Inside Out

1
Inside Out

• Measuring Success for the Research Library

2
Discussion Leaders

• Betsy Wilson, University of Washington
• Paul Conway, Duke University
• Damon Jaggars, University of Texas at Austin
• Kris Kiesling, University of Minnesota
• Neil Rambo, University of Washington
• Beth Sandore, University of Illinois

3
Inside Out

• Orientation toward the community
• Focus on what to measure
• Understanding impact

4
Limitations of Internal Metrics

• Librarians focus on measuring process
  effectiveness
• Quantitative
• Captive audience
• Strong on satisfaction

5
Measuring Inside

• LibQUAL and similar internal measures
• The analysis has shown that a significant
  component of overall satisfaction is based on the
  elements that contribute to the affect of
  service dimension. Affect of Service includes
  such qualities as helpfulness, dependability and
  courteousness of staff individualized attention,
  responsiveness, etc.
• John Heinrichs, et al. College
  Research Libraries, 2005

6
Measuring Outside

• Libraries face five key challenges related to
  assessment
• Gathering meaningful data
• Acquiring methodological skills
• Managing assessment data
• Organizing assessment as a core activity
• Interpreting data within the context of user
  behaviors and constraints
• Denise Troll Covey. Usage and Usability
  Assessment, 2002

7
Diffuse Libraries

• Evolution of Library Roles
• In the diffuse library we see the library
  becoming more deeply engaged in the fundamental
  mission of the academic institution (i.e., the
  creation and dissemination of knowledge) in ways
  that represent the librarys contributions more
  broadly and that intertwine the library with the
  other stakeholders in these activities.
• The library becomes a collaborator within the
  academy, yet retains its distinct identity.
• Wendy Pradt Lougee. Diffuse Libraries, 2002

8
Impact

• What difference does it make?
• What is the significance and impact of research
  in archives? What difference does research in
  archives make in terms of individual
  enlightenment, solution of practical problems,
  benefits to the public good, scholarly advances,
  growing human self-understanding, or additions to
  the sum total of human knowledge? In short, what
  is the use of archives?
• Bruce Dearstyne. What is the Use of
  Archives,1987

9
Leadership

• Leader as Leader
• an effective leader enables an organization to
  go somewhere to which it otherwise would not have
  gone. a substantial degree of transcendence is
  required to lead transformation of an
  organization when no clear road map is
  available.
• Chris Ferguson. Reflecting on
  Leadership, 2003

10
Questions

• What does a successful academic library look
  like?
• The missions of research libraries and their
  parent universities are in a state of flux, so
  how can we hope to succeed?
• Beyond search and discovery, are there other
  areas of learning and research we should be
  actively supporting?
• Are the activities and work being performed
  within research libraries aligned with the
  current (and future) teaching, learning, and
  research missions of the university?

11
References

• John H. Heinrichs, Thomas Sharkey, and Jeen-Su
  Lim. Relative Influence of the LibQUAL
  Dimensions on Satisfaction A Subgroup Analysis.
  College Research Libraries 66 (may 2005)
  248-265.
• Wendy Pradt Lougee. Diffuse Libraries Emergent
  Roles for the Research Library in the Digital
  Age. Washington, DC Council on Library and
  Information Resources, 2002.
• Denise Troll Covey. Usage and Usability
  Assessment Library Practices and Concerns.
  Washington, DC Council on Library and
  Information Resources, 2002.
• Bruce Dearstyne. What Is the Use of Archives?
  American Archivist 50 (Winter 1987) 76-87.
• Chris Ferguson. Whose Vision? Whose Values? On
  Leading Information Services in an Era of
  Persistent Change. In Reflecting on Leadership.
  Washington, DC Council on Library and
  Information Resources, 2003.