1. Library Assessment Conference 2008 1 Evaluation Metrics for Libraries: Expanding the Conceptual Context Panel Discussion Neal Kaske Joe Matthews Peter Hernon

2. Library Assessment Conference 2008 2 Types of Metrics Input Output – including economic efficiency Outcome Impact

3. Library Assessment Conference 2008 3 Typical ViewLibrary Centric Inputs – Example Percentage of total acquisitions expenditure spent on acquisition of electronic library services Outputs – Example Percentage of the population reached by electronic library services Source: EQUINOX, http://equinox.dcu.ie/rep orts/pilist.html http://equinox.dcu.ie/rep orts/pilist.html

4. Library Assessment Conference 2008 4 Where Does LibQUAL+ Fit in? Service quality Satisfaction Output or Outcome?

5. Library Assessment Conference 2008 5 Examples of Different Assessment Perspectives LibraryLibrarys Parent Organization Library Customers Accrediting Bodies And so on including government, taxpayers or parents Inputs Outputs Outcomes

6. Library Assessment Conference 2008 6 Librarys Parent Organization Higher Education Collection and Staff (inputs) Student outcomes (outputs) – Aggregate statistics on groups of students (e.g., graduation rates, retention rates, transfer rates, course and program completion rates, and job placement: employment rates for a graduating class) Student learning outcomes (Development of students over time) What should students learn? How well are they learning it? What evidence do we gather to answer these questions? How do we use that evidence to improve learning Convergence/collaboration (outputs) Other – Affordability

7. Library Assessment Conference 2008 7 Customers Types – Internal – External External – Present ones low use high use – Never-gained – Lost – No interest

8. Library Assessment Conference 2008 8 Parent Organization Qualitative indicators – Contributing to retention rate – Successful passage of licensing examinations Getting Your Tuition Moneys Worth from the Library – Sawyer Library, How Can I Get My Tuition Moneys Worth from the Library? (Boston: Suffolk University, 2008), – http://www.suffolk.edu/sawli b/faq.htm#anchor13268 http://www.suffolk.edu/sawli b/faq.htm#anchor13268

9. Library Assessment Conference 2008 9 Customers Areas to Develop Metrics Use of physical library Remote use Facilities/technology/ equipment Collections Services ILL Circulation Reference Other Staff Wait time Accuracy Courtesy And so on Collections Services Service quality Satisfaction

10. Library Assessment Conference 2008 10 We Can Then Develop Metrics (ratios with percentage) for Such Areas as Lost customers Shelve books within __ hours of use Wait time at reference desk Amount spent – Café (associated with library) – At vending machines (in library) Facilities used – Frequency of use of Group study room Academic support services available the physical space in the library (e.g., writing tutors and IT support) Seating Computers

11. Library Assessment Conference 2008 11 Accreditation Bodies Student learning outcomes Student outcomes Affordability Assorted inputs and outputs

12. Library Assessment Conference 2008 12 Conclusion