The University of Toledo
UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
ASSESSMENT PLAN
December 1,
2003
University Libraries Assessment Plan
Mission Statement
To fulfill our role in The University of
Toledo’s mission, the University Libraries promote the learning and research
activities of the University through our collections and services including
access to information resources worldwide.
To facilitate the exchange of ideas, the Libraries also serve as the
University’s cultural and intellectual commons.
College Structure
University
Libraries is composed of one department for the purposes of faculty evaluation.
There are, however, four functional areas: Access and Information Services,
Resource and Systems Management, Academic Support, and
Access and Information Services includes the areas of College Librarians, Information and Instruction, and User Services. All faculty and staff members report to an Assistant Dean. The functional mission statement of Access and User Services is: to provide access to the Carlson Library collections, including both traditional materials and electronic resources; to facilitate the borrowing of Carlson Library materials, materials received through OhioLINK and Interlibrary Loan. To provide customer service for all Carlson Library borrowers. To encourage a safe and pleasant environment throughout the Carlson Library. To carry out this mission, a Coordinator of Access and User Services oversees staff members in the Circulation/Reserves/Security Department, the Interlibrary Loans Department, the Microform
and Multi-Media Department, and Stacks Management. A Coordinator of the Information and Instruction Division oversees Government Documents and Maps, Information Literacy and Information Services, and Reference and Electronic Resources. A Coordinator of College Librarians oversees the Education, Engineering, and Scott Park libraries.
The Resource and Systems Management Division reports to an Assistant Dean. The functional mission statement of this division states: The Resource and Systems Management Department is responsible for the technical services associated with the operation of the University Libraries, including acquiring, cataloging, and processing collection items as well as maintaining the technology infrastructure of the Library. The department is broken into two smaller units: College Development and Resource Management and Information Systems. The Collection Development and Resource Management Department consists of Financial Management, Collection Development, Acquisitions, Cataloging, and Processing. Information Systems includes Desktop Support, Systems, and Web Support.
The Academic Support Division reports to the Manager of the Division and consists of Classroom Support and Photographix Services.
The Canaday Center staff and faculty report to the Director of the Center, which consists of University Archives, Manuscripts, Rare Books, and Exhibits.
In addition to these divisions and departments, University Libraries administration includes staff responsible for budget, development, and personnel.
College Assessment
Types of Assessment
The University Libraries are in the process of planning and implementing its first set of formal internal assessment activities. An Assessment Committee is being formed and will begin its activities during the Fall 2003 semester. The Assessment Committee is charged with deciding the scope of appropriate activities and suggesting methods for accomplishing them.
For many years, University Libraries conducted random surveys of student satisfaction with their experiences in the libraries; however, few changes in policy or practice were made as a result of those surveys.
Based on recommendations from the Assessment Committee, University Libraries may investigate joint assessment projects with other departments. One example could be a portfolio project developed in collaboration with an academic department that would measure students’ use of University Libraries and library resources in the completion of a portfolio of assignments and other course-related work.
While
not tied to student outcomes, assessment of the library collections and
services constitute a major part of the newly adopted strategic plan of
University Libraries. In addition to the
initiation of discussions for future assessment efforts, the University
Libraries Assessment Plan includes two assessment activities that are currently
ongoing.
First,
LibQual+ is an assessment survey used nationally in academic libraries to
measure the gap between library user expectations and level of satisfaction
with a variety of library services. Results are analyzed and reported by an
outside agency. It was administered in the spring semesters of 2002 and 2003.
Second, is a locally developed survey of students in University Libraries’ newly created Information Literacy instruction program.
LibQUAL+
During the 2001-2002 academic year, University Libraries and all other OhioLINK libraries, participated in the LibQual+ survey. UT and many other OhioLINK libraries participated in LibQual+ during the 2002-2003 academic year. LibQUAL+ is a survey that measures user perceptions and expectations of library service quality available from the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). The program’s centerpiece is a rigorously tested Web-based survey bundled with training that helps libraries assess and improve library services, change organizational culture, and market the library. Libraries use LibQual+ to gauge library users' general attitudes toward the libraries, as well as their overall level of satisfaction with the libraries' services.
The
goals of LibQUAL+ are to: foster a
culture of excellence in providing library service, help libraries better
understand user perceptions of library service quality, collect and interpret
library user feedback systematically over time, provide libraries with
comparable assessment information from peer institutions, identify best
practices in library service, enhance library staff members’ analytical skills
for interpreting and acting on data.
|
|
The LibQUAL+ survey instrument is adapted from an instrument called SERVQUAL, which is grounded in the "Gap Theory of Service Quality" and was developed by of A. Parasuraman, V.A. Zeithaml, and L.L. Berry, Texas A&M University faculty members.
Each
participating library invites its users (faculty, staff, and students) to take
the survey, distributing the URL for the library’s Web form via e-mail.
Respondents complete the survey form and their answers are sent to a central
database. The data are analyzed and presented to each library in reports
describing its users’ desired, perceived, and minimum expectations of service.
LibQUAL+ data may be used to identify best practices, analyze deficits, and
effectively allocate resources. Institutional data and reports enable libraries
to assess whether library services are meeting user expectations and aggregate
data allow comparison of library performance with that of peer institutions.
University Libraries administrators may compare our LibQUAL+ results with that of peer
institutions and examine the practices of those libraries that are evaluated
highly by their users.
UT’s
University Libraries may use LibQUAL+ results to benchmark against other
OhioLINK libraries and more than 400 libraries across the country. The results
may also be used to compare expectations and perceptions of library service to
our strategic plan in order to identify and prioritize areas that require
further research or modification of services.
Timeline for Assessment
Library
users completed the 2002 and 2003 LibQual+ surveys in the Spring Quarter .
Results were received from the Association of Research Libraries two months
after survey completion. Each participating library received its individual
results plus the results of the OhioLINK consortium, allowing comparison to a
group of institutions of similar type. The survey will be administered again in
the spring of 2005 and every other year thereafter.
Specific Changes to Curriculum and Program
University Libraries will use LibQual+ results to develop effective service strategies to meet the library resource and service needs of the university community. Procedures, policies, and services will be revised. Effective service strategies will be designed. Current outreach and public relations initiatives will be revised.
Specific changes to Planning and Resource Allocation
As part of University Libraries’ strategic plan, faculty and staff will work on the new service and public relations programs. Current budget will cover planned changes.
Types of Assessment Data to be Gathered
The survey includes questions dealing with access to information, affect of service, library as place, and personal control. Demographic information is also included with the survey results. Survey results will be presented in radar charts, means, standard deviation, service adequacy, and service superiority.
Individual
Responsible For Gathering Unit Assessment Data
Corey Seeman, Assistant Dean for Systems, University Libraries
Individual
Responsible For Analyzing the Unit’s Assessment Findings
Association of Research Libraries and University Libraries Assessment Committee
Individual Responsible For Preparing a Report of Unit Changes Based on Assessment Findings
Corey Seeman, Assistant Dean for
Systems, University Libraries and University Libraries Assessment Committee
Information Literacy
Student Outcomes
Student Learning Outcomes Being Assessed
University Libraries will conduct a pilot
assessment program during the Fall 2003 semester to measure the basic
information literacy skills that first year students bring to the university.
Information literacy is the ability to know
when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, evaluate,
and effectively use that information for the issue or problem at hand.
Librarians teach methods of locating, evaluating, using, and generating information, use of the Internet and other electronic information resources for research and knowledge building.
Approaches to Assessment
Two student populations will be assessed through web-based surveys. Twenty sections of QUEST FYI will be used in the pilot study. Students in the QUEST program are a diverse, undeclared population closely monitored and supported by advisors. Eighteen sections of PHPR 1000 will be used in the pilot study. Students in the College of Pharmacy FYI are academically strong in a professional college monitored and supported by faculty.
The pre-test will establish a baseline of competencies of students. The post-test will identify information literacy competencies students have mastered after completing the FYI class. University Libraries will hold focus groups with the QUEST instructors and the Pharmacy 1000 peer mentors to gain feedback about the respective FYI courses.
Timeline for Assessment
A pre-test was administered during the fourth week of the semester and a post-test will be administered during the last week of instruction. Based on results of both tests, adjustments to the instructional content will be made prior to the next semester.
Specific Changes to Curriculum and Program
Topics and methods of information literacy instruction will be revised to improve mastery of session content and competencies.
Specific Changes to Planning and Resource Allocation
No changes to planning and resource allocation are expected.
Types of Assessment Data to be Gathered
Basic comparison data between pre-test and post-test results will be gathered.
Individual
Responsible For Gathering Unit Assessment Data
Marcia King-Blandford
Individual
Responsible For Analyzing the Unit’s Assessment Findings
Marcia King-Blandford and Marcia Suter
Individual Responsible For Preparing a Report of Unit Changes Based on Assessment Findings
Marcia King-Blandford and Marcia Suter
Additional Proposed Assessment Activities
In addition to the above assessment initiatives, University Libraries plans to pursue the possibility of adding library-related questions to the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) the next time it is administered. Questions for first year and senior students would help us measure differences in these two populations and could be used in relation to other assessment and strategic planning activities.