The Evaluation and Measurement of Library Services

This guide provides library directors, managers, and administrators in all types of libraries with complete and up-to-date instructions on how to evaluate library services in order to improve them. It's a fact: today's libraries must evaluate their services in order to find ways to better serve patrons and prove their value to their communities. In this greatly updated and expanded edition of Matthews' seminal text, you'll discover a breadth of tools that can be used to evaluate any library service, including newer tools designed to measure customer and patron outcomes. The book offers practical advice backed by solid research on virtually every aspect of evaluation, including quantitative and qualitative tools, data analysis, and specific recommendations for measuring individual services, such as technical services and reference and interlibrary loan. New chapters give readers effective ways to evaluate critical aspects of their libraries such as automated systems, physical space, staff, performance management frameworks, eBooks, social media, and information literacy. The author explains how broader and more robust adoption of evaluation techniques will help library managers combine traditional internal measurements, such as circulation and reference transactions, with more customer-centric metrics that reflect how well patrons feel they are served and how satisfied they are with the library. By applying this comprehensive strategy, readers will gain the ability to form a truer picture of their library's value to its stakeholders and patrons.

Table of Contents:
Foreword Acknowledgments Introduction Part I Evaluation: Process and Models Chapter 1: Evaluation Issues Who Decides An Evaluation Action Plan Identifying the Problem Determining the Scope of the Analysis Determining Whether the Answer Already Exists Determining the Kind of Analysis to Do Deciding What Data Will Be Needed Conducting the Analysis and Preparing a Report Using the Results for Service Improvement: The Feedback Loop Obstacles to Evaluation Ethics of Evaluation Philosophical Question Notes Chapter 2: Evaluation Models Evaluation Models Other Notable Models Limitations Summary Notes Part II Methodology Concerns Chapter 3: Qualitative Tools No Contact Examining Documents Diaries One-to-One Interaction Observation Interviewing Grounded Theory Think Aloud/Think After Verbal Protocol Ethnographic Methods Netnographic Methods Phenomenography Group Interaction Focus Groups Delphi Method Critical Incident Technique Concept Mapping Analysis of Qualitative Data Presentation of Findings Summary Notes Chapter 4: Quantitative Tools Counting Measuring Surveys Types of Questions Form of Questions Question Construction Distributing the Survey Types of Sampling Determining Sample Size Survey Nonresponse Caveats Conjoint Analysis Transaction Log Analysis Experiments Summary Notes Chapter 5: Analysis of Data Descriptive Statistics Techniques Thermometer Chart Histogram Frequency Polygon Bar Charts Line Charts Pie Charts Measures of Central Tendency The Mode The Median The Mean A Distribution's Shape Measures of Variability Range Percentiles Standard Deviation Inferential Statistics Visualization Meta-Analysis Summary Notes Part III Evaluation of Library Operations Chapter 6: Evaluation of Operations Benchmarking Academic Library Statistics Public Library Statistics Activity-Based Costing Step 1—Identify Key Activities and Relevant Cost Drivers Step 2—Allocate Staff Time to Activities Step 3—Attribute Staff Salaries and Other Costs to Activity Cost Pools Step 4—Determine Cost Per Cost Driver Cost-Benefit Analysis Lean Tools Statistical Process Control Summary Notes Chapter 7: Evaluation of Technical Services Service Definition Evaluation Questions Introduction Evaluation Methods Prior Evaluations and Research Gathering Statistics Time Costs Surveys Workflow Analysis Efficiency Outsourcing Quality Enhanced Records Summary Notes Chapter 8: Evaluation of Interlibrary Loan Service Definition Evaluation Questions Evaluation Methods Prior Evaluations and Research Speed (Turnaround Time) Fill Rate Costs Access versus Ownership Requested Items Owned by the Library Concentration and Scatter in Requested Materials Impact of a Discovery Service Other Topics Patron-Driven Acquisitions Customer Perspective User Surveys Interlibrary Loan Options Best Practices Summary Notes Chapter 9: Evaluation of Automated Systems Service Definition Evaluation Questions Evaluation Methods Prior Evaluations and Research Next-Generation Library Management Systems Merits of Cloud-Based Solutions Open-Source Options Merits of a Consortium Discovery System Tradeoffs Evaluating Web Sites Increasing Bandwidth Summary Notes Chapter 10: Evaluation of Automated Materials Handling Systems Service Definition Evaluation Questions Evaluation Methods Prior Evaluations and Research RFID Summary Notes Part IV Evaluation of Library Services Chapter 11: Library Users and Nonusers Service Definition Evaluation Questions Evaluation Methods Prior Evaluations and Research Demographics Lifestyles Geography Volume of Use Benefit Segmentation Users The Principle of Least Effort Nonusers Summary Notes Chapter 12: Evaluation of the Physical Collection Service Definition Evaluation Questions Prior Evaluations and Research Qualitative Methods Quantitative Methods Collection Development Summary Notes Chapter 13: Evaluation of Electronic Resources Service Definition Evaluation Questions Evaluation Methods Prior Evaluations and Research Users Use Analytics Cost Analysis Open-Access Journals Customer Satisfaction Accuracy Impact on Print Journals Impact on the Library Value of E-Resources Summary Future Research Notes Chapter 14: Evaluation of E-Books Service Definition Evaluation Questions Evaluation Methods Prior Evaluations and Research Comparing Availability of Print versus E-Books Comparing Use of Print versus E-Books Subject Area of Use Customer Surveys Consortia Purchases Summary Notes Chapter 15: Evaluation of Reference Services Service Definition Evaluation Questions Evaluation Methods Prior Evaluations and Research Libraries as a Source of Information The READ Scale Librarian Skills Descriptive Analysis Obtrusive Methods A Library Survey The WOREP Survey Quick and Easy Reference Evaluation Unobtrusive Testing Observation Conjoint Analysis Cost-Benefit Analysis Reference Resources Summary Notes Chapter 16: Evaluation of Information Literacy Service Definition Evaluation Questions Evaluation Methods Prior Evaluations and Research Opinion Surveys Knowledge Testing Actual Library Use Student Retention Rates Evaluation of Information Literacy Programs Opinion Surveys Skills Testing Observed Behavior Information Literacy Standards Faculty–Librarian Relationships Summary Notes Chapter 17: Evaluation of Summer Reading Programs Service Definition Evaluation Questions Evaluation Methods National Reading Studies Prior Evaluation and Research Qualitative Methods Quantitative Methods Suggested Best Practices Summary Notes Chapter 18: Evaluation of Customer Service Service Definition Evaluation Questions Evaluation Methods Prior Evaluations and Research Service Quality Satisfaction Methods for Determining Satisfaction Combining Cost Per Use and Users' Satisfaction LibQUAL+ LibSat Local Library Surveys Walking in the Shoes of the Customer Defining Service Characteristics Implementing Quality Summary Notes Chapter 19: Evaluation of Social Media Service Definition Evaluation Questions Evaluation Methods Prior Evaluations and Research Counts Analysis of Comments Surveys Automated Tools Metrics Social Network Analysis Return on Investment Summary Notes Chapter 20: Evaluation of Physical Space Service Definition Evaluation Questions Evaluation Methods Prior Evaluations and Research Interviews Focus Groups Design Charrette Ethnographic Tools Gate Counts Floor Counts Observation Surveys Summary Notes Chapter 21: Evaluation of the User Experience Service Definition Evaluation Questions Evaluation Methods Prior Evaluations and Research Observation Interviews and Focus Groups Secret Shopper Journey Mapping Floor Counts Usability Testing Hierarchical Task Analysis Web Analytics Transaction Log Analysis User Surveys Ethnographic Methods Summary Notes Part V Evaluation of Library Outcomes Chapter 22: Evaluating the Broader Perspective Library Goodness The 90 Percent Library Management Frameworks Role of Performance Measures Key Performance Indicators Critical Success Factors Process Improvement Initiatives Self-Assessment Award Models Performance Measurement Frameworks Holistic Frameworks Assessing the Frameworks Notes Chapter 23: Outcomes and Value ISO 16439 Evaluation Methods Library's Role in Student Learning Library's Role in Student Retention Library's Role in Teaching School Libraries Public Libraries Summary Notes Chapter 24: Economic Impacts Methodologies Direct Survey Duplication, Replication, and Complementarity Client Value Model Contingent Valuation Consumer Surplus A Shortcut Method Value-Added Library Methodology Formula Approach Library ROI to Grants Income Return on Capital Investment Economic Impact Analysis Economic Impact Studies Data Envelopment Analysis Other Methods Summary Notes Chapter 25: Evaluation of Social Impacts Qualitative Methods The Social Audit Quantitative Methods Outcome Measures Summary Notes Chapter 26: Communicating the Library's Story Understand the Audience Emphasize Benefits Offer Context Be Credible Upgrade Communication Skills Stage the Release of Information Ask for Feedback Summary Notes Author/Title Index Subject Index

About the Author :
Joseph R. Matthews is president of JRM Consulting and has provided consulting assistance to numerous academic, public, and special libraries and local governments. He is editor of Public Library Quarterly and is on the editorial boards of Performance Measurement and Metrics and Library Hi Tech.

Review :
…I would highly recommend this book to any librarian looking to do an evaluation of resource and services, individually or overall, or anyone interested in becoming an expert on the topic. This publication provides a fantastic theoretical and practical guide to evaluating and assessing libraries. . . . The Evaluation and Measurement of Library Services is a great resource for all library professionals due to its impact on literally every aspect of library services and operations.