Library Director and University Archivist em Philippine Association of Academic/Research Librarians
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Finding value for the library
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Lecture presented by Rhea Rowena U. Apolinario at PAARL's Summer Conference on the theme "Library Analytics: Data-driven Library Management, held at Pearl Hotel, Manila on 20-22 April 2016
1. FINDING
FOR THE LIBRARY
PAARL National Summer Conference 2016
Library Analytics: Data-Driven Library Management
20-22 April 2016, Manila
https://www.google.com/search?q=value&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjGpZumnpjMAhXG5aY
KHd6XCuIQ_AUIBygB&biw=1252&bih=576#imgrc=K4UtKZv3o-s_sM%3A
2. JUST TO START OUR CONVERSATION...
Me: Anak, do you think
libraries are
valuable/important?
Daughter: Yes!
Me: Why do you think so?
Daughter: Because you
can learn a lot from the
library! And every book
in the library is a
portal to a new
world!
4. COMMON QUESTIONS…
What VALUE do you bring
to your institution?
Why are libraries important?
HOW do you demonstrate your
VALUE to your institution?
5. WHAT IS VALUE?
Use or Utility
Financial
Value
Production of
a Commodity
Library
Impact
User
Perceptions
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
6. FOR ACADEMIC LIBRARIES
Financial Value AND Impact Value
Financial Value
Librarians must demonstrate that academic librarians manage their financial
resources well and help bring money into their institutions.
Impact Value
Librarians can elicit information from users about what the library enables them to
do
Value On Investment” or VOI
The value of information is its contribution to making improvements in users
Challenge in demonstrating library’s VOI: “people have to be able to see clearly that the
information that ‘caused’ benefit came from the service, and not from the client’s own
work or ideas”. One simple way to gather answer on this is to “collect from individual
[library users] specific examples of beneficial information that they know came to them
with the aid of your service.
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
7. TWO STUDIES
Value of Academic Libraries: A
Comprehensive Research Review
and Report (by ACRL)
The Value of Libraries for
Research and Researchers
(by RIN and RLUK)
8. THE VALUE OF LIBRARIES FOR
RESEARCH AND RESEARCHERS
(The value of libraries for research and researchers, 2011)
9. (The value of libraries for research and researchers, 2011)
10. (The value of libraries for research and researchers, 2011)
11. (The value of libraries for research and researchers, 2011)
12. THE VALUE OF LIBRARIES FOR
RESEARCH AND RESEARCHERS
1. Good libraries help institutions to recruit
and retain top researchers.
There is global competition for top researchers, and institutional
reputation is key to attracting them. But the library also
contributes to an institution’s reputation. The quality, nature,
and extent of the library’s collections, of its staff and the
services they provide, and of its buildings are all important.
Successful and high-quality libraries can be a significant factor
in recruiting and retaining top researchers.
(The value of libraries for research and researchers, 2011)
13. THE VALUE OF LIBRARIES FOR
RESEARCH AND RESEARCHERS
2. Libraries help researchers win research
grants and contracts.
Success in winning research grants and contracts is critically-
important, especially for research-intensive universities. Libraries
could play a greater role if researchers knew that support was
available, and if their involvement was more formalised.
Libraries have an opportunity to use their skills to help
researchers improve the quality of their funding applications,
and to increase the institution’s success in winning research
income.
(The value of libraries for research and researchers, 2011)
14. THE VALUE OF LIBRARIES FOR
RESEARCH AND RESEARCHERS
3. Libraries promote and exploit new
technologies and new models of scholarly
communications.
Libraries are critically important in helping researchers exploit the
full benefits and opportunities of the networked world,
including open access and social media. Libraries can do so by
establishing stronger links with researchers and re focusing their
services to promote and exploit new technologies and new
models of scholarly communication.
(The value of libraries for research and researchers, 2011)
15. THE VALUE OF LIBRARIES FOR
RESEARCH AND RESEARCHERS
4. Repositories increase the visibility of the
institution and raise its research profile.
In most cases, the library runs the repository on behalf of the
institution, and senior institutional managers acknowledge the
role the repository plays in increasing the visibility of the
institution’s outputs and raising its research profile. Now, the
focus is on increasing the volume of content, by making it
routine for researchers to deposit their outputs. Libraries are
now playing an increasing role in educating researchers and
building more effective procedures and approaches across the
institution.
(The value of libraries for research and researchers, 2011)
16. THE VALUE OF LIBRARIES FOR
RESEARCH AND RESEARCHERS
5. Outward-facing libraries contribute to
institution-wide initiatives.
Libraries’ central and impartial position, together with their
information and organisation expertise, puts them in a good
position to play a wide institutional role and deliver new
value. Outward-facing libraries can help in joining up research
support and administration, leading to better research
management and a higher profile for the library across the
institution.
(The value of libraries for research and researchers, 2011)
17. THE VALUE OF LIBRARIES FOR
RESEARCH AND RESEARCHERS
6. Specialist staff work in partnership with
academic departments.
Information specialists - both subject specialists and those with a
specific focus on the needs of researchers - form a significant
group of the library staff in most institutions. The researchers
who make use of them see them as vital. But too often,
information specialists and researchers are not well connected.
Information specialists take a more proactive role, working in
partnership with academic departments and acting as
consultants.
(The value of libraries for research and researchers, 2011)
18. THE VALUE OF LIBRARIES FOR
RESEARCH AND RESEARCHERS
7. Connecting with researchers enhances the
value of the library’s services.
The digital revolution has changed the relationship between libraries
and researchers, many of whom do not use the physical library.
Libraries are becoming alert to their separation from researchers,
and are trying to find ways to reconnect with them, and to fill the
gaps in their knowledge and understanding of researchers’ needs.
Such an approach can lead to a strong service culture, increasing
researcher satisfaction, as well as winning recognition and
respect for the library across the institution.
(The value of libraries for research and researchers, 2011)
19. THE VALUE OF LIBRARIES FOR
RESEARCH AND RESEARCHERS
8. Dedicated spaces provide a better work
environment for researchers.
For some researchers, the physical library is valued as a place to work
and study. Many researchers, however, find that the library is
crowded with undergraduates, and that it provides a difficult
environment in which to work. In order to meet researchers’
needs, some libraries have therefore created dedicated areas
for them, providing a better environment for those researchers
who depend on the library and its contents
(The value of libraries for research and researchers, 2011)
20. THE VALUE OF LIBRARIES FOR
RESEARCH AND RESEARCHERS
9. Easy access to high-quality content is a
key foundation for good research.
The pressure on institutional budgets, continuing increases in
subscription costs, and fluctuations in exchange rates, are
making it more difficult to sustain the current level of
purchasing. ‘Daring to be different’, and taking a more evidence-
based, strategic approach to content procurement, should help
libraries to meet researchers’ needs more effectively as well as
helping their dialogue with the senior managers from whom
they seek funding.
(The value of libraries for research and researchers, 2011)
21. THE VALUE OF LIBRARIES FOR
RESEARCH AND RESEARCHERS
10. Libraries are a physical manifestation
of the values of the academy and of
scholarship.
Libraries are one of the most enduring features of the academy, central to
the values and the practice of scholarship. But in a period of austerity,
they are increasingly being asked to justify their existence. This
intrinsic value may not be recognised by future generations of
researchers who work in an online world. It is important for libraries
to stress that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts; and
that the value of the library is as a crucial cornerstone and
representation of the values of the academy and of scholarship.
(The value of libraries for research and researchers, 2011)
22. The next slides are
RECOMMENDATIONS
for academic librarians
who want to demonstrate value
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
VALUE OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: A
COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH REVIEW AND
REPORT
23. VALUE OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: A
COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH REVIEW
AND REPORT
Define outcomes
Libraries should define outcomes of
institutional relevance and then measure
the degree to which they attain them.
Link library outcomes to institutional
outcomes related to the ff: student
enrollment, student retention and
graduation rates, student success,
student achievement, student learning,
student engagement, faculty research
productivity, faculty teaching, service,
and overarching institutional quality
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
Kung sa
pag-ibig, ano ba
ang gusto mong
mangyari sa
inyong dalawa ng
minamahal mo?
http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/33000000/Love-
Wallpapers-love-33002117-1600-1000.jpg
24. Create or adopt
systems for
assessment
management
Assessment management systems help
higher education educators,
including librarians, manage their
outcomes, record and maintain
data on each outcome, facilitate
connections to similar outcomes
throughout an institution, and
generate reports.
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
VALUE OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: A
COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH REVIEW
AND REPORT
Kung sa
pag-ibig, create the
right environment to
elicit that
atmosphere of
LOVE!http://www.romanticpicnics.com.ec/wp-
content/uploads/2015/02/romantic-moments-pictures.jpg
25. Determine what libraries
enable students, faculty,
student affairs
professionals,
administrators, and staff
to do
Librarians may wish to conduct “help” studies
that collect information about the impact
libraries have on their target audiences.
Results from these investigations will
demonstrate library value and provide
essential information for continuing
improvements to library services and
resources.
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
VALUE OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: A
COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH REVIEW
AND REPORT
Kung sa
pag-ibig, kilalaning
mabuti ang taong
minamahal mo at
ang mga taong
mahal niya.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tSdlD9TCGiM/UfDnxGoikzI/AAAAAAAAAgA/EWRfWsC1uvI/s1600/Friends-4ever-mcrkilljoygirl-21189765-895-893.jpg
26. Develop systems to collect data on
individual library user behavior,
while maintaining privacy
In order to determine the impact of library
interactions on users, libraries can collect data
on how individual users engage with library
resources and services
For example, they do not track data that would
provide evidence that students who engage in
more library instruction are more likely to
graduate on time, that faculty who use library
services are more likely to be tenured, or that
student affairs professionals that integrate
library services into their work activities are
more likely to be promoted.
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
VALUE OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: A
COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH REVIEW
AND REPORT
Kung sa
pag-ibig, tingnang
mabuti ang effect ng
bawat ginagawa mo sa
kanya. Saan siya mas
masaya, kilig, etc.?
Tandaan mo yun!
http://savvyfeed.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Courtship-Conversations.jpg
27. Record and increase library
impact on student
enrollment
Institutions of higher education want to admit the
strongest possible students at both the
undergraduate and graduate levels.
According to the Association of Higher Education
Facilities Officers (2006), libraries are an important
consideration when students select a university or
college, and, as a result, academic libraries can
help institutional admissions boost enrollment .
Typically, librarians take part in campus-wide
recruiting and orientation efforts. In the future,
libraries can play a more prominent role in
reaching key prospective student groups and
communicating the ways in which librarians can
help students attain academic success.
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
VALUE OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: A
COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH REVIEW
AND REPORT
Kung sa
pag-ibig, kung saan
siya mas liligaya, yun
ang lagi mong gawin.
Ipakita mo rin sa
kanya kung sino ka at
ano ang kaya mong
gawin.http://cdn-
ugc.cafemom.com/gen/constrain/500/500/80/2015/01/30/15/4e/pq/pouuwh556o.jpg
28. EXAMPLE
Student enrollment is one area of institutional value.
Library impact on student enrollment include the recruitment of prospective
students, matriculation of admitted students, and willingness of current
students to recommend the institution to others.
Libraries can demonstrate their value by providing evidence that they play a
role in student recruitment, matriculation, and willingness to recommend.
They can do that by participating in prospective student events or new student
orientation, assigning librarians as student advisors, or offering services that
positively impact student judgments of institutional quality.
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
29. Link libraries to improved
student retention and
graduation rates
Librarians should focus on creating institutional
environments that foster retention and
eventual graduation. High-impact practices
include: first-year seminars and experiences,
common intellectual experiences, learning
communities, writingintensive courses,
collaborative assignments and projects,
undergraduate research,
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
VALUE OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: A
COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH REVIEW
AND REPORT
Kung sa
pag-ibig, balikan natin
ang “creating the right
environment or
atmosphere” to make
her/him fall in love with
you.
http://www.vogue.it/en/encyclo/people/r/julia-roberts
30. Enhance library contribution
to student job success.
Libraries support students’ ability to do well in
internships, secure job placements, earn
salaries, gain acceptance to
graduate/professional schools, and obtain
marketable skills. Librarians can investigate the
linkages between academic libraries and
student job success.
Librarians can help students prepare for these
interviews by sharing resources, such as
company profiles, market analyses, etc., with
career resources units on campus and with
students directly.
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
VALUE OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: A
COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH REVIEW
AND REPORT
Kung sa
pag-ibig, tulungan mo
ang inyong
minamahal na
makamit ang mga
nais niya. Be the wind
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/12/07/article-1336345-0C605289000005DC-851_634x448.jpg
31. Track library influences on
increased student
achievement
Libraries support student achievement in the
form of professional/educational test
scores. In order to demonstrate this
impact, librarians can investigate
correlations between student library
interactions and their test scores as well
as conduct test item audits of major
professional/educational tests to
determine correlations between library
services or resources and specific test
items.
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
VALUE OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: A
COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH REVIEW
AND REPORT
Kung sa
pag-ibig, balikan
lang natin ang
“being the wind
beneath his/her
wings.”http://cache3.asset-cache.net/gc/88150868-portrait-of-business-man-supporting-business-
gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=OYwBXqQxUl6xOaXBtN6iLpoF0o%2BnBdWV3oyiZzf8QLnPawcLGwCbtn1v9VcGoh
Ng
32. Record library
contributions to overall
institutional reputation
and prestige
Academic libraries can help department
chairs to recruit faculty or retain them.
Strong libraries, especially those that
win awards or other distinctions, may
also impact their institutional rank by
bringing attention to the institution.
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
VALUE OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: A
COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH REVIEW
AND REPORT
Kung sa
pag-ibig, just always
be supportive and
help your loved one
reach his/her full
potential.
http://www.thxspirits.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/inspirationalslide.jpg
33. Engage/participate in higher
education accreditation
processes
Librarians can prepare for and participate in
institutional accreditation efforts in
their own institutions. They may also
engage in accreditation processes at a
higher level, perhaps working to
increase the integration of information
literacy concepts into regional
accreditation guidelines.
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
VALUE OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: A
COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH REVIEW
AND REPORT
Kung sa
pag-ibig, magpaka-
bibo o magpaka-
totoo ka lagi para
mapansin ng iyong
minamahal.
https://clarerowley.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/cskinhitchsmithswollenbig.gif
34. Appoint liaison librarians to
support senior
institutional leadership
and/or offices of
assessment or
institutional research
Providing top-notch information services to
key decision makers can help
overarching institutions achieve a
culture of assessment and evidence.
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
VALUE OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: A
COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH REVIEW
AND REPORT
Kung sa
pag-ibig, make
him/her your world,
but always leave
something for
yourself.
http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article7636282.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/Henry-
Cavill-as-Superman-and-Amy-Adams-as-Lois-Lane.jpg
35. Promote and
participate in
professional
development
Librarians learning to
demonstrate their value
require training and support
to acquire new skills
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
VALUE OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: A
COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH REVIEW
AND REPORT
Kung sa
pag-ibig at sa
buhay, always
find ways to
improve yourself.
http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/learn-practice-improve-illustration-three-dice-words-them-
skills-concept-image-34864584.jpg
36. Mobilize library
administrators
Library administrators can help their libraries
demonstrate value by taking a number
of actions: communicating assessment
needs and results to library
stakeholders; using evidence-based
decision making; creating confidence in
library assessment efforts; dedicating
assessment personnel and training;
fostering environments that encourage
creativity and risk taking, and others.
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
VALUE OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: A
COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH REVIEW
AND REPORT
Kung sa
pag-ibig, make sure
na nararamdaman
niya ang
pagmamahal mo.
https://s-media-cache-
ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6b/c6/25/6bc62560b79fa7d13abace29eb764f84.jpg
37. Leverage library
professional associations
Major library professional associations can play a
crucial organizing role in the effort to
demonstrate library value. They can create
online support resources and communities to
serve as a nexus of value demonstration
activities. They can encourage library-centric
publications and conferences to index their
work in library and education literature
databases. They can identify expert
researchers and grant-funding opportunities
that can partner with librarians to take on the
most challenging aspects of the Research
Agenda.
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
Kung sa
pag-ibig, make sure
na may “me time”
ka pa rin – sa sarili
mo, kaibigan,
pamilya, at iba pa.
VALUE OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: A
COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH REVIEW
AND REPORT
38. WE HAVE TO REMEMBER ...
Just as there are no “quick fixes” to the
problem of demonstrating the value of
higher education, there are no simple
solutions to the challenge of articulating
academic library value.
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
Academic libraries and librarians can take
part in the quest to document the existing
value of libraries and maximize their value
in future years.
39. Sa PAG-IBIG...
Walang madaling paraan
o short cut para mapa-ibig
sayo ang taong
minamahal mo.
Manalangin ...
magdasal ...
na siya na nga sana
ang God’s Gift mo.
40. How do you
demonstrate their value
to their institution?
How about in other
types of libraries?
Subali’t bago matapos ang lahat...
41. (The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
SCHOOL LIBRARIES
Most studies demonstrate the impact of school libraries and librarians
on student learning. According to Harada, “the worth of any school
program is based on its contribution to student achievement”
Working with teachers and principals
Evidence-based practice and action research
Assessment tools
Large-scale studies
Assessment management systems
Reporting results
http://www.iolani.org/files/images/inline/lower_sc
hool_library_body_image.jpg
42. (The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010)
PUBLIC LIBRARIES
Economic value: Consumer surplus, contingent valuation
Economic benefit: library valuation, investment benefit
Economic activity: multiplier effects
Economic impact
Social impact
http://www.ndl.go.jp/en/cdnlao/newsletter/079/793_1.jpg
43. SPECIAL LIBRARIES
Special libraries have struggled to convey their value to
organizational managers
two research strands have emerged: economic studies and includes
return-on-investment and cost/benefit analysis; the impact of
information employed by user groups.
Working with managers
Economic studies
Impact studies
Reporting results
(The Value of Academic Libraries, 2010) http://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/photo-essays/12332/solar-panels-14.jpg
44. With all the things discussed, I
hope I was able to provide you
ways on how you can
demonstrate the value of your
libraries to your institution and
stakeholders.
Tandaan ... parang
PAG-IBIG
yan.
https://iamsimplyblessed.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/original.jpg
46. REFERENCES
Association of College and Research Libraries. The value of academic libraries: A
comprehensive research review and report. (2010). Available online:
http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/issues/value/val_report.pdf
Evans, G. E. & Ward, P. L. (2007). Management Basics for Information Professionals, 2nd ed.
New York, NY: Neal Schuman Pub.
Pictures used are all from Google images.
Robbins, S.P. (1994). Management, 4th ed. Englewood Cliff, NJ: Prentice Hall.
The value of libraries for research and researchers: A RIN and RLUK Report. (2011). Available
online: http://www.rluk.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Value-of-Libraries-report.pdf
Stueart, R. D. & Moran, B. B. (2007). Library and Information Center Management, 7th ed.
Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.
Weihrich, H. & Koontz, H. (2005). Management: A Global Perspective, 11th ed. Boston, MA:
McGraw Hill.
Notas do Editor
Use or utility
Financial value, cost/benefit analysis, return-on-investment, or value for money, is based upon the following formula:
Library value = perceived benefits / perceived costs
Production of a commodity
Value= quantity of commodity produced × price per unit of commodity
Focuses on library impact on users. It asks, “What is the library trying to achieve? How can librarians tell if they have made a difference?”
Based on user perceptions of the library in relation to competing alternatives libraries need to develop bonds with their users and help users achieve their goals so that users perceive libraries to be more valuable than competitors (e.g., Google)
Contribution of higher education to learning, research, and service. For these stakeholders, an impact focused definition of value is more meaningful. To demonstrate value to these stakeholders, librarians can elicit information from users about what the library enables them to do. This second approach also may be more meaningful to librarians, since they are often less interested in establishing library value and more focused on what library users actually accomplish and how librarians can support their endeavors. service delivery supported by librarian expertise is an important library value
In this way, value as results helps academic libraries articulate what one might call library “value on investment” or VOI. This position posits that academic library value is not primarily a financial concept; rather the value of information is its contribution to making improvements in users (Wilson, Stenson and Oppenheim 2000, 3-4). The major challenge to demonstrating library “value on investment” is that “people have to be able to see clearly that the information that ‘caused’ benefit came from the service, and not from the client’s own work or ideas” (D. J. Urquhart 1976). One fairly simple way to isolate library value is to “collect from individual [library users] specific examples of beneficial information that they know came to them with the aid of your service.
1. Good libraries help institutions to recruit and retain top researchers There is global competition for top researchers, and institutional reputation is key to attracting them. Many factors contribute to a good reputation, including league tables, RAE scores, research productivity and funding levels. But the library also contributes, positively or negatively, to an institution’s reputation. The quality, nature, and extent of the library’s collections, of its staff and the services they provide, and of its buildings are all important. Successful and high-quality libraries can be a significant factor in recruiting and retaining top researchers.
2. Libraries help researchers win research grants and contracts Success in winning research grants and contracts is critically-important, especially for research-intensive universities. Research Support Offices help researchers to generate a regular flow of high-quality applications for such grants and contracts, but libraries are playing an increasingly significant role too. On the whole they do so in response to specific requests rather than proactively, however, and in general researchers are not required to consult the library in generating their bids. Libraries could play a greater role if researchers knew that support was available, and if their involvement was more formalised. Libraries have an opportunity to use their skills to help researchers improve the quality of their funding applications, and to increase the institution’s success in winning research income.
3. Libraries promote and exploit new technologies and new models of scholarly communications Libraries are critically important in helping researchers to exploit the full benefits and opportunities of the networked world, including such developments as open access and social media. But libraries are not always well-equipped to promote change, and researchers sometimes resist efforts to modify their behaviours and practices. Nevertheless, many libraries have succeeded in addressing such problems, by establishing stronger links with researchers and re focusing their services to promote and exploit new technologies and new models of scholarly communication.
4. Repositories increase the visibility of the institution and raise its research profile Most institutions now have repositories to store and make available institutional assets such as research papers and theses. In most cases, the library runs the repository on behalf of the institution, and senior institutional managers acknowledge the role the repository plays in increasing the visibility of the institution’s outputs and raising its research profile. But repositories are only as valuable as the content they hold, and now the focus is on increasing the volume of content, by making it routine for researchers to deposit their outputs. Libraries are now playing an increasing role in educating researchers and building more effective procedures and approaches across the institution.
5. Outward-facing libraries contribute to institution-wide initiatives In recent years, many libraries have demonstrated that they can seize opportunities to help institutions respond to changes in the research environment. Libraries’ central and impartial position, together with their information and organisation expertise, puts them in a good position to play a wide institutional role and deliver new value. Seizing these opportunities is not always straightforward, since in some institutions libraries have to overcome traditional views about their appropriate role. But outward-facing libraries can help in joining up research support and administration, leading to better research management and a higher profile for the library across the institution.
6. Specialist staff work in partnership with academic departments Information specialists - both subject specialists and those with a specific focus on the needs of researchers - form a significant group of the library staff in most institutions. The researchers who make use of them see them as vital. But too often information specialists and researchers are not well connected. Putting that right can alter specialists’ roles profoundly, shifting them away from more traditional collection management roles. Where this change has taken place, information specialists take a more proactive role, working in partnership with academic departments and acting as consultants. Such developments have been welcomed by heads of departments and researchers.
7. Connecting with researchers enhances the value of the library’s services The digital revolution has changed the relationship between libraries and researchers, many of whom do not use the physical library. As one librarian said, “the more we do to make access quick, seamless and easy, the more invisible we make ourselves”. Libraries are becoming alert to their separation from researchers, and are trying to find ways to reconnect with them, and to fill the gaps in their knowledge and understanding of researchers’ needs. Such an approach can lead to a strong service culture permeating the library, increasing researcher satisfaction, as well as winning recognition and respect for the library across the institution.
8. Dedicated spaces provide a better work environment for researchers For some researchers the physical library is valued as a place to work and study, particularly if they do not have their own departmental space or if they rely for their research on printed or manuscript content held in the library. Many researchers find, however, that the library is crowded with undergraduates, especially in term time, and that it provides a difficult environment in which to work. In order to meet researchers’ needs, some libraries have therefore created dedicated areas for them, providing a better environment for those researchers who depend on the library and its contents
9. Easy access to high-quality content is a key foundation for good research Access to high-quality content remains crucial to research, and its value is recognised by researchers, senior managers and librarians alike. Libraries spend huge amounts to sustain and develop their collections, and researchers across the sector now have access to more content than ever before. But they always want more. The downward pressure on institutional budgets, continuing increases in subscription costs at above inflation levels, and fluctuations in exchange rates, are making it more difficult to sustain the current level of purchasing. Some libraries are still seeking to increase the content budget, but others are reducing the amounts of content they buy, while yet others are seeking to be smarter by procuring more with less. ‘Daring to be different’, and taking a more evidencebased, strategic approach to content procurement, should help libraries to meet researchers’ needs more effectively as well as helping their dialogue with the senior managers from whom they seek funding.
10. Libraries are a physical manifestation of the values of the academy and of scholarship Libraries are one of the most enduring features of the academy, central to the values and the practice of scholarship. But in a period of austerity they are increasingly being asked to justify their existence. Perhaps the deepest, yet most elusive, contribution that libraries make is to provide a physical manifestation of the scholarly ethos that universities exist to inculcate and preserve. There is a risk that this intrinsic value may not be recognised by future generations of researchers who work in an online world. In building the evidence as to libraries’ contribution to research, it is important to stress that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts; and that the value of the library is as a crucial cornerstone and representation of the values of the academy and of scholarship.
Define outcomes. Libraries cannot demonstrate institutional value to maximum effect until they define outcomes of institutional relevance and then measure the degree to which they attain them (Kaufman and Watstein 2008, 227). Librarians in universities, colleges, and community colleges can establish, assess, and link academic library outcomes to institutional outcomes related to the following areas: student enrollment, student retention and graduation rates, student success, student achievement, student learning, student engagement, faculty research productivity, faculty teaching, service, and overarching institutional quality.
Create or adopt systems for assessment management
Assessment management systems help higher education educators, including librarians, manage their outcomes, record and maintain data on each outcome, facilitate connections to similar outcomes throughout an institution, and generate reports. Assessment management systems are helpful for documenting progress toward strategic/organizational goals, but their real strength lies in managing learning outcomes assessments. Individual librarians have assessed student learning for decades. However, such assessment efforts are typically “one-shot” and tend to capture limited amounts of information, e.g., only one librarian’s class, one group of students, or one assessment method. In contrast, assessment management systems allow multiple librarians to enter assessment data, focus on different student groups (or the same groups over time), and use different assessment methods. Because they aggregate data by outcomes, they generate reports that demonstrate how well the library is achieving its outcomes as well as contributing to the mission of its overarching institution (Oakleaf, Are They Learning? 2011). Ideally, assessment management systems are used by an entire institution, but libraries can take the lead and pioneer their use at individual institutions. These systems can be developed by individual libraries or institutions; several assessment management systems are available for purchase, as well.
Determine what libraries enable students, faculty, student affairs professionals, administrators, and staff to do. Librarians may wish to conduct “help” studies that collect information about the impact libraries have on their target audiences. Librarians can also explore existing products, like MINES for Libraries, that enable libraries to collect information from users (e.g., how they use library resources). Results from these investigations will demonstrate library value and provide essential information for continuing improvements to library services and resources.
Develop systems to collect data on individual library user behavior, while maintaining privacy. In order to determine the impact of library interactions on users, libraries can collect data on how individual users engage with library resources and services. Currently, most libraries do not maintain records on individual users’ behavior; consequently, they cannot easily correlate behaviors with the outcomes of those behaviors. For example, they do not track data that would provide evidence that students who engage in more library instruction are more likely to graduate on time, that faculty who use library services are more likely to be tenured, or that student affairs professionals that integrate library services into their work activities are more likely to be promoted. Of course, any such data systems need to protect the privacy of individuals by following appropriate and ethical practices in the maintenance of such records.
Record and increase library impact on student enrollment. Institutions of higher education want to admit the strongest possible students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Entering student class characteristics are major predictors of institutional rank, prestige, graduation, alumni donations, and other positive markers. According to the Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers (2006), libraries are an important consideration when students select a university or college, and, as a result, academic libraries can help institutional admissions boost enrollment (Simmel 2007, 88). Specifically, the library ranked second in terms of facilities important in the selection decision process; only facilities for students’ majors ranked higher. Libraries were ranked ahead of technology facilities, the student union center, and even recreational facilities (Michigan Academic Library Council 2007, 2). It is clear that libraries can help their institutions attract the best possible prospective students, as well as matriculate the best possible admitted students, in a variety of ways depending on the institution type, size, profile, etc. Typically, librarians take part in campus-wide recruiting and orientation efforts. In the future, libraries can play a more prominent role in reaching key prospective student groups and communicating the ways in which librarians can help students attain academic success. One can imagine assigning incoming students to librarians as “research advisors” and envision librarians innovating ways to provide just-in-time and just-foryou assistance based on students’ enrollment records or individual characteristics. Ideally, librarians will send individual students instructional content relevant to their newly assigned projects proactively, rather than waiting passively to be asked to help (Eisenberg 2010; Shupe 2007, 53). Such service could target both students of great need and of great potential.
Link libraries to improved student retention and graduation rates. Most retention and graduation rate studies have focused on explanations for student persistence or departure, either due to personal characteristics or institutional practices (Bailey 2006, 10). Because most librarians are not in positions that enable them to influence students’ personal traits, they should focus on creating institutional environments that foster retention and eventual graduation. To this end, librarians can integrate library services and resources into high-impact educational practices (Kuh, High-Impact Educational Practices 2008) and embrace “proactive early warning and intervention strategies for students with academic deficiencies” (Ewell and Wellman 2007, 9). High-impact practices include: first-year seminars and experiences, common intellectual experiences, learning communities, writingintensive courses, collaborative assignments and projects, undergraduate research,
Enhance library contribution to student job success. Libraries support students’ ability to do well in internships, secure job placements, earn salaries, gain acceptance to graduate/professional schools, and obtain marketable skills. Although it may be difficult to make direct and clear connections between academic libraries and students’ educational and professional futures, these outcomes are of critical importance to institutions and their stakeholders. Consequently, librarians can investigate the linkages between academic libraries and student job success, and— if no linkages currently exist—librarians can form them. For example, many institutions place emphasis on students’ job placements immediately after college and most invite employers to campus to interview students. Librarians can help students prepare for these interviews by sharing resources, such as company profiles, market analyses, etc., with career resources units on campus and with students directly.
Track library influences on increased student achievement. Libraries support student achievement in the form of GPA and professional/educational test scores. In order to demonstrate this impact, librarians can investigate correlations between student library interactions and their GPA well as conduct test item audits of major professional/educational tests to determine correlations between library services or resources and specific test items.
Grade point average (GPA) is an important factor when applying to U.S. universities. Use the free WES GPA calculator to obtain a U.S. GPA calculated on a 4.0 scale. View sample GPA calculation.
Record library contributions to overall institutional reputation and prestige. Academic libraries can augment their institution’s reputation and prestige in four ways. First, they can help department chairs to recruit faculty (Simmel 2007, 88) or retain them (Tenopir, Investment in the Library: What's the Return? 2010). Traditionally, libraries contribute to faculty recruitment by building collections that support faculty activities. In the future, librarians have opportunities to be more proactive in this area, by actively engaging in dialogue with “star” faculty recruits prior to their hiring. Second, strong libraries, especially those that win awards or other distinctions, may also impact their institutional rank by bringing attention to the institution and therefore potentially influencing the peer assessments that make up a large portion of well-known ranking entities. Third, library special collections can bring significant prestige to their institutions (Webster and Flowers 2009, 306). Finally, library services and resources support institutional engagement in service to their communities locally, nationally, and globally, thus contributing to their institution’s reputation and prestige through service.
Engage/participate in higher education accreditation processes. Librarians can prepare for and participate in institutional accreditation efforts in their own institutions. They may also engage in accreditation processes at a higher level, perhaps working to increase the integration of information literacy concepts into regional accreditation guidelines (Gratch-Lindauer, Comparing the Regional Accreditation Standards 2001; Rader 2004).
Promote and participate in professional development. Librarians learning to demonstrate their value require training and support to acquire new skills (Oakleaf, Are They Learning? 2011). Their attendance at existing assessment professional development opportunities, such as the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Library Assessment Conference, the ACRL Assessment Immersion program, the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) Assessment Institute, or other higher education assessment venues, can be encouraged and supported. In some cases, inviting consultants, participating in webinars, and establishing assessment resource collections are required to update librarian skills
Mobilize library administrators. Library administrators can help their libraries demonstrate value by taking a number of actions: communicating assessment needs and results to library stakeholders; using evidence-based decision making; creating confidence in library assessment efforts; dedicating assessment personnel and training (Blankenship 2008, 321-322); fostering environments that encourage creativity and risk taking (Stoffle, Guskin and Boisse 1984, 9); integrating library assessment within library planning, budget (Hoyt 2009, 10), and reward structures (Dow 1998, 279); and ensuring that assessment efforts have requisite resources.
Leverage library professional associations. Major library professional associations can play a crucial organizing role in the effort to demonstrate library value. First, they can create online support resources and communities to serve as a nexus of value demonstration activities. Second, they can serve a “pulse taking” role, learning how member libraries are showing value and communicating this information to the membership. Third, they can orchestrate an “all hands on deck” approach to assessment, helping librarians determine which part of the Research Agenda might be best suited to their institutions and ensuring that the agenda is covered. Fourth, they can encourage library-centric publications and conferences to index their work in library and education literature databases. Finally, they can identify expert researchers and grant-funding opportunities that can partner with librarians to take on the most challenging aspects of the Research Agenda.