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| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Recurso educativo Open Access |
| Language: | en |
| Published: |
1988
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED290498 |
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Table of Contents:
- The Relationship of Library User Studies to Performance Measures: A Review of the Literature. Occasional Papers Number 181. Powell, Ronald R. Accountability Evaluation Criteria Evaluation Methods Library Services Literature Reviews Performance Factors Program Effectiveness Use Studies User Satisfaction (Information) Arguing that user studies and performance measures provide two major approaches to evaluating the effectiveness of library services, this occasional paper presents an overview of the literature, examines the goals and approaches in user studies and performance measures, and provides suggestions for increasing the potential benefits of both by combining the two techniques. The resulting approach--performance measures based on user studies--is then discussed in terms of data collection, possible benefits, and limitations. It is concluded that: (1) valid procedures, i.e., measures that actually measure what they purport to measure, must be utilized by libraries to adequately evaluate their services; (2) libraries should be most concerned with measuring their ultimate product, performance or effectiveness, based on user data such as satisfaction; (3) a real need exists for libraries to be accountable for the effectiveness of their services; and (4) user-oriented performance measures provide a valid evaluation technique. (A 181-item reference list concludes the document.) (CGD)