OK, so your library is one of the 7 Wonders of the Modern World. Now how do you prove it to your funders and your community? Evaluations and metrics! Or maybe you’re a little more humble and you want a better sense of your library’s strengths and weaknesses, or you want to know whether you’ve done what you set out to do with a particular service or project. How do you find out? Evaluations and metrics!
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of ways to obtain concrete and specific information about your technology services. Some common metrics include:
If you’re manufacturing widgets, it’s fairly easy to determine the types of things you should measure. You want to know:
Libraries, on the other hand, deal with outcomes and results that are much less tangible. We’re trying to teach people and helping them to teach themselves. We’re encouraging folks to adjust their behaviors and attitudes. We’re helping them build new skills. But how do you bring these vague, high-flown aspirations down into more concrete, specific language that politicians and bureaucrats will understand? Try following these three steps.
STEP | LINK AND LEARN |
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1. Decide what it is you want to measure. This is sometimes known as the outcome, the result or the return on investment. Defining precisely and in detail what exactly you’re trying to do is tough. The first part of evaluation is figuring out exactly what we’re trying to change. | For a fuller of definition of an outcome, see this introduction to outcome based evaluation from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), especially the sections titled "What is outcome evaluation?" and "How does a library or museum do outcome evaluation?". |
2. Decide how you’ll measure that outcome or result. In other words, what evidence and data will you collect? There might be a single measurement, or you might measure several things. These measurements are often referred to as success indicators. The good ones are usually concrete, observable and countable, but some projects also rely heavily on collecting stories. | For more information on success indicators, refer to the Utah State Library's Outcome Based Evaluation Terms. |
3. Tell your library's story. Use the outcomes data and success stories you've gatherd to communicate the value your library provides. | For more information on telling your library's story, see this WebJunction article on library advocacy tools and resources. |
For more suggestions on technology evaluation and measurement, check out the Further Resources section.