LEVERAGING AND INTERPRETING LIBRARY ASSESSMENT DATA

PULLING THE WHEAT FROM THE CHAFF

Elizabeth BrownDirector of Assessment and Scholarly CommunicationsBinghamton University LibrariesApril 20, 2016

Image Source: Flickr Public Domain

GATHERING AND USING ASSESSMENT DATA

¡ Library assessment data – the basics

¡ Special Projects Data

¡ Local Qualitative Data

¡ Benchmarking Data

¡ Telling a story – some advice

Image Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/woolgenie/16140095136/in/album-72157631115747450/

COLLECTING ASSESSMENT DATA –THE BASICS

¡ Service point activity – reference, instruction, ILL, circulation, institutional repository input, gate counts for buildings, course reserves

¡ Collections – items added, electronic and print format, media and audiovisual items, linear feet manuscripts

¡ Staffing – FTE, salaries and wages, fringe benefits, librarians, paraprofessional, student levels

¡ Infrastructure – preservation, computers and technology, catalog and supporting tools to access collections

ACRL, ARL, AND IPEDS

¡ Major statistical reports requested of U.S. academic libraries

¡ Annual collection periods based on most recent fiscal year data

¡ Varying levels of public data available for non-members

¡ Analysis and comparison tools for benchmarking library services, collections, and staffing support

Image Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/woolgenie/19176634162/in/album-72157631115747450/

ACRL ANNUAL STATISTICS

¡ Annual Worksheet and directions information: https://acrl.countingopinions.com/

¡ ACRL Metrics – analysis tool to compare institutions

¡ General Information: http://www.acrlmetrics.com/

¡ Subscription Information: http://www.acrlmetrics.com/package.php

ARL STATISTICS & SALARY SURVEYS

¡ More information: http://www.arlstatistics.org/about/survey_pp

¡ Annual ARL Statistics Report published in print and as an ebook: http://arlstatistics.org/home

¡ ARL Statistics Analytics available as a subscription: http://arlstatistics.org/analytics

¡ Selected statistics and table data are open access: http://arlstatistics.org/publications

IPEDS ANNUAL LIBRARY STATISTICS

¡ IPEDS = Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System

¡ NCES = National Center for Education Statistics

¡ Use collected IPEDs data (2013-2014): http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/Home/UseTheData

Note: academic library data is currently provisional – final data not yet released

¡ Library Statistics Program (2000-2012): https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/libraries/academic.asp

SOME LIMITATIONS

¡ Measurements show volume and activity, some usage

¡ Impact of services and collections not available

¡ Reach of activities and services not clear

Image Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/woolgenie/16679247110/in/album-72157631115747450/

SPECIAL PROJECTS DATA

¡ How are students using computer areas (information commons) in the library?

¡ How can stacks overflow be reduced by analyzing circulation and acquisition patterns by call number?

¡ Large lecture classes – what are they and are we reaching them?

¡ Publication activity of faculty and potential journal hosting opportunities – where are they?

¡ How are collection needs changing with new faculty hires?

LOCAL QUALITATIVE DATA – SOME EXAMPLES

¡ Focus group information from specific users

¡ Secret shopper and other techniques for measuring quality of service

¡ LibQUAL+ and LibQUAL+ lite surveys: https://www.libqual.org/home

¡ Individualized library surveys: Triennial Survey (University of Washington): http://www.lib.washington.edu/assessment/surveys/triennial

¡ Individualized topical surveysImage Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/woolgenie/16251173169/in/album-72157631115747450/

BENCHMARKING DATA SOURCES

¡ Library Journal’s Periodical Price Survey (Annual) : http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2015/04/publishing/whole-lotta-shakin-goin-on-periodicals-price-survey-2015/

¡ Library and Book Trade Almanac (formerly Bowker Annual): http://books.infotoday.com/directories/Library-and-Book-Trade-Almanac.shtml

¡ Institutional and Student ROI for library services (Robert Dugan, University of West Florida): http://libguides.uwf.edu/c.php?g=215171&p=1420704

¡ Annual Library Systems Report (Marshall Breeding): http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2015/05/01/library-systems-report/

Image Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/woolgenie/16200135443/in/album-72157631115747450/

TELLING A STORY WITH DATA – SOME ADVICE

¡ Remember your audience

¡ Match content to knowledge level

¡ Make message succinct

¡ Link analysis to existing data

¡ Show trends clearly – use simple graphs and charts

¡ Make quotes for qualitative data –intersperse with data to emphasize messageImage Source:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/woolgenie/16140094366/in/album-72157631115747450/

THANK YOU!

Elizabeth Brown

ebrown@binghamton.edu

607-777-4882

Slideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/ebrown

Thanks to Heather at flickr for images: https://www.flickr.com/photos/woolgenie/

Image Source: Flckr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/woolgenie/21001156006/in/album-72157631115747450/