Humorous comment on library standards, advocating measurement of library efficiency by circulation per square foot. (JS)

ALA's Public Library Association Goals, Guidelines, and Standards Committee presents this interim document--the first in over a decade to guide public library managers and lay decision-makers in assessing public library services--for review by the public library community. (Author/JPF)

This state of the art report summarizes current practice and accepted standards in library physical facility design. It is intended to serve as an interim planning guide for Army technical libraries until the completion of the Guided Inquiry System in the second phase of this study. Recommendations made in the report are based on a thorough review…

To find out to what extent the evaluation methods described in the professional literature are actually utilized by practicing librarians, a study was conducted of the collection evaluation practices in 111 libraries supporting four-year colleges. Three assumptions were tested; that collection evaluation in the population would be more heavily…

Using "Books for College Libraries" as a standard reference against which to compare the Purdue University Calumet Campus library collection, a quantitative analysis of the library's holdings in various subject areas was done during the 1973-74 academic year. For each of the 65 subject areas selected, randomly chosen entries in…

A self-study of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools over a two-year period brought about a realization of the need for the development of nontraditional self-study for reaffirmation of accreditation. Such self-studies were conducted at Vanderbilt University, University of Houston, University of Miami, and the University of Louisville…

Describes the collection assessment methodology presented in the Research Libraries Group's "Conspectus," and assesses the usefulness of this instrument both in general, and as applied to an attempt to coordinate collection development at the consortium level. (eight references) (CLB)

This how-to-do-it guide for Oklahoma public libraries to use in evaluating their performance defines the individual performance measures, explains the data collection and analysis procedures, shows example calculations, and discusses the analysis and presentation of the performance measures. The performance measures are presented in terms of the…

In this age of accountability, accreditation commissions face criticism from higher education professions and the public. Although agencies have committed their energies to protect the general public from inferior educational institutions, they appear to be insensitive to the effects of changes in education. There is a need to rank schools of…

Presents the revised "Standards for University Libraries" approved by the Association of College and Research Libraries Board. Areas covered in the standards include a basic statement of purpose, underlying assumptions, goal development, measuring achievement and forming a statement of expectations, and evaluative criteria. Resource…

This Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) collection of library documents illustrates approaches to and techniques of performance appraisal used in Association of Research Libraries (ARL) libraries. Included are (1) performance appraisal forms, policies, and procedures from Stanford University, University Library Council, Louisiana State…

Examines two traditional approaches to the measurement of library service--the gathering of circulation and reference statistics--and relates them in a statistical model in an attempt to define real standards against which a library's activity can be compared. Graphs comparing reference and circulation statistics are included. (Author/JD)

Proposes a methodology for reviewing academic branch libraries based on Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) guidelines. A four-part model is presented, including scope and review, decision-making responsibilities, criteria for opening and maintaining branch libraries, and the final report and recommendations. Sample outlines of…

Approval plans challenge library boundaries, require consensus on collection development priorities, cooperation among library departments, and a close partnership with the vendor. Few concrete performance standards exist, and effectiveness is difficult to measure. Vendors will play an active role in the evolution of approval plans, though…

This paper describes the theoretical design and practical implementation of a set of performance indicators in a public library system in London (England). Bromley Libraries has 15 branch libraries and serves 300,000 people. The need for improved management control by assessing performance and monitoring progress, library restructuring, and…