Practical Evaluation Techniques for Librarians

Title: Practical Evaluation Techniques for Librarians
Author: Rachel Applegate
ISBN: 9781610691598
Publisher: Libraries Unlimited
Published: 2013
Binding: Paperback
Language: English
Edition: 1
Number of Pages: 244
Section: Language Arts & Disciplines | Library & Information Science | Administration & Management
Publisher Description:

Evaluation is essential to library management: it provides the data that underlies informed and effective decision-making. This book is a one-volume, how-to guide to library evaluation techniques, planning, and reporting.

Library professionals--regardless of whether they operate in a school, public, or academic library setting--need to have effective evaluation skills in order to be accountable to stakeholders and to effect informed improvement. Practical Evaluation Techniques for Librarians provides information and guidance that is highly useful and accessible for all librarians looking to intelligently manage the strengths and weaknesses of their library as well as communicate its value to its stakeholders.

Rather than focusing on data-gathering methods appropriate for researchers, the book concentrates on data collection at the local level that enables informed managerial decision-making. It describes and compares techniques that can be used with any level or type of resource--staffing, software, and expertise, for example--in any size library. Author Rachel Applegate makes it clear that accountability is everywhere and imperative, and any librarian can learn the simple techniques to benefit from evaluation.