originally submitted to MedLib 6-14-00 by Robin Braun <braunr@empirehealth.org>

MLA is committed to its Benchmarking Network. We are now in Phase 1, which will end after 100 MLA institutional members complete the Beta version of the Benchmarking Database. One hundred participants will give MLA a statistically valid sample to test the questions and their format. Before we proceed to a national effort, our instrument must be clear and its definitions known and understood. The data must be available and useful. No vital data must be left out.

To satisfy those conditions, a thoughtful and critical review of the survey by MLA members is needed. The best way to evaluate a survey is to take it. Please go to the MLA website
< http://www.mlanet.org> and enter the member section. Benchmark Network Phase 1 is easy to find. Go in and complete the survey.

REMEMBER THIS IS A BETA VERSION AND BENCHMARKING DATA WILL NOT BE GENERATED FROM THESE RESPONSES!!!

If you have questions or problems, use the Comments area lavishly! We are trying to de-bug the product now and no suggestion is TOO TRIVIAL. Please share your comments with me as well, <mailto:braunr@empirehealth.org> , so I can forward them to the Benchmarking Content Team. Right now the survey has 5 parts: Institutional & Library Profile (single or system); administrative questionnaire; Public Services questionnaire; Special Services questionnaire; and Technical Services questionnaire. The website will save your survey as a work-in-progress" and only submit when you're ready.

Join with other MLA members and add your data to the MLA Benchmarking Network.