Measures of relationship capital for the value scorecard
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-11-2014-0134 |
| Date | 09 March 2015 |
| Pages | 235-247 |
| Published date | 09 March 2015 |
| Author | J. Stephen Town |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,HR in libraries |
Measures of relationship capital
for the value scorecard
Stephen Town
University of York, York, UK
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the development of ideas relating to the value of
library relationships. The paper is conceptual and provides a framework for the measurement of
relationship capital (RC) for academic and research libraries.
Design/methodology/approach –The research approach has been to employ a mixed method
research strategy combining desk research on the concepts of the definition of RC and its foundation
theories with an exploration of relational capital assessment methods from other industries.
A historical review is presented with cases of the traditional main method of delivering effective
relationships in libraries (embedded librarians, academic liaison and subject librarians).
Findings –The synthesis suggests a measurement approach to populate the RC dimension of the
value scorecard, thereby providing an estimation of the full value of the library’s relational capital.
Originality/value –The paper fills a gap in the consideration of the importance of relationships to
academic and research libraries, and provides a unique and original framework for assessment and
measurement.
Keywords Marketing, Trust, Performance measurement, Academic liaison, Library management,
Relationship capital
Paper type Research paper
Introduction and rationale
The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the development of ideas relating to the value
of library relationships. The paper is conceptual and provides a framework for the
measurement of relationship capital (RC) for academic and research libraries.
This paper is based on a presentation made at the tenth Northumbria International
Conference on Performance Measurement in Libraries and Information Services, and
forms one of a series of explorations on value measurement commencing with
a presentation made at the eighth Northumbria Conference on the foundations of value
measurement (Town, 2009), developed further at the third Library Assessment
Conference (Town, 2011) and the ninth Northumbria Conference (Town and Kyrillidou,
2012) into the value scorecard for libraries. A further paper on human capital
assessment for that framework has also been published (Town, 2014) (Figure 1).
Ranganathan recognised that “the library is a growing organism”(Ranganathan,
1931). Subsequent measurement frameworks developed for libraries have often been
focused on the mechanistic and instrumental delivery roles of libraries perhaps at the
expense of this particular insight. Organisms develop through their relationship with
the environment; human organisations grow through interaction with their social
environment; service organisations develop through the relationships they have with
their particular web of stakeholders. Relationship measurement might therefore be an
expected element of library assessment systems, and because of the fundamental and
Library Management
Vol. 36 No. 3, 2015
pp. 235-247
©Emerald Group Publis hing Limited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/LM-11-2014-0134
Received 25 November 2014
Revised 25 November 2014
Accepted 25 November 2014
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
Ruth MacMullen,Ian Hall, and MichelleBlake, University of York RachelDaniels and Selena Killick,
Cranfield University UK academic library colleagues engaged in the White Rose consortium and
“Relationship Management for the 21st Century Academic Library”activity
235
Measures of
RC for
the value
scorecard
To continue reading
Request your trial