Competency N
Evaluate programs and services on specified criteria.
Introduction
Evaluation or assessment is an on-going process the librarian or information manager undertakes, enabling the organization to establish the quality and value of services offered, and to improve a given service, department, or collection. McClure defines evaluation as “the process of determining the success, impact, results, costs, outcomes, or other factors related to a library activity, program, service or resource use” (Haycock, p.179). Evaluation can encourage professional improvement, accountability, and act as a performance measurement. Prepare oneself for a political climate when conducting an assessment, especially if it is tied to any sort of fiscal bottom line, though strong interpersonal skills may alleviate the pressure. Standards enable the organization to use internal and external guidelines to establish criteria and define difficult terms like “quality” or “value”—how does the librarian quantify or measure such subjective and elusive characteristics? Well-done assessments provide valuable quantitative and qualitative data that can be used to further promote the library within the larger context of the parent organization, define the impact of programs and services, and redirect or reinforce the current direction or quality of the organization. Evaluation keeps the organization from becoming stagnant, must always embrace change, and remain dynamic and growing organisms.
Evaluation of Programs and Services
Library professionals today are expected to apply statistical techniques to the internal operations of the organization, linking performance to the success or failure within a given program or service. Evaluations link assessment data to overarching goals and mission of the organization, provide parameters and reinforce focus, and are evident in the strategic plan or mission statement of an organization. Planning, as discussed in Competency M, is integral to the overall success of an organization, and itself needs timely evaluation to respond to changing trends or organizational focus. “Planning is a disciplined effort to produce fundamental decisions and changes that shape and guide what the organization should be and what it should be doing” (McClure, in Haycock, p.180), and continually inform the planning process. An important component to evaluation and planning is a timeline, in which short and long-term objectives are established, and can be reassessed at the given time based upon the degree of accomplishment of set objectives.
Further, criteria factors to consider are: extensiveness, efficiency, effectiveness, service quality, impact, and usefulness (McClure in Haycock, p.182-3), and are important because these factors encourage librarians, community, board members, etc., to focus on the specific assessment criteria. There are many methods of evaluation: factors with the method typically distinguish between inputs, provisions put into the program/service; outputs, in terms of service actually provided; and the outcome from the service (Bopp & Smith, p.247). For example, an output may be books cataloged, or pages viewed on the library website. Input can be the staff time devoted to cataloging the books, or an upgrade spent on library website. Outcomes can be measured as an increase in patronage due to acquisitions of specific books, or increased database usage as users navigate the webpage with greater ease. Other methods include benchmarking, which provides information that demonstrates how one service compared to another service under the recognized leader, in order to ascertain strengths and weaknesses, cost accounting in which the costs are compared to the results, gathering the views of the user, and many other methods (Evans & Ward, p.236-48).
Reference services are often the focus of evaluation, as they involve a number of performance measures, allowing the librarians to gauge how well a service or program performed. In the library profession, evaluation of reference services is an ongoing example of ways that the library measures factors of service, quality and performance, factors such as print and electronic resources, staff interaction, the reference transaction, reference statistics, and evaluation of reference outcomes. Standards for service types provide measurable factors for evaluation, are quantifiable, and are internally defined by the organization, or externally defined by a governing body (the government or association standards). There is often a combination of both. An example of a standard in action would be the application of RUSA Guidelines for Information Services: Evaluation (RUSA [digital], 2000), in order to establish best practices and frame of reference to the organization’s practices and procedures.
Personnel evaluations are increasingly part of the work environment, and are another factor in evaluation. Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry (1985) outline ten charecteristics to determine quality of service, and are an overarching criteria for all staff and personnel: reliability and consistency, responsiveness and timeliness, competence, access and approachability, courtesy, communication, credibility, security/confidentiality, understanding customer needs, and tangibles (physical appearance, physical facilities, etc.) (Evans & Ward, p.237-38).
Evidence
As my first evidence I demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the planning and evaluation process involved when forming a strategic plan through LIBR 204 group project at Manor Branch Library in San Leandro, California (LIBR 204-Manor Branch Strategic Plan). Here, the evaluation involved a specific population of users with children and a tutoring program. As we developed the strategic plan recommendations, the evaluation lead us to examine the internal and external factors, conducting a survey of patrons in order to gain insight into the effectiveness of the current tutoring program, the impact that Manor Branch Library had on their lives as a supplement to school, home or work, and other factors. Planning was implemented for increased tutoring programs incorporating students from neighboring universities.
As my second evidence, I demonstrate my mastery of evaluating a collection development population in order to assess reference book (print) collection section within an academic library, based upon criteria such as currency, material deterioration, within the stated objectives and mission of the library. This was conducted through LIBR 266 research paper (LIBR 266-Evaluation-Reference Collection). During the evaluation of the sociology and humanities section, I was able to discover a discrepancy of redundant reference female focused books that far outweighed its male counterpart. Due to this finding, my internship has expanded to include an overall assessment of the entire reference collection based upon criteria of depth of subject and currency.
Conclusion
Evaluation is an on-going process in the library, and is used to retain relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency and measure the impact of services and programs in the library. The necessity of producing evaluative information is to provide data that can be used to justify and prove to librarians, board members and the community, what the programs and services are providing, and prove the fiscal bottom line. Evaluations keep the organization healthy and dynamic, promotes growth, and reinforces the goals and mission, quality and value, that can be translated through better services and programs.
References
Bopp & Smith (2001). Reference and information services: an Introduction, 3rd ed. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, Co.
Evans, G.E. and Ward, P.L. (2007). Management basics for information professional, 2nd ed. New York, NY: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.
Introduction
Evaluation or assessment is an on-going process the librarian or information manager undertakes, enabling the organization to establish the quality and value of services offered, and to improve a given service, department, or collection. McClure defines evaluation as “the process of determining the success, impact, results, costs, outcomes, or other factors related to a library activity, program, service or resource use” (Haycock, p.179). Evaluation can encourage professional improvement, accountability, and act as a performance measurement. Prepare oneself for a political climate when conducting an assessment, especially if it is tied to any sort of fiscal bottom line, though strong interpersonal skills may alleviate the pressure. Standards enable the organization to use internal and external guidelines to establish criteria and define difficult terms like “quality” or “value”—how does the librarian quantify or measure such subjective and elusive characteristics? Well-done assessments provide valuable quantitative and qualitative data that can be used to further promote the library within the larger context of the parent organization, define the impact of programs and services, and redirect or reinforce the current direction or quality of the organization. Evaluation keeps the organization from becoming stagnant, must always embrace change, and remain dynamic and growing organisms.
Evaluation of Programs and Services
Library professionals today are expected to apply statistical techniques to the internal operations of the organization, linking performance to the success or failure within a given program or service. Evaluations link assessment data to overarching goals and mission of the organization, provide parameters and reinforce focus, and are evident in the strategic plan or mission statement of an organization. Planning, as discussed in Competency M, is integral to the overall success of an organization, and itself needs timely evaluation to respond to changing trends or organizational focus. “Planning is a disciplined effort to produce fundamental decisions and changes that shape and guide what the organization should be and what it should be doing” (McClure, in Haycock, p.180), and continually inform the planning process. An important component to evaluation and planning is a timeline, in which short and long-term objectives are established, and can be reassessed at the given time based upon the degree of accomplishment of set objectives.
Further, criteria factors to consider are: extensiveness, efficiency, effectiveness, service quality, impact, and usefulness (McClure in Haycock, p.182-3), and are important because these factors encourage librarians, community, board members, etc., to focus on the specific assessment criteria. There are many methods of evaluation: factors with the method typically distinguish between inputs, provisions put into the program/service; outputs, in terms of service actually provided; and the outcome from the service (Bopp & Smith, p.247). For example, an output may be books cataloged, or pages viewed on the library website. Input can be the staff time devoted to cataloging the books, or an upgrade spent on library website. Outcomes can be measured as an increase in patronage due to acquisitions of specific books, or increased database usage as users navigate the webpage with greater ease. Other methods include benchmarking, which provides information that demonstrates how one service compared to another service under the recognized leader, in order to ascertain strengths and weaknesses, cost accounting in which the costs are compared to the results, gathering the views of the user, and many other methods (Evans & Ward, p.236-48).
Reference services are often the focus of evaluation, as they involve a number of performance measures, allowing the librarians to gauge how well a service or program performed. In the library profession, evaluation of reference services is an ongoing example of ways that the library measures factors of service, quality and performance, factors such as print and electronic resources, staff interaction, the reference transaction, reference statistics, and evaluation of reference outcomes. Standards for service types provide measurable factors for evaluation, are quantifiable, and are internally defined by the organization, or externally defined by a governing body (the government or association standards). There is often a combination of both. An example of a standard in action would be the application of RUSA Guidelines for Information Services: Evaluation (RUSA [digital], 2000), in order to establish best practices and frame of reference to the organization’s practices and procedures.
Personnel evaluations are increasingly part of the work environment, and are another factor in evaluation. Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry (1985) outline ten charecteristics to determine quality of service, and are an overarching criteria for all staff and personnel: reliability and consistency, responsiveness and timeliness, competence, access and approachability, courtesy, communication, credibility, security/confidentiality, understanding customer needs, and tangibles (physical appearance, physical facilities, etc.) (Evans & Ward, p.237-38).
Evidence
As my first evidence I demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the planning and evaluation process involved when forming a strategic plan through LIBR 204 group project at Manor Branch Library in San Leandro, California (LIBR 204-Manor Branch Strategic Plan). Here, the evaluation involved a specific population of users with children and a tutoring program. As we developed the strategic plan recommendations, the evaluation lead us to examine the internal and external factors, conducting a survey of patrons in order to gain insight into the effectiveness of the current tutoring program, the impact that Manor Branch Library had on their lives as a supplement to school, home or work, and other factors. Planning was implemented for increased tutoring programs incorporating students from neighboring universities.
As my second evidence, I demonstrate my mastery of evaluating a collection development population in order to assess reference book (print) collection section within an academic library, based upon criteria such as currency, material deterioration, within the stated objectives and mission of the library. This was conducted through LIBR 266 research paper (LIBR 266-Evaluation-Reference Collection). During the evaluation of the sociology and humanities section, I was able to discover a discrepancy of redundant reference female focused books that far outweighed its male counterpart. Due to this finding, my internship has expanded to include an overall assessment of the entire reference collection based upon criteria of depth of subject and currency.
Conclusion
Evaluation is an on-going process in the library, and is used to retain relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency and measure the impact of services and programs in the library. The necessity of producing evaluative information is to provide data that can be used to justify and prove to librarians, board members and the community, what the programs and services are providing, and prove the fiscal bottom line. Evaluations keep the organization healthy and dynamic, promotes growth, and reinforces the goals and mission, quality and value, that can be translated through better services and programs.
References
Bopp & Smith (2001). Reference and information services: an Introduction, 3rd ed. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, Co.
Evans, G.E. and Ward, P.L. (2007). Management basics for information professional, 2nd ed. New York, NY: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.