Competency N
Evaluate programs and services on specified criteria
As librarians and information professionals evaluating the progress of our efforts is essential to success. All businesses are concerned with evaluating the programs and services they offer based on a set of criteria that they impose. For-profit companies are seeking to raise their profits and increase user satisfaction together. For non-profits such as libraries there is no motive for profit but efficiently using the resources the library has to maximize patron satisfaction. All institutions should be operating on a mission of constantly improving the services they offer through a variety of different tools and mediums.
I realize that in order to become a better information professional understanding my impact is necessary to improving. Managers provide an excellent sounding board for encouraging their employees to improve and take on new projects to illustrate their growth in their profession. For libraries evaluation of programs and services is critical to staying relevant in our current times. The needs of the public are constantly changing and librarians must step in to be sure the programs and services that they offer are successful in benefiting the public. Especially with the constant threat of budget cuts librarians must be savvy in collecting data that illustrates the services they provide are a budgetary necessity. Librarians must appeal to the roots of their program. They are practitioners of Library Information Science, and we must manipulate information in a variety of ways. Analysis of data is an essential part of being an information professional and librarians should be able comfortable with incorporating many different data sources and placing data into a narrative. In every type of library setting collection and analysis of data must be incorporated into every facet. From new membership and analysis of current members to surveys regarding new programs offered. Information professionals must understand statistical analysis and apply it to all aspects of their work. From understanding clients, work conducted, popularity of services, programs, and media, and institutional efficacy. We exist in a metrics heavy landscape and if we do not put these efforts into place librarians will continue to be marginalized.
The area that evaluation is able to have the largest impact is development of the marketing message for the library. While working on the marketing mix librarians must evaluate the methods that they seek to employ for attracting patrons. Analyzing institutional information on patrons and holding events where patrons can share their input on how the library can grow in new ways provides interesting analysis of where the library’s marketing efforts lie. In one example the library may decide to appeal to the growing Hispanic population by providing English and citizenship courses directed at this group. Depending on the libraries budget different advertising mechanisms may be experimented with. By evaluating other non-profits success in different mediums the library may be able to make an educated guess at the most cost efficient medium. One way might be focusing on local radio stations targeting that minority group and recording the impact of subsequent classes for a week or two. Afterwards the library could implement a different interaction study and determine if live outreach with the public is a more efficient method. Marketing and management are two areas that constant evaluation is extremely beneficial. In my final marketing group project I was tasked with coming up with the stakeholders and how the library conducts customer market research. For this tasked I analyzed all the material on the Goodwill websites to determine how each Goodwill interacts with their communities. I made estimates that the Goodwill utilizes marketing data of the geographic area and census information. The group emailed a representative and she confirmed for us that their company evaluates how the organization must change based on this data.
In my research methods course I learned the importance of developing surveys. Surveys are a baseline for understanding patron’s views on a particular topic. They are cheap to create and can yield information insights into the progress of a particular program or a viewpoint of a specific population. These surveys and other research tools can be utilized to monitor the efforts of the library workforce. Managers must work constantly to guide their subordinates toward achieving goals set with the library. The institutional goals of constantly improving service should be a hallmark of any institution that serves the public. Managers can decide to focus on many different areas to lead their employees to being better workers. One example that I learned in my Reference librarianship course is that library managers can sit in on reference interviews to guide librarians toward better service. Another example might be to push librarians to create pathfinders and new programs and service ideas so that they can benefit the community and be an effort for the librarians to constantly improve themselves. Pathfinders serve an extremely helpful purpose of accessible, all in one access point for commonly asked questions about a particular subject. For example finding a job is a common concern the public has and librarians are in the position to create a document that explains the many different areas of concern that entail a job search. From job boards, practice interviews, dressing tips, and resume help there are many ways that a librarian can work to provide the public with more accessible information. Managers must be comfortable with encouraging professional growth.
Understanding technological tools and the fundamental concepts underlying new modes of technology is essential as well. As librarians and potential librarian managers we may be faced with a decision in the future of purchasing a service such as an online public access catalog or other variety of technology integral to the library. By understanding these fundamental concepts we are better able to apply evaluation of programs and services on the criteria of how these new options can benefit the library and what the total costs can entail. One example is deciding on incorporating a proprietary online public access catalog or using an open source option. While the free cost of the open source version is appealing through my studies at SLIS I have learned that both options have different costs. A proprietary option may cost a significant sum but support and maintenance is included with the fee for a system that works as advertised. If not the situation can be resolved with the owner. The open source OPAC has costs that involve hiring someone to maintain the software internally or a company externally. The total cost for both options may end up being similar except the open source version grants more rights to the library as to what features can be incorporated. Librarians must understand how adopting any new service is going to impact the organization and make a decision that is not always based solely on cost but accessibility, usability, ease of integration, and many other ideas.