The webinar
After the webinar, a standard evaluation was conducted, focusing on participants’ satisfaction with the organization and materials provided during the webinar. Considering that citizen science is a relatively unfamiliar concept in Croatian libraries, the evaluation was expanded with additional questions related to citizen science. The evaluation was conducted via a questionnaire using Google Forms.
Completing evaluation questionnaires was not mandatory, meaning obtaining participation certificates was not dependent on completing the questionnaire. As a result, the total number of completed evaluation forms is lower than the total number of participants.
Besides providing insight into the quality of the webinar content itself, the research aims to explore librarians’ attitudes towards implementing citizen science in libraries.
The main research questions were:
RQ1: RQ2:
The purpose of the research was to analyse the opinions of librarians in Croatia regarding the webinar
The method used for the research was a survey, with the technique being a questionnaire set up in an online format using Google Forms. The questionnaire was sent by CSSU to the personal addresses of all participants of the
The survey was completed by librarians of various educational levels, with varying levels of professional experience and of different types of libraries, along with a few students. The questionnaire consisted of 19 questions in three sections: general information, evaluation of the webinar, opinion on citizen science in libraries. As for the types of questions, the majority of the questionnaire consisted of closed-ended questions, including 9 single-choice questions and 8 Likert scale questions. The questionnaire also included 2 open-ended questions in the form of short answers.
The results of the first part of the survey relate to the standard CSSU questionnaire sent to participants of all webinars organized by CSSU. In this way, CSSU learns about the level of acceptance of individual webinars by participants, and any other information that can help reshape existing and design new webinars. The first question investigated the years of experience in librarianship, and the responses are found in
Overview of years of experience in librarianship.
An approximately 22.3% of respondents reported having 16–20 years of experience in the field, followed by those with 0–5 years of experience, comprising 20.5%, of the respondents. There was a notable decrease in the number of respondents with 21–25 years of experience, accounting for only 11.7% of the total. Additionally, there were smaller percentages of respondents with 6–10 years (14.2%), 11–15 years (17.8%), 26–30 years (6.3%), and more than 30 years (6.3%) of experience in librarianship. Finally, only 0.9% of respondents indicated that they do not work in a library.
The second question pertained highest attained professional qualification (
Overview of highest attained professional qualification.
In Croatian librarianship, there are several levels of librarianship. The lowest level is a Library Technician, while the highest is a Library Consultant. The third question explored the professional titles of the participants (
Overview of the respondents professional title.
The largest proportion of respondents, (60.5%), identified themselves as Librarians. Library Assistant accounted for 10.5% of the respondents, while Senior Librarian were reported by 10.2% of respondents. Library Technicians were reported by 6.3% of the respondents, and Library Consultants accounted for 4.2% of the sample. Other professional titles, such as Senior Library Technicians, Students, and those categorized as “Other”, represented smaller proportions of the surveyed population.
Croatia hosts numerous types of libraries, and it was interesting to see which types of libraries the majority of participants come from. The results received are presented in the
Overview of library types in which respondents are employed.
| Q: In what type of library do you work? | ||
|---|---|---|
| Respondents | Percentage | |
| School library | 111 | 33.5% |
| Public library | 128 | 38.7% |
| University library | 39 | 11.8% |
| Special library | 20 | 6% |
| Research library | 8 | 2.4% |
| National and University library in Zagreb | 15 | 4.5% |
| Archive employee | 2 | 0.6% |
| Museum employee | 1 | 0.3% |
| Student | 1 | 0.3% |
| Other | 7 | 2.1% |
The largest proportion of respondents, comprising approximately 38.7%, indicated working in public libraries, showcasing a substantial representation within the surveyed group. School libraries were also well-represented, with 33.5% of respondents. University libraries accounted for 11.8% of the respondents, while special libraries and the National and University Library in Zagreb represented 6% and 4.5% of the sample, respectively. Research libraries were reported by 2.4% of the respondents, whereas employees from archives and museums each constituted less than 1% of the surveyed population. Finally, a small proportion of respondents identified themselves as Students or categorized their workplace under “Other”.
In the following question, we examined the rating of quality of the webinar content, and the results are presented in the
Overview of quality ratings for webinar content.
A significant majority of respondents, approximately 78.6%, rated the content as Excellent, Additionally, around 19% of respondents rated the content as Good. Only a small proportion of respondents, approximately 2.4%, rated the content as Fair, indicating some room for improvement but still indicating a generally positive perception.
In webinars, it is crucial how presentation materials are displayed, as they should be able to maintain participants’ attention for extended periods. Therefore, CSSU always checks whether participants are satisfied with the presentation materials, and for the webinar
Overview of the ranking of presentation material quality.
A significant majority of respondents, approximately 86.1%, rated the presentation materials as Excellent. Additionally, around 12.3% of respondents rated the materials as Good, indicating a favourable perception overall. Only a small proportion of respondents, approximately 1.5%, rated the materials as Fair.
Also, the likelihood of how applicable the learned content can be in the workplace was investigated, and the results are presented in the
Overview of the likelihood of applying course content in the workplace.
A significant majority of respondents, comprising approximately 70.1%, expressed high confidence in applying the course content in their workplace, with 36.1% indicating that they can definitely apply it and 33.7% stating that they can probably apply it. Additionally, around 25.6% of respondents mentioned the possibility of applying the content, while only a small percentage (4.5%) indicated uncertainty or reluctance in applying the course material. Specifically, 3.3% of respondents stated that they probably will not apply it, and 1.2% mentioned that they definitely will not apply it.
In the following question, respondents were asked to rate the lecturer. They could choose a rating ranging from excellent to very poor, and the results are presented in the
Overview of respondents ratings for the educator.
Approximately 93.1% of respondents rated the lecturer as Excellent. Additionally, around 6.3% of respondents rated the lecturer as Good. Approximately 0.6%, rated the lecturer as Fair, suggesting minor areas for improvement but still indicating a generally positive perception.
The CSSU aimed to assess the success of the webinar organization by having participants rate the quality of the organization, as presented in the
Overview of respondents ratings for the webinar organization.
Approximately 91.3% of respondents rated the organization of the webinar as Excellent. Additionally, around 7.8% of respondents rated the organization as Good, Approximately 0.9%, rated the organization as Fair.
CSSU announced the
Overview of channels where respondents found out about the webinar.
Majority of respondents (51.8%), discovered the webinar through CSSU electronic newsletters. Notifications from the parent office also played a significant role, with 36.7% of respondents indicating this as their source of information. A smaller proportion of respondents, around 6.9%, found out about the webinar directly on the CSSU website. Additionally, a few respondents (3.3%), learned about the webinar from colleagues, while an insignificant number mentioned discovering it on social media or through other means.
CSSU is an important part of lifelong education for librarians in Croatia, and in the following question, an attempt was made to determine whether webinar participants had also attended CSSU webinars in the past. Respondents’ answers are presented in the
Overview of whether respondents have attended webinars in the past.
A majority of respondents, approximately 96.1%, indicated that they have attended webinars before, and about 3.9%, reported not having attended webinars in the past.
In the next question, webinar participants were asked to rate how empowered they feel in terms of implementing citizen science activities in their library after attending the
Overview of the likelihood of implementing citizen science activities in respondents’ libraries.
A notable majority of respondents, accounting for approximately 79.6%, rated their level of empowerment as either Definitely (37.7%) or Probably (41.9%) in terms of implementing citizen science activities in their library after attending this webinar. Additionally, around 19.3% of respondents expressed a possibility of empowerment in this regard. Approximately 1.2%, indicated a likelihood of Probably not feeling empowered, while none reported Definitely not feeling empowered.
Afterwards, webinar participants were asked whether they would recommend the webinar to their colleagues, and their responses are presented in the
Overview of whether respondents would recommend the webinar to their colleagues.
Majority of respondents (98.8%) expressed their willingness to recommend this webinar to their colleagues. Only a small minority, approximately 1.2% of respondents, indicated that they would not recommend the webinar to their colleagues.
The final question, which pertained to the opinion of librarians regarding the content and effectiveness of the webinar, was “Please provide any additional suggestions for the webinar.” This question was not mandatory, and out of 332 participants, 87 responded, which is 26.2%. Below are selected responses that have been analysed and categorized.
Satisfaction with the webinar:
Satisfaction with the lecturer
Desire for more examples and information:
Suggestions for improvement:
These categories encompass the various sentiments and suggestions expressed by the respondents regarding the webinar.
The second part of the research involved questions beyond the standard CSSU webinar participant form. The aim was to determine the opportunities for Croatian libraries to implement citizen science and the general opinion of Croatian librarians on the topic of citizen science. Therefore, several statements were added for respondents to rate using a Likert scale. The researched statements were:
Statement a: “I am responsible for working with users in the workplace.”
Statement b: “I am responsible for handling library materials in the workplace.”
Statement c: “I have been involved in organizing events, gatherings, and activities at my library.”
Statement d: “I have experience in organizing citizen science activities/projects.”
Statement e: “I am interested in organizing and conducting citizen science activities in the future.”
Responses are presented in the
Overview of Likert ratings of statements of respondents related to citizen science.
| Q: On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means “strongly disagree” and 5 means “strongly agree”, please rate the following statements (rating of agreement) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Respondents | Percentage | |
| Statement a: “I am responsible for working with users in the workplace.” | ||
| Strongly agree | 245 | 73.7% |
| Agree | 37 | 11.1% |
| Undecided | 21 | 6.3% |
| Disagree | 9 | 2.7% |
| Strongly disagree | 20 | 6% |
| Statement b: “I am responsible for handling library materials in the workplace.” | ||
| Strongly agree | 267 | 80.4% |
| Agree | 36 | 10.8% |
| Undecided | 16 | 4.8% |
| Disagree | 6 | 1.8% |
| Strongly disagree | 7 | 2.1% |
| Statement c: “I have been involved in organizing events, gatherings, and activities at my library.” | ||
| Strongly agree | 244 | 73.4% |
| Agree | 34 | 10.2% |
| Undecided | 24 | 7.2% |
| Disagree | 15 | 4.5% |
| Strongly disagree | 15 | 4.5% |
| Statement d: “I have experience in organizing citizen science activities/projects.” | ||
| Strongly agree | 48 | 14.4% |
| Agree | 37 | 11.1% |
| Undecided | 85 | 25.6% |
| Disagree | 52 | 15.6% |
| Strongly disagree | 110 | 33.1% |
| Statement e: “I am interested in organizing and conducting citizen science activities in the future.” | ||
| Strongly interested | 136 | 40.9% |
| Interested | 100 | 30.2% |
| Undecided | 80 | 24% |
| Uninterested | 9 | 2.7% |
| Strongly uninterested | 7 | 2.1% |
A significant majority of respondents, comprising approximately 73.7%, selected the option “Strongly agree,” indicating a strong consensus among participants regarding their responsibility for working with users in their workplace. Additionally, about 11.1% of respondents chose the “Agree” option, suggesting further agreement with the statement. Approximately 6.3% of respondents were “Undecided,” indicating some uncertainty among a smaller portion of participants. A minority of respondents, around 2.7%, selected the “Disagree” option, suggesting a disagreement with the statement. Finally, about 6% of respondents chose “Strongly disagree,” indicating a strong disagreement with the notion of being responsible for working with users in the workplace.
In response to the statement, “I am responsible for handling library materials in the workplace,” a significant majority of respondents, comprising approximately 80.4%, selected the option “Strongly agree.” This suggests a strong consensus among participants regarding their responsibility for managing library materials in their workplace. Additionally, about 10.8% of respondents chose the “Agree” option, indicating further agreement with the statement. Approximately 4.8% of respondents were “Undecided,” suggesting some uncertainty among a smaller portion of participants. A minority of respondents, around 1.8%, selected the “Disagree” option, indicating a disagreement with the statement. Finally, about 2.1% of respondents chose “Strongly disagree,” indicating a strong disagreement with the notion of being responsible for handling library materials in the workplace.
Regarding the statement, “I have been involved in organizing events, gatherings, and activities at my library,” a considerable majority of respondents, totalling approximately 73.4%, strongly agreed with the statement. This indicates a significant level of involvement in organizing events among the surveyed participants. Additionally, around 10.2% of respondents chose the option “Agree,” suggesting further agreement with being involved in such activities. However, there was a notable portion of respondents who expressed uncertainty or disagreement with the statement. About 7.2% of respondents were “Undecided,” indicating some ambiguity regarding their involvement in organizing library events. Moreover, approximately 4.5% of respondents selected both the “Disagree” and “Strongly disagree” options, indicating disagreement with the statement.
Regarding the statement, “I have experience in organizing citizen science activities/projects,” the responses were diverse among the surveyed participants. Only a small proportion, approximately 14.4%, strongly agreed that they have experience in organizing citizen science activities or projects. Similarly, around 11.1% agreed with the statement, indicating some level of experience in this area. However, a significant number of respondents expressed uncertainty or disagreement with the statement. Notably, 25.6% of respondents were undecided about whether they have experience in organizing citizen science activities. Moreover, a considerable portion of respondents disagreed with the statement, with approximately 16.6% choosing the “Disagree” option and 33.1% selecting “Strongly disagree.”
Regarding the statement, “I am interested in organizing and conducting citizen science activities in the future,” the responses indicate a notable level of interest among the surveyed participants. A significant majority, approximately 40.9%, is strongly interested indicating a strong desire to organize and conduct citizen science activities in the future. Additionally, around 30.2% of respondents are interested, further highlighting a considerable level of interest in engaging with citizen science projects. Approximately 24% of respondents were undecided about their interest in organizing and conducting citizen science activities in the future. Moreover, a small proportion of respondents, comprising 2.7% who chose the “Uninterested” option and 2.1% who selected “Strongly uninterested” indicated a lack of interest in engaging with citizen science projects in the future.
Regarding the extent to which libraries are connected to various communities, respondents were asked to rate their agreement with statements related to the local community and the scientific community. The results can be seen in
Overview of respondents’ assessment of the connectivity of their libraries with local and scientific communities?
| Q: Rate the extent to which your library is connected to the following communities. (rating of agreement) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Respondents | Percentage | |
| a. Local community | ||
| Strongly agree | 121 | 36.4% |
| Agree | 104 | 31.3% |
| Undecided | 65 | 19.5% |
| Disagree | 27 | 8.1% |
| Strongly disagree | 15 | 4.5% |
| b. Scientific community | ||
| Strongly agree | 71 | 21.4% |
| Agree | 56 | 16.8% |
| Undecided | 94 | 28.3% |
| Disagree | 71 | 21.4% |
| Strongly disagree | 40 | 12% |
For the local community, the responses indicate a strong level of connection between libraries and their local communities. Approximately 36.4% of respondents strongly agreed that their library is connected to the local community, with an additional 31.3% agreeing with this statement. However, there were some respondents who expressed uncertainty or disagreement, with 19.5% undecided, 8.1% disagreeing, and 4.5% strongly disagreeing with the statement.
Concerning the scientific community, the responses suggest a somewhat lower level of connection between libraries and this community. While 21.4% of respondents strongly agreed that their library is connected to the scientific community, and 16.8% agreed, a larger proportion of respondents were undecided (28.3%) or disagreed (21.4%). Additionally, 12% of respondents strongly disagreed with the statement, indicating a notable lack of connection between libraries and the scientific community among some participants.
The final question of the survey was open-ended and optional to answer. The question was: “Please write your opinion on the role of libraries in conducting citizen science.” 120 webinar participants, or 36.1%, responded to the question. A selection of responses was analysed and categorized:
Advocacy for Citizen Science: Collaborative potential: Potential challenges: Potential opportunities
Among the participants who responded to the questionnaire, the majority has between 16 and 20 years of experience. It can be inferred that these individuals have sufficient work experience and are ready to utilize their knowledge and skills to new challenges. The proportion of participants with over 20 years of work experience gradually declines, which can be explained by a lesser interest in engaging in new activities and projects among those who have been in the profession for a longer period. This may indicate that they find it harder to keep pace with new technologies and innovations in librarianship in general, but also that they have specialized in certain areas and function as library managers, department heads, mentors, and the like.
According to the reports from CSSU’s website the majority of CSSU participants generally have a high level of education. Consequently, the largest number of participants are librarians, a professional title corresponding to the qualification of a graduate librarian obtained after passing the professional exam. Such results are expected, given that CSSU programs are primarily intended for participants with higher education backgrounds. Participants of CSSU programs receive points for professional advancement, which further motivates them to progress in their profession after passing the professional exam. The highest number of participants comes from public and school libraries. Moreover, the largest proportion of CSSU participants overall are from these two types of libraries, as indicated in the report (CSSU).
Nearly 80% of participants who completed the questionnaire rated the webinar content with the highest grade, which speaks to the excellent choice of education for librarians at the national level in Croatia. There are no dissatisfied participants; none of the respondents who filled out the evaluation questionnaires rated the webinar content as poor or very poor. The same applies to the presentation materials, which received very high ratings from participants. Regarding applicability to the workplace, just over two-thirds of participants stated that they could apply the content to their job, which underscores the usefulness of education and knowledge dissemination on this topic. Participants who stated that they probably or definitely would not apply the webinar content to their workplace (totalling 4.5%) likely attended the webinar out of a desire to learn something new or enhance their knowledge on this topic. Since the webinars are free for everyone, participants who are not directly related to the topic at their workplace often enrol to advance in their profession or to change their job.
The positive ratings given to the presenter speak to the CSSU’s good choice of collaborators when planning education sessions and provide encouragement for devising new educational programs on this or similar topic. Participants are also satisfied with the organization, confirming that the needs of the library community are being met satisfactorily. The vast majority of participants have already attended webinars, indicating that they find this method of professional development beneficial. The vast majority of participants would recommend the webinar to their colleagues, which is expected based on previous satisfaction with the education provided.
In their open feedback, participants expressed great satisfaction with the webinar content, as well as with the presenter and her method of delivering the content. They also stated a desire for more examples from Croatia, additional guidance on forming partnerships in citizen science projects, and the need for further education. Additionally, they mentioned that hosting a live workshop would be beneficial. Suggestions lean towards additional education on this topic, which CSSU will certainly take into consideration and incorporate into future plans.
In discussing the results related to the attitudes of librarians towards the implementation of citizen science in libraries, it’s evident that there is a strong consensus among participants regarding their responsibility for working with users and handling library materials in the workplace. This indicates a positive outlook and willingness among librarians to engage actively in their roles within the library environment. Furthermore, the high level of involvement in organizing events, gatherings, and activities at libraries suggests a proactive approach by librarians in fostering community engagement and promoting library services. This active involvement can enhance the library’s role as a hub for community interaction and learning. This proactive stance reflects a dedication to creating vibrant and inclusive spaces within libraries, where community members can come together for educational, cultural, and social enrichment. Despite the diverse responses regarding experience in organizing citizen science activities, there is a notable interest among librarians in exploring and conducting such projects in the future. This interest presents an opportunity for librarians to expand their skill sets, collaborate with stakeholders, and leverage library resources to facilitate citizen science initiatives that address community needs and interests. The results also highlight the strong connection between libraries and their local communities, indicating a supportive environment for community engagement and outreach activities. However, there appears to be room for improvement in strengthening connections with the scientific community, suggesting an area for potential growth and collaboration.
Moving on to the categorization of responses to the open-ended question, the advocacy for citizen science category highlights the perceived role of libraries as communication channels between science and the public. Additionally, it emphasizes the empowering nature of citizen science in engaging citizens and bridging gaps within communities. In the collaborative potential category, responses underscore the intermediary role of libraries in facilitating citizen science projects and their potential to bridge the needs of science and community members. These responses highlight the importance of collaboration between libraries, users, and scientific communities to promote citizen science initiatives effectively. The potential challenges category reveals concerns related to resource constraints, community perceptions, and organizational barriers that may hinder the implementation of citizen science projects in libraries. These challenges point to the need for adequate support, strategic planning, and community outreach efforts to address barriers and maximize the impact of citizen science initiatives. Finally, the potential opportunities category highlights the untapped potential of libraries in promoting citizen science, fostering community engagement, and facilitating interdisciplinary collaborations. These responses underscore the diverse ways in which libraries can contribute to citizen science efforts and leverage their unique position as trusted community resources to advance scientific literacy and community well-being.
Overall, the findings underscore the positive attitudes and potential opportunities for libraries to play a significant role in advancing citizen science initiatives. By leveraging their resources, expertise, and community networks, libraries can continue to serve as valuable partners in promoting scientific literacy, community involvement, and societal impact.