Assessment data can be collected from a multitude of sources from within and outside your library. It’s not just about the size of collections, or number of reference transactions, or hours a library is open. This presentation will review some of the key places assessment information can be gathered and provide strategies to creatively think about assessment data collection for your library.

1. LEVERAGING AND INTERPRETING LIBRARY ASSESSMENT DATA
PULLING THE WHEAT FROM THE CHAFF
Elizabeth Brown
Director of Assessment and Scholarly
Communications
Binghamton University Libraries
April 20, 2016
Image Source: Flickr Public Domain

2. 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/

3. 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

4. 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/

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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/

9. 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?

10. 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/sur
veys/triennial
 Individualized topical surveys
Image Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/woolgenie/16251173169/in/album-72157631115747450/

11. 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=142070
4
 Annual Library Systems Report (Marshall Breeding):
http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2015/05/01/libra
Image Source:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/woolgenie/16200135443/in/alb
um-72157631115747450/

12. 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/

13. 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/