James G. Neal ACRL National Conference 2 April 2011 STOP THE MADNESS THE INSANITY OF ROI AND THE NEED FOR NEW QUALITATIVE MEASURES OF ACADEMIC LIBRARY SUCCESS James G. Neal ACRL National Conference 2 April 2011

RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI) Are the dollars being invested producing VALUE in economic terms? $$$ IN $$$ OUT

ROI RESEARCH demands RIGOR must track and control VARIABLES must demonstrate INTEGRITY requires CLARITY in conclusions ROI Research which is inappropriate, unsophisticated and exploitable is a miscalculated, defensive and risky strategy for academic libraries.

PREPARE FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND ASSESSMENT Institutional Expectations Government/Funder Mandate Measures Of User Satisfaction Measures Of Market Penetration Measures Of Success Measures Of Impact Measures Of Cost Effectiveness System Design For Usability

IS THERE AN ROI FROM THE USER PERSPECTIVE? SOME KEY QUESTIONS Who Are Our Users? Where Do We Intersect With Our Users? What Do Our Users Want and Need? How Are User Expectations and Requirements Changing? How Do We Know? How Do We Respond? IS THERE AN ROI FROM THE USER PERSPECTIVE?

WHO ARE OUR USERS? Students (diversity abounds) Faculty (expectations galore) Researchers (tribal differences) Administration (the bottom line) Community (local politics) Working Professionals (practical applications) Alumni and Donors (largely ignored) World on the Web (the new majority)

WHERE DO WE INTERSECT WITH USERS? Physical Spaces Web Spaces Collections Services Applications Technologies Classroom Laboratory Bedside Collaborations Anyone Anywhere Anytime Anyhow

HOW DO WE KNOW ABOUT USERS? Ask Measure Listen Observe Compare Benchmark Experiment Involve Prototype Portfolio Evaluate Experience (Aha)

ENHANCE THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE Technology Ubiquity Point-of-Need Information Web-based Services Technology Sandbox Privacy Space Social Success Support Services Information Fluency Post-graduate Access Career Assistance

ENHANCE THE FACULTY EXPERIENCE Personal Advancement/Recognition Contributions to Scholarly Literature High Quality Instructional Experiences Successful Students Work on Innovative Projects Collaboration with Interesting Colleagues Financial Compensation Remuneration for Own Work Excellent Laboratory, Library and Technology Support Opportunities to Experiment with Technology

RESPOND TO USER EXPECTATIONS Content Access Convenience New Capabilities Cost Reduction Participation Individual Productivity Individual Control Organizational Productivity

USERS WANT US TO BE Authoritative and Virtuoso Authenticated and Secure Appropriate and Pertinent Accessible and Virtual and Omnipresent Achromatic and Advocative Audacious and Attentive Assimilative and Virtuous

EMBRACE THE “HUMAN” OBJECTIVES Success (turn out well, attain desired end) Happiness (well-being and contentment) Productivity (achieving results or benefits) Progress (forward movement or betterment) Relationships (personal connections or attachments) Experiences (observation or participation) Impact (significant effect)

MARKET THE LIBRARY Match Capabilities of an Organization with Needs and Wants of Communities Served Existing Products to Existing Markets MARKET PENETRATION Existing Products to New Markets MARKET EXTENSION New Products for Existing Markets PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT New Products for New Markets DIVERSIFICATION

NEW MEASURES OF SUCCESS QUALITY = CONTENT + FUNCTIONALITY VALUE = QUALITY + TRAFFIC PRICE does not equal COST OF INPUTS PRICE = PERCEIVED QUALITY + VALUE SUCCESS does not equal RESOURCE ALLOCATION SUCCESS = RESOURCE ATTRACTION

IMPORTANT INITIATIVES Carol Tenopir IMLS Project on ROI and Academic Libraries ACRL Study on “The Value of Academic Libraries”

VALUE RESEARCH FINANCIAL VALUE IMPACT VALUE MIGRATION FROM PRODUCT TO SERVICE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACTION AND BENEFIT