Library assessment

Several libraries have undertaken renovation or expansion projects as a result of their assessment activities[10] as well as enhance resource discovery tools, improve web site usability and stop redundant services.

[11] In order to determine what is important to library users and how satisfied they are with services, resources and physical space, library assessment utilizes a variety of research methods such as:[12][13] website usability testing, observation, 'In-Library Use' surveys,[14] focus groups, interviews, wayfinding, balanced scorecard, furniture usability, photo and mapping surveys, organizational climate, statistics and satisfaction surveys.

[18] Although library assessment has become almost ubiquitous in United States, Australia, UK and some European countries such as Italy and Denmark since 2000,[19][20] it is still relatively uncommon elsewhere.

[24] One notable exception is Israel whose University of Haifa Younes and Soraya Nazarian Library began a systematic process of library assessment in 2007, and has been conducting a Hebrew version of the University of Washington's 'In-Library Use' survey[25] since 2008, and LibQUAL+ Lite (also in Hebrew)[26][27] since 2009 in three-yearly cycles.

[32] Although courses on library assessment are not commonplace on the curricula of library schools, in the past few years several schools have opened courses, such as: the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Information and Library Science[33] and the joint Digital Library Program of Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Norway, Tallinn University, Estonia, and the University of Parma, Italy.