Mixed methods of assessment: measures of enhancing library services in academia
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/CC-09-2017-0042 |
| Date | 02 July 2018 |
| Published date | 02 July 2018 |
| Pages | 111-118 |
| Author | Nilda Alexandra Sanchez-Rodriguez |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Collection building & management |
Mixed methods of assessment: measures of
enhancing library services in academia
Nilda Alexandra Sanchez-Rodriguez
Architecture Library, City College of New York, New York, New York, USA
Abstract
Purpose – Collection assessment is an essential aspect of library collection development, especially for public institutions currently affected by
financial budget cuts. Collection managers working with little to no budget have the task of establishing unconventional methods of selecting most
relevant materials. This paper aims to demonstrate the correlation between a syllabi analysis, faculty survey and circulation statistics as a practical
measure to enhance and expand the architecture library services at the City College of New York and in academia in general.
Design/methodology/approach – This study uses mixed use assessment strategies to evaluate a library collection. The scope of the study supports
combining collection-based practices and use-based methods to gather two types of data: quantitative (including collection size and/or in-house use
statistics) and qualitative (accomplished by user opinion surveys, focus groups and/or list checking).
Findings – Out of 74 architecture faculty members, 22 participated in a library survey to help uncover new opportunities for cross-collaboration. The
findings simultaneously reinforce the importance of exploring syllabi and usage data as methods of assessment to reveal opportunities for
cultivating library collections.
Originality/value – This paper will provide a better understanding of faculty perceptions to discover academic needs and achieve library integration
into the design curriculum. The study demonstrates prospective directions for collection evaluation and faculty collaboration to open further
opportunities for building a successful library.
Keywords Collection building, Cross-collaboration, Mixed-methods assessment, Multi-method assessment, Syllabi analysis, Use-based method
Paper type Research paper
Introduction: project goal/mission
Academic libraries continuously encounter shifting pedagogical
and economic environments as a result of increasingly
unpredictable user behavior. Faced with enormous challenges,
libraries are compelled to validate their space, collections and
services. Collection development is an essential component of
quality library service and at times can place budgetary
constraints on library operations. Collection development
encompasses several methodical functions imperative for
building a library collection. Several key factors include
material selection, acquisitions, preservation and conservation
and weeding, as well as routine assessments of usage and user
needs.
Librarians tend to search for new information tools and
techniques to help contribute to the success of their academic
institutions. In collection assessment, library managers develop
measures of effectiveness to meet their institutional mission and
goals. Johnson (2009, p. 226) writes succinctly, “the aim of
assessment is to determine how well the collection supports the
goals, needs, and mission of the library or parent organization”.
Assessment is a crucial aspect of library collection
development, especially for public institutions affected by
nancial budget cuts. Collection managers working with little
to no budget have the task of establishing innovative methods of
selecting relevant material. The process of assessment allows
library managers to objectively determine the breadth,
strengths and/or deciencies of a collection. An assessment
outcome can also track directional trend patterns and
ultimately establish how the library compares to other libraries
at similar institutions.
There are numerous systematic methods of assessing a
library’s holdings, such as collection-based assessment, user/
usage-based assessment and citation analysis. Kohn (2013,
p. 87) recommends that “multiple methods could be combined
to evaluate the collection from different angles that might
correlate with different aspects of a library’s mission”. Every
library has unique circumstances that call for creative measures;
therefore, combining multiple methods of assessment is an
ideal course of action. This study demonstrates the correlation
between a syllabi analysis, faculty survey and circulation
statistics by assessing the City College Architecture Library
collections as a practical measure to enhance and expand
library services in academia in general. Pairing syllabi analysis
with circulation statistics and a faculty perceptions’ survey, as
internal cost-effective library resources, serve as practical tools
for this study. The continuous demands for collection
assessment can secure the provisions of adequate library service
to support an academic program and individual information
needs of students and faculty.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on
Emerald Insight at: www.emeraldinsight.com/2514-9326.htm
Collection and Curation
37/3 (2018) 111–118
© Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 2514-9326]
[DOI 10.1108/CC-09-2017-0042]
Received 23 September 2017
Revised 10 October 2017
Accepted 17 October 2017
111
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