MLS Workshop (description and materials from workshop offered in Spring 2017)
After this program, you will be able to:
You will leave with an action plan that you can customize for your library. All levels of experience are welcome, from those who are brand new to assessment, to the seasoned pros looking to share and hear new ideas.
How to Borrow from the MLS Professional Collection:
Click on one of our featured titles below, or search entire the MLS Professional Collection via our online catalog. You can then request items to be sent to your library through delivery. View this guide for detailed instructions.
Say It with Data by
Administrators, policy makers, legislators, and the public demand concrete, measurable evidence of the need for libraries and their use. The collection and dissemination of data about library service in a straightforward, convincing manner are integral components of library advocacy in the current economic climate. Addressing frontline librarians lobbying for increased programming or staff, as well as adminstrators marshalling statistics to stem the tide of budget cuts and prevent library closure, this vital new book explores the whys and hows of using data to build a better picture of library needs and success. With a distinctive combination of research-based information and practical application, Dando *Demonstrates how data from surveys, focus groups, ALA, and state and local sources can be aggregated and used to craft a strong message *Takes readers step by step through the process of using data to tailor a message to specific audiences *Offers real-world examples from school and public libraries that can be used as models Addressing the requirements of a variety of stakeholders, this concise resource lays out an easy-to-follow, systematic way of inspiring action through clear, compelling data.
Assessing Service Quality by
Academic and public libraries are continuing to transform as the information landscape changes, expanding their missions into new service roles that call for improved organizational performance and accountability. Since "Assessing Service Quality" premiered in 1998, receiving the prestigious Highsmith Library Literature Award, scores of library managers and administrators have trusted its guidance for applying a customer-centered approach to service quality and performance evaluation. This extensively revised and updated edition explores even further the ways technology influences both the experiences of library customers and the ways libraries themselves can assess those experiences. With a clear focus on real-world application, the authors Challenge conventional thinking about the utility of input, output, and performance metrics by suggesting new ways to think about the evaluation and assessment of library services Explain service quality and customer satisfaction, and demonstrate how they are separate but intertwined Identify procedures for qualitatively and quantitatively measuring both service quality and satisfaction Encourage libraries to take action by presenting concrete steps they can take to become more customer-centric Offer a range of customer-related metrics that provide insights useful for library planning and decision making, such as surveys and focus groups This book shows how to nurture an environment of continuous improvement through effective service quality assessment.
Library analytics and metrics : using data to drive decisions and services by
This book will inform and inspire librarians, archivists, curators and technologists to make better use of data to help inform decision-making, the development of new services and the improvement of the user experience. With the wealth of data available to library and cultural heritage institutions, analytics are the key to understanding their users and improving the systems and services they offer. Using case studies to provide real-life examples of current developments and services, and packed full of practical advice and guidance for libraries looking to realize the value of their data, this will be an essential guide for librarians and information professionals. Library Analytics and Metrics brings together a group of internationally recognized experts to explore some of the key issues in the exploitation of data analytics and metrics in the library and cultural heritage sectors, including: the role of data in helping inform collections management and strategy; approaches to collecting, analyzing and utilizing data; using analytics to develop new services and improve the user experience; using ethnographic methodologies to better understand user behaviours; the opportunities of library data as 'big data'; the role of 'small data' in delivering meaningful interventions for users; practical advice on managing the risks and ethics of data analytics; how analytics can help uncover new types of impact and value for institutions and organizations. This book will be an invaluable resource for librarians and library directors interested in developing a data-driven approach to their service provision and decision making; students on library and information science courses; and managers and practitioners in other cultural heritage sectors such as museums, archives and galleries.
Library Assessment Cookbook by 
Getting Started with Evaluation by
Everyone agrees that evaluation of library services is essential, but without a background in research it can be a challenge to apply abstract concepts such as strategic planning, evidence-based decision making, and accountability to real-world situations. Finally library managers have a workbook to help them master key concepts of service quality assessment, offering directed exercises and worksheets to guide them. Firmly rooted in practical application, this book *Presents an overview of evaluation and the types of metrics, linking them to strategic planning and infrastructure *Examines qualitative versus quantitative measures *Shows how go decide which metrics are relevant to one's own institution, covering benchmarking, best practices, peer group filters, and those metrics that offer a high return on investment *Includes pointers for launching and maintaining successful library evaluation through flexibility and smart delegation among library staff *Offers advice on marshalling data to effectively communicate the value and impact of a library and its services, no matter the audience
Five Steps of Outcome-Based Planning and Evaluation for Public Libraries by
Planning and assessment are both crucial elements of a public library that functions efficiently and flexibly. So why are they often treated as separate processes? This concise book combines planning and evaluation in a holistic approach, helping public library managers and staff put library resources to work for the community. Based on a series of successful workshops, the authors present a workflow made up of manageable steps for integrating outcome-based planning and evaluation (OBPE) into the routine functions of the public library. Offering step by step guidance that's transparent and easy to follow, this book introduces the concept of OBPE and explains how it can be a streamlined, effective method of getting library users' feedback; defines "outcomes" and shows why public libraries should use them to plan and evaluate services; shares methodologies for assessing community needs and interests, including key informant interviews, surveys, focus groups, and environmental scans; demonstrates how to use community assessment data to create outcome statements that not only guide the creation of new library services, but also provide targets for measuring the effectiveness of those services; offers techniques for designing services that directly serve the community while also achieving the outcomes the library has targeted; and provides tips for sharing the results with stakeholders and maximizing successful outcome-based programs to leverage the library's role in the community. Featuring plentiful examples of how to proceed through each phase of the OBPE model, this book boils down planning and evaluation into an approachable, easy to understand process for public librarians, library managers, and grant writers.
Academic Library Value by 
Putting Assessment into Action by
Are you new to library assessment? Are you tasked with conducting an assessment project and don't know what methods to use, or which ones are the most effective (or practical)? The methodological issues addressed in Putting Assessment into Action are based on the real world, practical experience of librarians who participated in the first cohort of the Assessment in Action project.
Reviewing the Academic Library by
There are no blueprints for conducting external reviews and self-studies. In this volume, the reader will find essays by key thinkers and leaders that address the major aspects of the formal assessment and review of academic libraries. This volume offers practical and applicable information, contextualized through current theory and approaches.
The Quality Library by
In an environment of budget cuts and freezes, libraries must keep a tight rein on costs and inefficiencies. This title offers a methodology to pinpoint trouble areas and improve processes. It provides administrators an understanding of their suppliers and customers. It empowers front-line staff to make improvements and better decisions.
