Library Assessment

Jennifer RutnerProgram Coordinator for Marketing and Assessment

Columbia University Libraries

“To assess, in general, is to determine the importance, size, or value of; to evaluate. Library staff assess operations by collecting, interpreting, and using data to make decisions and improve customer service.”

ARL Spec Kit #303, Library Assessment, December 2007

culture of assessment

• A Culture of Assessment is an organizational environment in which decisions are based on facts, research and analysis, and where services are planned and delivered in ways that maximize positive outcomes and impacts for library clients.

• A Culture of Assessment exists in organizations where staff care to know what results they produce and how those results relate to customer expectations.

Amos Lakos: www.usc.edu/.../locations/leavey/news/conference/presentations/presentations_9-16/Assessment/UCLA_Lakos.ppt

why assess?

Desire to know more about your customers

Investigation of possible new library services or resources

Desire to know more about your processes

Need to reallocate library resources

Accreditation

Address accountability requirements from your parent organization

ARL Spec Kit #303, Library Assessment, December 2007

effective assessment

1. Library leadership2. Customer-centered library staff

Keys to Effective, Sustainable, and Practical AssessmentSteve Hiller, Martha Kyrillidou, and Jim Self http://www.arl.org/arldocs/stats/statsevents/laconf/2006/HillerSelf.ppt

assessment librarian

“Assessment Librarian”“Assessment Coordinator”

“Process Improvement Specialist”

“Director of Planning, Assessment, and Research”

“Director of Management Information Services”

assessment librarian• Understands libraries• Standing and established relationships within

the organization• Customer-centered/advocate for customers• Passionate about quality service and

assessment• Time to do assessment• Questioning/skeptical• Willingness to learn• Advocate for best practices

Keys to Effective, Sustainable, and Practical AssessmentSteve Hiller, Martha Kyrillidou, and Jim Self http://www.arl.org/arldocs/stats/statsevents/laconf/2006/HillerSelf.ppt

assessment librarian

• Analyzes, interprets, reports on data• Advises staff on assessment projects• Conducts assessments• Coordinates assessment projects• Coordinates the collection of data throughout

the library• Submits external surveys• Fills requests for library data• Provides training on assessment topics• Participates in strategic planning processes• Works with units throughout the library

assessment tools

• Surveys• Focus groups• Interviews• Observational studies• Usability studies• Balanced score card• Collection use tools• Anthropological methods

LibQual+ Surveywww.libqual.org

“22 questions and a box”Affect of ServiceInformation ControlLibrary as PlaceComments?

reference assessment• Bibliographic instruction• Information literacy instruction• Satisfaction with reference

transactions• Virtual reference services• Reference collection use• Reference service models• User needs and expectations• Usability of reference websites• Library orientation sessions

Are you meeting your users needs?

assessment @ CUL

CUL Assessment Plan

Digital Social Sciences Center

Digital Humanities CenterVirtual Reference

Assessment

assessment working group

Charge: • Initiate, support, and monitor a sustainable

Assessment Program at CUL. • Assist in identifying and maintaining assessment

priorities.• Carry out assessment projects. • Ensure that appropriate training and support is

provided to staff. • Publish results of assessment initiatives as

appropriate. Maintain the Assessment Center on SWIFT.

• Advocate for a culture of assessment at the Libraries.

planning

• Assess early and often• Understand the goals of the project• Define the scope of the assessment• Define the target population• Know your decision makers• Identify your information needs• Identify existing data sets• Establish how you will use the data

challenges

resources• www.libraryassessment.info (blog)• Library Assessment Conference, 2007 Proceedings:

http://libraryassessment.org/archive/2006.shtml• Northumbria Conference Proceedings:

http://www.lib.sun.ac.za/Northumbria7/Programme.htm• “Studying Students: The Undergraduate Research Project” University of

Rochester• LibQual+ Survey Literature: www.libqual.org/Publications• ARL SPEC Kit #303 on Library Assessment, December 2007• Keys to Effective, Sustainable, and Practical Assessment

Steve Hiller, Martha Kyrillidou, and Jim Self http://www.arl.org/arldocs/stats/statsevents/laconf/2006/HillerSelf.ppt

• http://del.icio.us/jenbrown/assessment