In the push to bring data to bear on all of the important education issues of the day, one essential fact is often overlooked: Not all indicators are created equal. This book provides a comprehensive approach for understanding how statistical measures of achievement are developed, evaluated, and interpreted. Given the extent to which…

Academic libraries have traditionally collected reference statistics using hash marks on paper. Although efficient and simple, this method is not an effective way to capture the complexity of reference transactions. Several electronic tools are now available to assist libraries with collecting often elusive reference data--among them homegrown…

The intent of this paper is to explore the potential of utilizing interlibrary loan (ILL) data relating to lending denials to improve ILL services while highlighting institutional policies that have a negative impact on lending fulfillment rates. Reasons for denial as well as the types of requests being denied are reviewed. In addition, the author…

Designed to provide librarians, library administrators, and other interested persons with information organized to facilitate comparisons of libraries within the same library system, with comparable service populations, and with comparable expenditures, this publication contains information derived from the 1985 Annual Report/System Membership…

This report presents statistical pictures of Illinois Public Libraries during the fiscal year 1988-1989. The information comes primarily from the Illinois Public Library Annual Report forms. In addition, text has been included that describes how a library or library system can utilize these statistics. Three sections divide the publication.…

Describes the Marquette University Interlibrary Loan Log, which is an online log of borrowing and lending requests. Applications of the interlibrary loan data for statistical reporting, management decision making, collection development, online enhancement, and copyright monitoring are discussed. (3 references) (CLB)

This regional dossier aims to provide concise, descriptive information and basic educational statistics about minority language education in a specific region of the European Union--Fryslan, one of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. Aspects that are addressed include features of the education system, recent educational policies, main actors,…

This quarterly issue focuses on the role of New York state agency libraries in meeting the information needs of state officials and residents. The first four papers include "State Library Agencies: An Overview," based on a 1982 survey with 19 respondents (Lucille C. Whalen); "Extending the State Library's Information Services to…

This manual is a first effort to begin to identify, describe, and develop procedures for assessing various aspects of digital reference service. Its overall purpose is to improve the quality of digital reference services and assist librarians to design and implement better digital reference services. More specifically, its aim is to: assist…