Evaluating Your Library Assessment Program
In assessment, we measure all manner of library services and outcomes, but how often do we assess ourselves? Due to personnel constraints and an increased demand for data-driven decision making, library assessment/analytics librarians have difficulty finding time for reflection, much less a structured assessment. This presentation describes how to use an information maturity model to assess the current internal data culture of each library. The information maturity model establishes the baseline levels of an organization’s data culture across three categories: people, processes, and tools. By understanding the library’s information maturity, we can surface issues related to data management, communication, and technical skills, and discuss the consequences of these issues on productivity and decision-making. The information maturity model can also be used to set new targets for a more effective data culture, and this presentation will demonstrate ways to use the results to improve assessment programs.
Speaker
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Ellie KohlerHead, Library Data Analytics and Assessment, University Libraries at Virginia TechShe/Her
Kohler is a librarian and data analyst working to create a culture of data informed decision-making in libraries. Her research focus includes performance metrics, library assessment, and ethical practices.