Planning and Evaluating Library Networked Services and Resources - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1563089645 ISBN 13: 9781563089640

Publisher: Libraries Unlimited, 2004

Synopsis

This book describes techniques for evaluating services provided through library networks, including collection development, group purchases, and reference services. Providing guides for developing evaluation instruments, testing them and applying them, it is comprehensive in its treatment of evaluating network services. Featuring contributions from some of the leaders in the area of e-metrics (Oliver Pesh, Ebsco; Judith Hiott, Houston Public; Jeff Shim, ARL e-metrics; and Chuck McClure) this book is an integrated, updated knowledge base of events in this area since 1998. It also provides a great deal of experiential knowledge concerning what libraries should do, plan for, and use in e-metrics.

About this title

About the Author

JOHN CARLO BERTOT is Professor, School of Information Studies, Florida State University, Chair of of the International Standards Organizations (ISO) Working Group 4, member of ISO Working Group 2, and serves on the National Information Standards Organizations (NISO) library statistics committee. He is Editor of Government Information Quarterly and Co-editor of Library Quarterly.

DENISE M. DAVIS is Director of the Office for Research and Statistics at the American Library Association. She serves on the advisory committees of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Library Program for the public and state library surveys, and chairs the NCES academic library survey advisory committee. She also chairs the National Information Standards Organization Library Statistics Standard Z39.7 revision committee, and serves on a number of other committees including the ProjectCOUNTER advisory and International Standards Organization (ISO) committees. library statistics standards.

Reviews

This thorough text provides techniques for designing and evaluating services such as collection development and reference supplied and maintained through library networks. The authors use as their evaluation criteria a device called "e-metrics," which is fundamentally the use of statistics and data elements to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of electronically networked services. The use of vendor-provided data is discussed, but the emphasis is on creating useful measures for the unique needs of individual institutions. Specific measurement aids like worksheets, tally sheets, and sample survey questions are provided in abundance. Tables, charts, and references dominate the book. There is even a supporting Web site providing access to further information and documentation as well as instructive tutorials. Intelligent and specific, the book highlights the need for a library to use its evaluation and assessment tools to demonstrate the value of the service it provides to its community. Michael Tosko
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Libraries Unlimited
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1563089645
• ISBN 13: 9781563089640
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 374
• Editor: Ph.D. John Carlo Bertot, Davis Denise M.