Evaluation and Library Decision Making

Peter Hernon, Charles R. McClure

Evaluation, which is a critical component of the planning process, assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of library programs and services in the context of stated goals and objectives. This book views evaluation as a type of research study in which evaluators collect either research or management data. Chapters discuss steps of the evaluation process and provide practical examples of the application of these steps to specific library problems. The overall objectives of the volume are to introduce readers to the relationship between planning and evaluation; to discuss the components of an evaluation study in clear prose so that readers can easily understand the different steps; to foster an attitude that recognizes the importance of evaluation for the development of library programs and services; to offer examples of each component of the evaluation process; to identify writings on evaluation in libraries and information centers; and to encourage organizational change and underscore the importance of evaluation to library decision making.

PrefaceEvaluating Library and Information ServicesOverview of the Evaluation ProcessExploiting the Literature on EvaluationThe Steps in Conducting an Evaluation StudyEvaluating Designs and Data Collection TechniquesSamplingImproving the Evaluation Process with a Library Management Information SystemImportance of Performance Measures in the Evaluation ProcessEvaluation of Library Reference Services. Sample Topic: Interlibrary Loan Analysis as a Collection Development Tool (By Barbara Klein)Sample Topic: Student Nonuse of Library Literature on CD-ROM (By Elizabeth H. Murray)Communication of Study FindingsBarriers to Evaluation-The Political ContextOrganiztional ChangeBibliographyAuthor IndexSubject