The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) has published Impact Measures in Research Libraries, SPEC Kit 318, which explores the tools and methods libraries use to gauge the difference they make for their user community. SPEC Kit 318 looks at the topics assessment practitioners probe and the results they get; the impacts of impact assessment; and whether institutions that publicise positive impact evidence see a difference in the level of financial or political support from their parent institutions.
The survey asked ARL member libraries whether they have investigated five major areas of possible library impact. These include correlations between measures of library use and student success pre- or post graduation; correlations between participation in library instruction and information literacy skills; correlations between measures of library use and research output; attempts to calculate how much financial value the library contributes to the parent institution or user community; and any other areas of library impact. Nineteen respondents report having conducted a study in one or more of the five impact areas and 13 others are planning to conduct studies. The Library instruction area witnessed the most impact assessment activities. Fifteen respondents studied this area and 12 others have plans to. Each of the other areas has been studied by between one and five libraries. Between three to nine other libraries plan to conduct studies in the next 12 months. The remaining 23 respondents report their library has not and has no plans to study impact measures.
This SPEC Kit includes documentation from respondents in the form of impact assessment goals, user surveys, and calculations of library value. The table of contents and executive summary from this SPEC Kit are available online at http://www.arl.org/bm~doc/spec-318-web.pdf.
Designed to examine current research library practices and policies and serve as resource guides for libraries as they face ever-changing management problems, each SPEC Kit contains a summary analysis, survey questions with tallies, pertinent documentation from participating libraries, and a reading list and website references for further information on the topic.
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