Effective library assessment is crucial for a successful academic library. But what do we mean by library assessment and how can it be used to improve the library service? This new book provides a practical guide for library administrators, managers and practitioners on how to make effective use of existing sources of information for assessment activities with the aim of improving academic library services. Putting Library Assessment Data to Work brings together key library assessment methodologies detailing how they can be used to improve an academic Library. The book takes common sources of data that academic libraries will already be collecting, and presents simple qualitative and quantitative techniques that can be used to evaluate and assess their services, both in detail and overall. The different assessment methods are presented from a practical perspective with a theoretical grounding, and include practical case studies to illustrate how the methodologies have successfully been applied. - The book includes coverage of: - The theoretical framework for assessment, its purpose and the tools and techniques used - Institutional, national and international student surveys and how they can be used to improve library service - The history and development of standardised library surveys (eg LibQUAL+®), how they have been used and their impact - The benefits of In house library surveys and case studies of where they gave been used - Library statistics, including standardised statistics sets and key performance indicators - Qualitative feedback in the library - Emerging techniques including UX - Taking a holistic approach to library assessment through advocacy and strategic planning This book will be essential reading for library and information service managers, administrators, assessment practitioners, educators and policy shapers. It will also be useful for students and researchers interested in library assessment.

This collection brings together the work of archivists, librarians, museum professionals, and other educators who evoke the power of primary sources to teach information literacy skills to a variety of audiences.

Library programming can increase patron awareness of and engagement with library resources and services. However, creative programming and promotion is what really draws people in, especially as libraries evolve and become more virtual. How can librarians reach their unique user groups when those users never have to step foot in the library? Planning and Promoting Events in Health Sciences Libraries: Success Stories and Best Practices presents a simple blueprint for planning and promoting library events and programs written with medical librarians in mind. Whether you work in an academic or hospital setting, this book is full of useful suggestions and tips for taking the stress and confusion out of the library programming and event planning process. Drawing upon the wisdom and experience of health sciences librarians from across the country, this book will: Walk readers through the stages of library programming and promotion Act as a how-to for health sciences librarians looking to create successful outreach events Highlight how other health sciences libraries just like yours have successfully created programs for their users, even those with little to no programming budget Encourage readers to think creatively about their own programming and events Planning and Promoting Events in Health Sciences Libraries: Success Stories and Best Practices will show you that you don’t need a degree in marketing in order to create successful outreach events. Health sciences librarians can take what they already know about their patrons and their own libraries and apply that knowledge to every planning process with the help of the practical strategies found in this guide.

Written by two librarians with extensive publication experience, this book provides practical techniques and tools to prepare librarians to publish successfully. This book is neither a research methodology nor a ‘craft of writing’ book. Instead, its sole goal is to help librarians (and other information science professionals) start writing, identify an outlet for publication, and publish successfully. It dispels the mythos surrounding “scholarly writing” by providing practical tools and advice to help soon-to-be authors get started on the publication journey now. This book will guide aspiring authors step-by-step through the writing and publication process, from nurturing an idea to fruition all the way to enjoying a successful publication. Along the way, readers will learn how to identify the best publication type and venue, gather the needed information to make a convincing argument, and skillfully manage even the most complex project. Topics range from cerebral (such as how to maintain motivation through a project) to technical (such as common grammar and vocabulary errors), but all are designed to be practical and of immediate use to a writer. Whether a graduate student at the beginning of your career in the field of information sciences, a newly minted librarian fresh out of graduate school, a library administrator at the peak of your career, or somewhere in between, publishing can keep you engaged in the issues facing the profession and enhance your career and professional success. Readers will be inspired and ready to contribute to library scholarship and start building their own successful scholarly habit.

This book helps demystify how to incorporate ACRL’s Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education into information literacy instruction in higher education as well as how to teach the new Framework to pre-service librarians as part of their professional preparation. This authoritative volume copublished by the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) demonstrates professional practice by bringing together current case studies from librarians in higher education who are implementing the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education as well as cases from educators in library and information science, who are working to prepare their pre-service students to practice in the new instructional environment. Instructional librarians, administrators, and educators will benefit from the experiences the people on the ground who are actively working to make the transition to the Framework in their professional practice.

The concepts of planning and assessment are intrinsically linked—and understanding them is essential for raising the library’s profile and strengthening its position among stakeholders and the community. Even if you're an LIS student or are new to the profession, or if planning or assessment are not your primary areas of responsibility, you still have a role to play in the success of organizational efforts. Fleming-May has more than a decade of experience in planning and assessment initiatives and instruction, and Mays was her institution’s first assessment librarian; their primer draws from theory, research, and their first-hand observations to illuminate such topics as characteristics of bad planning strategy that can help to illustrate a better approach; reasons why using economic models, like ROI, fall short; how to mix the three types of planning; guidelines to ensure that assessment is meaningful and actionable; tips for creating effective surveys; emphasizing users’ needs with a critical assessment framework; data analysis for surveys, interviews, focus groups, and observation; four questions to ask about audience level before you develop a report; a sample 3-year assessment plan that can be customized; and seven steps for developing a culture of ongoing assessment.

The subject of the use of social media has renewed interest because of the impact that it had on the last U.S. presidential election and the impact that social media networks will have on subsequent elections. As guides in the information world, it is thus important that librarians be well versed in social media. This has called attention to the relevance and urgency of incorporating social media use into the academic library, both as a marketing tool and as an instruction tool. Social Media for Communication and Instruction in Academic Libraries is an essential reference source that offers guidance in using social media in academic libraries and in instruction with a special emphasis on assessment and evidence-based practice. Featuring research on topics such as digital libraries, marketing, and web analytics, this book is ideally designed for librarians, administrators, educators, managers, information technology specialists, professionals, researchers, and students.