Evaluation of academic librarians' instructional performance: Report of a national survey

Abstract

Some types of library instruction easily allow student learning to be assessed (i.e., the self-paced workbook and credit-bearing library instruction), but there is no generally accepted means of measuring learning gained from the typical one-shot library instruction session. Instead, evaluation of library instruction tends to focus upon attendees' perceptions of the librarian's performance. This study reports the results of a survey of evaluation practices reported by library instruction coordinators at forty-four colleges and universities throughout the United States. Among the respondents' organizations, “reaction data” is most frequently used to assess the effectiveness of library instruction, although it provides little evidence concerning what students have learned. Nearly three-fourths of the library instruction coordinators who answered the survey indicated that evaluative feedback is solicited from students at their institutions. More than one fourth of the respondents indicated that their libraries use student responses as a basis for performance appraisal, while slightly less than sixteen percent reported that evaluative responses solicited from faculty are used to assess performance. Peer observation of library instruction as an evaluative tool was also frequently reported. Survey results are analyzed and discussed, as are benefits and limitations of various types of evaluation. The author argues that subjective data alone are inadequate to measure student learning, guide programmatic improvements in library instruction, or be used as a basis for librarians' performance appraisals. It is suggested that, due to its limitations, course-related library instruction can render little useful evaluative information. Librarians need to identify and implement teaching strategies that increase the amount of meaningful instruction and allow student learning to be assessed.