Library Assessment Using the ACRL Standards:

1. Library Assessment Using the ACRL Standards: Standards for Libraries in Higher Education (2004)

2. Workshop PresenterBob Fernekesfernekes@georgiasouthern.eduGeorgia Southern University • Information Services Librarian • Business Specialist, Co-liaison, COBA • Member – ACRL Standards Committees: (CLS - 1998-2003, ULS - 2001-04) • Member – ACRL College and Research Libraries Standards Task Force (2002-04)

3. Workshop PresenterBill Nelsonwnelson@aug.eduAugusta State University • Library Director • Chair – ACRL Standards & Accreditation Comm. (2005-06) • Chair – CLS Standards Committee (2000-04) • Member – ACRL College and Research Libraries Standards Task Force (2002-04) • Member – ACRL Task Force on Academic Library Outcomes Assessment (1996-98) • Experienced U.S. Regional Accreditation Library Evaluator (Southern Association)

4. Agenda • Introduction • Background • Layout & Use of the Workbook • Essence of the ACRL Library Standards • Practical Applications: • Planning, Outcomes & Outcomes Assessment • Services through Budget Sections • Communication & Cooperation, Admin, Budget • Questions, Comments & Feedback

5. Introduction • Purpose: • To provide an introduction to the Standards for Libraries in Higher Education (2004) • To introduce a workbook to assist in applying the Standards • To provide some practical suggestions on how to apply the Standards http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/standardslibraries.htm

6. Introduction (continued) • To Accomplish Workshop Objectives: • Demonstrate how to translate Strategy, Vision, CoreValues, and Mission into specific objectives & measures • Present Key Concepts, Trends and Strategies • Demonstrate how the Standards are relevant to all academic libraries • Provide an approach to solve the Assessment Challenge

7. Organization and Use of Workbook • Developed in three Parts: • Part I: Planning, Assessment, and Outcomes Assessment • Part II: Services, Instruction, Resources, Access, Staff, and Facilities • Part III: Communication & Cooperation, Administration, and Budget • Appendices

8. Library Effectiveness • An effective library must: • Employ planning, assessment, & outcomes assessment • Define, measure, assess, & report results • Select meaningful & doable measures • Use data effectively • for assessment • to support budget requests

9. Background • ACRL Task Force Reports – Address shortcomings: • Standards Study, 1996 • Academic Library Outcomes Assessment, 1998 • Academic Library Standards, 2004 • Regional Accrediting Assn Standards • Becoming less-prescriptive • Greater Focus on Student Learning and Assessment

10. ACRL Standards, 2000 Edition • Introduces and describes: • The Use of Suggested Points of Comparison • The Use of Outcomes Assessment • . . . Qualitative measures to assess: • User Satisfaction • Service Quality • Self-Assessments • . . . Quantitative measures(Inputs and Outputs) for: • Internal Trend Analysis • Comparison with Peers

11. Standards for Libraries in Higher Education • College Library Standards: • The basis of this set of standards • Same format: minimal changes • New Elements: • Replaces “college” with “institution” • Name changed—“higher education” used, to include some technical institutes • Final document found at:http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/standardslibraries.htm

12. View from the Library • Libraries are in transition - focus onaccountability, assessment of student performance, greater need for staff training, financial pressures, expectation for rapid document delivery, user education in new technologies, migration to online full-text sources • Need examples of Best Practices – that maximize the use of resources and integrate measures that matter • Mission includes support for Distance Learners • Still need meaningful quantitative measures

13. The Challenge: • Institution – prove that it is effective in teaching students (assess student learning). • Library – demonstrate ways in which library users are changed as a result of their contact with library services, resources and programs and assess student learning and impact.

14. The Solution is . . . • Involve the library in your institution’s strategic planning process (Activity Session) • Establish Expected Outcomes and Means for Assessing Each Outcome • Provide better documentation that reinforces the link between services, instruction, access, resources, staff and facilitieswith: • student learning, • educational impact, • continuing improvement

15. The Solution (continued) • Establish a Culture of Evidence: “. . . specify library performance indicators whose measures can provide a culture of evidence to document progress and contributions toward the realization of campuswide outcomes and goals…” Bonnie Gratch-Lindauer City College of San Francisco

16. The Solution (continued) • Prepare for your next Library Assessment: • Use your current professional standards & the ACRL Standards for Libraries in Higher Education • Integrate library assessment into institution review processes • Use measures that assess learning outcomes • Prepare better documentation

17. The Solution (continued) • Culture of Evidence - How? • Approach the Challenge by using different measures for a given process, program, activity or initiative to assess accomplishment of library goals and objectives • Establish your Culture of Evidence within the context of Your Institution • Measures indicating the same general result will support Your contention • Could be considered a “Culture of Assessment”

18. The Solution (continued) • Use Suggested Points of Comparison: • For longitudinal and peer comparison • Coordinate with peers toenlist cooperation and toverify data • Ensure that your library submits complete and accurate data • Use several years’ data to establish trends • Use more than one database or data set

19. The Solution (continued) • Assess the library’s Institutional Effectiveness • Establish goals and objectives that are linked to institutional or campus-wide goals. • Establish and Assess Learning Outcomes • Assess the impact of library services, activities and programs on the Teaching-Learning Environment (support of student learning)

20. Practical Applications Planning and Assessment Process Services through Budget Sections Communication & Cooperation, Administration, and Budget

21. Part I: Planning, Assessment and Outcomes Assessment • Introduces the overall assessment process for the other nine sections • Introduces Key Themes and Ideas • Answers three basic questions • Your Library Assessment Plan fine tuned to implement the ACRL Standards • Review Institution and Library Mission Statements

22. Planning, Assessment and Outcomes Assessment-------The Outcomes Assessment ProcessAnswers Three Basic Questions: • What are we doing well? • What do we need to do better? • Should we do something else in order to achieve our vision?

23. PLANNING • Workbook, p. 5 ff • Academic library assessment must begin with the institutional mission • Must be consistent with institutional mission

24. ASSESSMENT • Workbook, p. 11 ff • Consider using a Planning Matrix • Planning Matrix – Example • Only a Plan • Completed Planning Matrix • Includes: Implementation & Results

25. Planning Matrix For Planning Purposes Completed Plan

26. Library Assessment Plan • Example (pp. 14; 15; 29-33) • Some Formal Evaluation Tools (p. 21) • Identifying Existing Institutional Evidence (p. 22) • Your Library Assessment Plan • A Blank Worksheet is provided • Examples: http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/aboutacrl/acrlsections/collegelibraries/collpubs/Standards.pdf

27. Planning, Assessment, & Outcomes Assessment (Evaluation): CLOSING THE LOOP

28. How to Close the Loop • Review Library Mission Statement • Review Purposes and Goals • Review Evaluation Procedure and Assessment Strategy for each Goal • Review Use of Assessment Results • Evaluate Goals Attainment/Budget Request

29. Closing the Loop - Use Results: • As the basis for building a revised set of Assessment Procedures & Strategies • To assess Purposes & Goals • Use data to support budget requests • To “prove” that the graduating student is better as a result of the library’s contribution to teaching and learning

30. Part III:Communication & Cooperation, Administration, and Budget • All three sections are compliance oriented • Review all applicable standards for compliance issues • Review requirements in each section of the Standards for Libraries in Higher Education • Use the results from multiple measures to demonstrate compliance and assess institutional climate

31. Communication & Cooperation, Administration, Budget • These 3 sections have assessment elements in common • All 3 areas have basically compliance issues, i.e., you are either doing them, or not • Answer the questions from the standards • Ensure compliance with specific accreditation requirements • Use peer comparison to demonstrate level of compliance

32. Part II: Overview Services, Instruction, Resources, Access, Staff & Facilities • Introduces an Assessment Diagram – links library goals & objectives to institutional goals: • Student Learning Outcomes • Impact of the Library on Teaching–Learning • Glossary of Key Assessment Concepts, Topics and Terminology

33. Part II: Library Effectiveness ReviewServices Thru Facilities • Workbook provides: • Key Themes and Essential Ideas • Practical Solutions, Performance Charts, Checklists for identifying items to include in your response to Evaluation Questions, and User Survey Sample Questions (where applicable) • Handouts provide: • Tips for Bridging the Gap • Measures of Success Stated as Outcomes • Sample Means for Assessment • Strategic Planning Activity Worksheet

34. Activity Session Worksheet:Strategic Planning and Institutional Effectiveness • List Key Elements from Institution Vision, Core Values and Mission • Identify Library Services, Programs & Activities Supporting Each Element • Identify Outcomes and Means for Assessment • Group Reports & Discussion

35. Closing Remarks,Questions, Comments & Feedback • Assessment Process Tips • Lessons Learned: • Answer three basic questions • Develop Your Library Assessment Plan to support Your Institution’s Strategic Plan and attainment of specific institutional goals and objectives