Evaluating the Impact of Your Library

Abstract

Library managers and staff are compelled to evaluate their services for a number of reasons: securing funds to justify their existence in their parent organizations or at national and federal levels, illustrating a service need, and establishing accountability and effective allocation of resources. Properly performed studies and impact assessments can greatly assist in a library's success. Evaluating the Impact of Your Library is directed toward service managers in public, education, health, and special libraries. Markless, a consultant from Information Management Associates, and Streatfield, leader of Information Management Associates, have teamed up to create a concise work filled with applicable knowledge. They use an evidence-based approach, combing the literature and rigorously testing their model, to create a practical, thorough process of evaluation. Markless and Streatfield share techniques, checklists, and models on how to collect data, both qualitatively and quantitatively, and how to measure service impact. The book is composed of eleven chapters divided into three parts, a helpful yet short glossary, and an index. Each chapter begins with a very brief annotation of its content and suggestions on what chapter to read next, depending on the reader's needs, further allowing the text to serve not only as an informative read but also as a reference tool. Additional tools and supplementary materials are available at www.facetpublishing.co.uk/evaluatingimpact/. Examples gained from working with practitioners in workshops are used throughout. Part one, “The Context,” establishes the need for evidence, gives an overview of impact and impact models, and details the research that led to writing the book. It speaks to the importance of evidence-based practice, its popularity, and librarians' desire to adapt to this model. Markless and Streatfield write, “The idea of evidence-based policy and practice (EBPP) is potentially more important for the library and information service world, if only because it has taken organizational root in some traditionally strong areas of library service provision, notably health” (p. 8). Part two, “Evaluating Impact,” is really the meat of the text and concentrates on methodology. The shared model goes through a step-by-step approach and begins, not surprisingly, with the library's mission statement and teaches readers how to translate objectives into impact indicators. An impact indicator “is a piece of information that indicates something useful to you” (p. 65). Each objective should have two to four indicators. The process is not easy and takes time. The authors suggest working through the stages as a team or multiple teams. By the end of the process, readers will “be well on the way to putting together a workable development plan and an implementation time table to go with it” (p. 50). This section also offers valuable information, such as what types of evidence are useful and how much evidence should be gathered. Chapter nine, “Gathering and Interpreting Evidence,” offers suggestions on publications and electronic resources to turn to for supplemental information on research methods. The authors go to great lengths to assist managers in deciding what should be measured and how to measure and interpret the evidence. The chapter covers a range of studies and techniques, such as small-scale systematic observation, informal observation, peer observation, accompanied visits, picture taking, work shadowing, and surveys. Because library service managers frequently utilize questionnaires to evaluate service, the authors supply brief advice on improving questionnaires, such as when to ask closed versus open questions and when to use questionnaires in general. The book highlights issues and challenges library managers face when attempting to illustrate real evidence of impact. Standard pitfalls and distractions are also discussed. Part three, “Back to the Issues,” looks to the future of evidence-based library work and answers questions like “How can we look at the big questions about how libraries contribute to the cohesion and development of their communities or organizations?” (p. 141). After two sections of practical advice, part three, which comprises only chapter eleven, seems weak by comparison and can be skipped by the busy manager. Evaluating the Impact of Your Library is comprehensive, albeit overwhelming for those who may be new to evaluating service. The book goes over many techniques and models, and it functions best if used as a tool during the evaluation process. The book will be useful and no doubt referred to time and time again by library or information services managers.