Library Assessment · 17
Assessment Method N Currently
Used
Previously
Used
Never
Used
Usability N=72
User interface usability 72 57 9 6
Web usability testing 71 59 9 3
Wayfinding 68 15 10 43
Other Methods N=73
Student learning outcomes evaluations 70 40 11 19
Benchmarking 68 37 11 20
Unit cost analyses 67 23 25 19
Balanced Scorecard 65 4 4 57
Process improvement 65 29 20 16
Other method not included above 31 10 4 17
If you selected “Other method not included above,” please specify that assessment method.
Currently Used
“Administrative Unit Review — review and evaluate library department services or operations.”
“Card sorting (usability) heuristic evaluations.”
“Card sorts used to gather user input on the library Web site’s content structure. Users were provided index
cards of keywords that identify library services, collections, facilities, and other related information. They were
requested to group the label cards according to about 6 broad categories. A spreadsheet and color coding was
used to analysis the frequency of grouped items. This process was used to advise the redesign of a Web site
that was user friendly. Clicker Response System. A concept was demonstrated to the class of students. Then
a question was shown on their computer screens which presented the same concept in a different situation.
They used the Clicker Response System to check how well the students understood the concept and could
transfer it to another situation before we moved on to other material.”
“Comparison of collection with authoritative lists (a form of benchmarking). Comparison of library collection
to what faculty are citing in their publications.”
“Faculty Contact Database to track responses to faculty issues and concerns (qualitative and quantitative).”
“In the fall 2006 semester, a class in our Library and Information Science Program, ‘Competitive Intelligence
and Data Mining (LIS 7490),’ used a simulation software package, Arena, to combine data supplied by the
University Libraries and observations by students to analyze functions in our reference areas. The simulation
and accompanying analysis has resulted in a significant reorganization of the reference area in one of our
buildings. The simulation software is now being acquired by the University Libraries.”
“Online card sort.”
“Outcome measure assessing impact of a grant funded project that digitized special collection material on
Assessment Method N Currently
Used
Previously
Used
Never
Used
Usability N=72
User interface usability 72 57 9 6
Web usability testing 71 59 9 3
Wayfinding 68 15 10 43
Other Methods N=73
Student learning outcomes evaluations 70 40 11 19
Benchmarking 68 37 11 20
Unit cost analyses 67 23 25 19
Balanced Scorecard 65 4 4 57
Process improvement 65 29 20 16
Other method not included above 31 10 4 17
If you selected “Other method not included above,” please specify that assessment method.
Currently Used
“Administrative Unit Review — review and evaluate library department services or operations.”
“Card sorting (usability) heuristic evaluations.”
“Card sorts used to gather user input on the library Web site’s content structure. Users were provided index
cards of keywords that identify library services, collections, facilities, and other related information. They were
requested to group the label cards according to about 6 broad categories. A spreadsheet and color coding was
used to analysis the frequency of grouped items. This process was used to advise the redesign of a Web site
that was user friendly. Clicker Response System. A concept was demonstrated to the class of students. Then
a question was shown on their computer screens which presented the same concept in a different situation.
They used the Clicker Response System to check how well the students understood the concept and could
transfer it to another situation before we moved on to other material.”
“Comparison of collection with authoritative lists (a form of benchmarking). Comparison of library collection
to what faculty are citing in their publications.”
“Faculty Contact Database to track responses to faculty issues and concerns (qualitative and quantitative).”
“In the fall 2006 semester, a class in our Library and Information Science Program, ‘Competitive Intelligence
and Data Mining (LIS 7490),’ used a simulation software package, Arena, to combine data supplied by the
University Libraries and observations by students to analyze functions in our reference areas. The simulation
and accompanying analysis has resulted in a significant reorganization of the reference area in one of our
buildings. The simulation software is now being acquired by the University Libraries.”
“Online card sort.”
“Outcome measure assessing impact of a grant funded project that digitized special collection material on