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 to 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 marshaling data to effectively communicate the value and impact of a library and its services, no matter the audience Complete with a detailed list of sources for metrics and concrete examples of evaluation in practice, this workbook will be both valuable and immediately useful to managers at academic and public libraries, as well as to library trustees and others interested in assessing service quality.

Developmental evaluation (DE) offers a powerful approach to monitoring and supporting social innovations by working in partnership with program decision makers. In this book, eminent authority Michael Quinn Patton shows how to conduct evaluations within a DE framework. Patton draws on insights about complex dynamic systems, uncertainty, nonlinearity, and emergence. He illustrates how DE can be used for a range of purposes: ongoing program development, adapting effective principles of practice to local contexts, generating innovations and taking them to scale, and facilitating rapid response in crisis situations. Students and practicing evaluators will appreciate the book's extensive case examples and stories, cartoons, clear writing style, "closer look" sidebars, and summary tables. Provided is essential guidance for making evaluations useful, practical, and credible in support of social change.

First published in 1992. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

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.

Both practical and theoretical in approach, this book is the perfect companion for student researchers and policy makers alike. It provides actionable advice for planning and implementing evaluations, while also instilling an ability to assess the evaluations of others and consider the ways in which evaluation evidence could influence policy and practice. Drawing upon a wide range of examples from policy areas like education, criminal justice, and health and social care, this book showcases how evaluation is an interdisciplinary research practice with a spectrum of applications. Each chapter contains philosophical underpinnings and applied knowledge as well as examples from published evaluations. Specific topics include how to: Choose an approach to evaluation Plan, design, and conduct evaluations Approach evaluations using theories of change Differentiate between process, impact, and economic evaluations Understand the role of quantitative and qualitative methods in data collection Use systematic reviews and other tools to assess and disseminate evaluation findings From getting started in the field to turning evidence into policy, this book will guide you through every step of the evaluation process.

Discover the Dynamic World of Options Investing Getting Started In Options Seventh Edition Many people fail to capitalize on the potentially lucrative opportunities that options present, simply because they don't fully understand how options work. But with Getting Started in Options, Seventh Edition, author Michael C. Thomsett looks to change this. Written in a straightforward and accessible style, Getting Started in Options, Seventh Edition provides you with a solid foundation in this field, and will help you become fully familiar with one of today's most important investment vehicles. Each page of this informative guide addresses essential options issues, including how to: * Identify your own risk tolerance levels and decide how to effectively incorporate options into your own portfolio * Master options terminology and concepts * Use options in a powerful insurance strategy to protect against losses in stock investments * Perform "paper trades" before putting real money at risk * Utilize the many new online resources available to you * Understand time values, striking price, and expiration Besides new examples, updated charts, and timely investor tips, this latest edition also includes important new chapters that reflect ongoing innovations within the options market, such as the many uses of options beyond their obvious buying and selling functions, different methods available to calculate returns on options trades, and much more. You don't need to be a financial expert to make it in the world of options, but you do need to be well informed. With Getting Started in Options, Seventh Edition as your guide you'll quickly discover how to make options work for you.