Academic library assessment success in demonstrating value to parent organizations
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The practice of assessing academic libraries attempts to review library functions to improve as well as demonstrate value. However, library assessment has not been fully investigated from the practitioner perspective. This qualitative study focused on practitioners' perspectives of how library assessment assists the academic library utilizing a qualitative approach. The aim of this research was to determine what aspects of library assessment were successful from the perspective of librarians who coordinate assessment and library administrators who often make decisions and arguments utilizing assessment findings. Using a variety of analysis including a survey capturing assessment practices, interviews of assessment librarians and library administrators, evaluation of assessment documents, and capturing budget data, the study found all participants, regardless of position or classification of the institution, perceived quality improvement as the most valuable aspect of library assessment. Participants agreed focusing on students as the primary stakeholders and utilized library assessment to gather student feedback as well as demonstrate impact on students. Participants also discussed using library assessment information for data-driven decision-making, quality assurance practices such as accreditation, and raising the library profile through promotions that demonstrate value as well as illustrating the resources needed to provide necessary services that support library patrons and highlight the purposes of higher education to be a public good.
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Ed. D.