1. Evaluation of Reference Services
Dr. Dania Bilal
IS 530
Spring 2005

2. Why Evaluate? Assess and improve the quality of existing services
Identify the need for new types of services or programs
Justify funding and support

3. Why Evaluate?
Manage human and physical resources more effectively and efficiently
Justify the need for maintaining services and need for additional programs

4. Levels of Evaluation
Lancaster’s scheme:
Inputs
Outputs
Outcomes

5. Levels of Evaluation: Inputs
Materials available to provide a service
Reference collection
print
electronic
CD-ROM, Web, etc.

6. Levels of Evaluation: Outputs
Measurement of quality of providing a service:
Answering reference questions
accuracy
completeness
Assistance given in using sources

7. Levels of Evaluation: Outcomes
Meeting user information needs
Level of satisfaction
Question: How should professionals assess this satisfaction?
Level of knowledge gained or improved

8. Standards for Evaluation
Difficulty in establishing quantitative standards
Service should be accurate & complete
Service should satisfy user needs
Standards vary by state & among libraries
Standards for reference services

9. Evaluation Techniques: Print Sources
Direct examination using criteria
Authority, currency, physical condition, format, target audience, curriculum needs, objectiveness, etc.
Standardized lists
Interlibrary Loan Requests
Collection mapping software

10. Evaluation Techniques: Electronic Sources
User Interface (search and retrieval)
Command features
User friendliness
Help file/feature(s)
Content
Currency

11. Evaluation Techniques: Electronic Sources
Record structure
Organization
Navigation & browsability
Visual elements (Icons, metaphors, colors, etc.)
Authority
Update

12. Evaluation of Reference Staff
Approachability
Knowledge of reference collection
Knowledge of local services and referral
Skills in identifying user needs through a reference interview
Peer evaluation

13. Evaluation of Reference Transactions
Types:
Obtrusive
Issues & challenges
Unobtrusive
Reference statistics

14. Evaluation of User Satisfaction
Assess satisfaction of all types of users, including specific populations
Techniques
interviews
via telephone
via the Web
via other means