The Culture of Evaluation in Library and Information Services


Book Description

This practical book is written from the point of view of the practitioner, rather than the researcher. It presents current and recent work in the subject area in a way relevant to practitioners, researchers and students. The book includes practical examples of survey and research work and discusses honestly the practical difficulties involved. Aimed at an international audience, examples of good practice are drawn from a number of countries across the world. - An up to date review/summary of activity in the subject area - Provides international comparisons of library and information service evaluation activity - Provides practical/real life research and survey data useful to practitioners and academics which they can apply in their own situations







Evaluation of Library and Information Services


Book Description

Provides update to current thinking about, and reasons for, service evaluation of libraries in the UK. Examines quantitative and qualitative methods including questionnaires, focus groups, suggestions boxes and interview techniques.Problems arising from survey outcomes are summarised and long-term evaluation and the relevance of benchmarking are discussed.Contains case studies covering survey work in public, academic and special libraries; charters and service level agreements; and examples of relevant research projects.New chapter on performance measurement in the electronic library.




Collection Evaluation in Academic Libraries


Book Description

Librarians have long used data to describe their collections. Traditional measures have simply been inputs and outputs: volumes acquired, processed, owned, or circulated. With the growth since the 1990s of cultures of assessment, librarians have sought statistics that are evaluative rather than simply descriptive. More recently, exponentially increasing journal prices and an economic recession have intensified the need to make careful purchasing decisions and to justify these to administrators. A methodical evaluation of a library collection can help librarians understand and meet user needs and can help communicate to administrators that the library is a good use of the institution’s money. Collection Evaluation in Academic Libraries: A Practical Guide for Librarians equips collections managers to select and implement a method or several methods of evaluating their library collections. It includes sections on four tools for evaluation: • Comparison to peer institutions • Core lists • Usage statistics from circulation and ILL • Citation analysis Chapters on each of these approaches present the advantages and disadvantages of each method, instructions on data collection and analysis—with screenshots—and suggested action steps after completing the analysis. With a unique combination of step-by-step instructions and discussions of the purpose and role of data, this book provides an unusually thorough guide to collection evaluation. It will be indispensable for collection development librarians and anyone looking to strengthen the culture of assessment within the library.




Managing Cultural Change in Public Libraries


Book Description

Managing Cultural Change in Public Libraries argues that changes to library Strategies and Systems can lead to transformations in library Structures that can, in turn, shape and determine Organisational Culture. Drawing on Management theories, as well as the ideas of Marx and Maslow, the authors present an ambitious Analytical Framework that can be used to better understand, support and enable cultural change in public libraries. The volume argues for radical – but sustainable – transformations in public libraries that require significant changes to Strategies, Structures, Systems and, most importantly, Organisational Culture. These changes will enable Traditional Libraries to reach out beyond their current active patrons to engage with new customer groups and will also enable Traditional Libraries to evolve into Community-Led Libraries, and Community-Led Libraries to become Needs-Based Libraries. Public libraries must be meaningful and relevant to the communities they serve. For this to happen, the authors argue, all sections of the local community must be actively involved in the planning, design, delivery and evaluation of library services. This book demonstrates how to make these changes happen, acting as a blueprint and road map for organisational change and putting ideas into action through a series of case studies. Managing Cultural Change in Public Libraries will be of particular interest to academics and advanced students engaged in the study of library and information science. It should also be essential reading for practitioners and policymakers and all those who believe that communities should be involved and engaged in the planning, design, delivery, and evaluation of library services.




Evaluation of Library and Information Services


Book Description

Provides update to current thinking about, and reasons for, service evaluation of libraries in the UK. Examines quantitative and qualitative methods including questionnaires, focus groups, suggestions boxes and interview techniques.Problems arising from survey outcomes are summarised and long-term evaluation and the relevance of benchmarking are discussed.Contains case studies covering survey work in public, academic and special libraries; charters and service level agreements; and examples of relevant research projects.New chapter on performance measurement in the electronic library.




The Public Library Service


Book Description

The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) is the leading international body representing the interests of library and information services and their users. It is the global voice of the information profession. The series IFLA Publications deals with many of the means through which libraries, information centres, and information professionals worldwide can formulate their goals, exert their influence as a group, protect their interests, and find solutions to global problems.




The Value of Academic Libraries


Book Description

This report provides Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) leaders and the academic community with a clear view of the current state of the literature on value of libraries within an institutional context, suggestions for immediate "Next Steps" in the demonstration of academic library value, and a "Research Agenda" for articulating academic library value. Its focus is to help librarians understand, based on professional literature, the current answer to the question, "How does the library advance the missions of the institution?" This report is also of interest to higher educational professionals external to libraries, including senior leaders, administrators, faculty, and student affairs professionals.




Assessing Service Quality


Book Description

This extensively revised and updated edition explores even further the ways technology influences both the experiences of library customers and the ways libraries themselves can assess those experiences.




Library Services for Children and Young People


Book Description

A vision for children’s library services in the next decade. This book provides a sound background to all aspects of library provision for 6–18 year olds. It is designed to support the strategic planning and delivery of library services and programmes at a local community level or in schools. The book outlines a vision for children’s library services in the next decade and carves out a strategy for engaging with the challenges and opportunities for children’s librarians and policy makers in the Google environment. This book is accessible, informative and inspiring and offers practitioners the knowledge, ideas and confidence to work in partnership with other key professionals in delivering services and programmes. It provides an evidence base, which promotes and encourages the development of effective library services for children and young people. The case studies, scenarios and vignettes, drawn from UK and international sources, show that the key issues have an international dimension, and the similarities and differences in service provision will be of interest to many. In addition to the two editors, chapters are contributed by a range of internationally known practitioners and academics, offering a wide perspective. Case studies at the end of each section complement themes and practices from previous chapters while rooting the discussion in a specific context. The book is organized into four parts: • Children’s library services – policy, people and partnerships • Connecting and engaging – reaching your audience and catching the latest wave (acknowledging the role of technology) • Buildings, design and spaces – libraries for children and young people • Issues for professional practice. Readership: This book is essential reading for all senior library practitioners, children’s librarians and school librarians, subject co-ordinators, and managers in schools. It will also be of value for all postgraduate students on CILIP accredited library and information management courses.