic category you selected encompasses many different nationalities. If you are interested in sharing more, please describe your nationality (i.e. Armenian, Cuban, Vietnamese)
________________________________________________________________

Q27. What is your religious identification?
Agnostic/Atheist or None  (1) 
Christian of any denomination (e.g. Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran, Presbyterian, etc.)  (2) 
Buddhist  (3) 
Hindu  (4) 
Jewish  (5) 
Muslim  (6) 
Other(s)  (7) ________________________________________________
Prefer not to respond  (8) 

Q19. Do you identify as someone with a disability or impairment?
Yes  (1) 
No  (2) 
Unsure  (3) 
Prefer not to respond  (4) 

Q20. What is your age?
18-34  (1) 
35-54  (2) 
55+  (3) 
Prefer not to respond  (4) 

Q21. Which of the following most accurately describes your background?
My parents/legal guardians and I were born in the U.S.  (1) 
I was born in the U.S.; one parent/guardian was not.  (2) 
I was born in the U.S.; both my parents/guardians were not.  (3) 
Foreign-born naturalized citizen.  (4) 
Permanent legal resident.  (5) 
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)  (6) 
Refugee status  (7) 
Prefer not to respond  (8) 
Other status  (9) 

Q22. What is your household income?
Less than $20,000  (1) 
$20,000 to $34,000  (2) 
$35,000 to $49,000  (3) 
$50,000 to $74,999  (4) 
$75,000 to $99,999  (5) 
Over $100,000  (6) 
Prefer not to respond  (7) 

Q23. How many months income do you have saved to carry you and your family if you were to lose your job?
Less than one.  (1) 
1-3 months.  (2) 
3-6 months but no more than 6.  (3) 
More than 6 months.  (4) 
Prefer not to respond.  (5) 

Q24. Are you the primary financial provider for your household?
Yes  (1) 
No  (2) 
Sometimes  (3) 
Prefer not to respond  (4) 

Q25. With whom do you primarily live? (check all that apply)
I live alone.  (1) 
With a spouse or partner.  (2) 
With a child or children.  (3) 
With other relatives.  (4) 
With non-related roommates.  (5) 
Prefer not to respond.  (6) 

Comments and Further Participation

Q26. Do you have other thoughts about academic freedom you'd like to share today? Please use the box below. (Maximum characters: 1000)
________________________________________________________________


Q29. Would you be willing to be contacted by the researchers for a short (approximately 30 minutes) follow-up interview to further discuss the issues raised in this survey?                   
We will make every effort to keep interview participants anonymous by de-identifying responses in our data and using pseudonyms in our publications.
Yes, my name and email is  (1) ________________________________________________
No, thank you.  (2)