Bridges and Barriers: Factors Influencing a Culture of Assessment in Academic Libraries

Abstract

In an environment in which libraries need to demonstrate value, illustrating how the library contributes to student learning is critical. Gathering and analyzing data to tell the library's story as well as identify areas for improvement require commitment, time, effort, and resources-all components of a culture of assessment. This paper presents the results of a survey designed to understand what factors facilitate the development of a culture of assessment of student learning in academic libraries and what factors may hinder it. Unlike previous research in this area, which has focused on case studies and surveys with nonrepresentative samples, the authors conducted a systematic survey of academic libraries at four-year institutions in the United States and achieved a 42 percent response rate. The results suggest certain factors are highly associated with a culture of assessment and provide guidance to administrators and front-line librarians working to build such a culture.n Lakos and Phipps' seminal work on creating an assessment culture in academic libraries, they included a definition of a culture of assessment from a presentation given by Lakos, Phipps, and Wilson, which is often quoted:A Culture of Assessment is an organizational environment in which decisions are based on facts, research, and analysis, and where services are planned and delivered in ways that maximize positive outcomes and impacts for customers and stakeholders. A Culture of Assessment exists in organizations where staff care to know what results they produce and how those results relate to customers' expectations. Organizational mission, values, structures, and systems support behavior that is performance and learning focused. By this definition, a culture of assessment is conceived of at the organizational level and is largely fostered by the leadership. The description also suggests that, in some

Follow the Users: Assessing UK non-print Legal Deposit within the Academic Discovery Environment

“…Assessment must have a purpose derived not only from the generic academic library environment, but also from the individual academic library's environment. The use and efficiency of collections and services are to be measured against that purpose (Farkas et al 2015). This purpose, as followed through the feedback loop tracking discovery, access, and assessment, offers librarians a better understanding of how collections and services, especially NPLD material with its access and use restrictions, can be promoted to users.…”

The Library Assessment Capability Maturity Model: A Means of Optimizing How Libraries Measure Effectiveness

“…Significant investment has been made to strengthen librarians' assessment practices, for example through the ACRL program Assessment in Action: Academic Libraries and Student Success (Hinchliffe & Malenfant, 2013). Work has been undertaken to identify factors important to effective library assessment (Hiller, Kyrillidou, & Self, 2008) as well as to identify factors influencing an assessment culture (Farkas, Hinchliffe, & Houk, 2015). In discussing the history of library assessment, Heath (2011) noted that "recent years have seen a collaborative culture of assessment reach its full maturity" (p. 14).…”

“…The LACMM offers efficiency as both a selfreview tool and as a means of identifying improvements. Although this tool will add to the plethora of resources already available (see Farkas, Hinchliffe, andHouk, 2015 andSelf, 2008), the simplicity of the tool as a means of assessing assessment and identifying an improvement path is its strength. It can act as a quick aide-mémoire and form the basis of a comprehensive self-review or an interinstitutional benchmarking project (Sankey, 2014b).…”

The data framework: A collaborative tool for assessment at the UNLV libraries

“…Other researchers echo this concept of a plan or procedures as required for a strong assessment program and a culture of assessment. Farkas, Hinchliffe and Houk (2015) explain, "Without a clearly articulated plan and expectations, an assessment culture may not be achieved. Everyone in the organization needs to understand what is expected of them regarding assessment; simply stating its importance is rarely sufficient" (p. 166).…”

“…This plan must also be supported and emphasized by library leadership as those leaders help to guide organizational assessment activities and emphases. Without a strong leadership that values assessment, a culture of assessment is less likely to be present (Farkas et al, 2015;Lakos & Phipps, 2004;Ndoye & Parker, 2010).…”