This research brief describes recent methodological initiatives with the Public Libraries Survey. It describes how starting with the 2022 data, Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) updated geographic identifiers to better align Census Bureau geography types with the library's legal service area, with the goal of enabling data users to…

Public libraries have embraced the popularity of maker education and makerspaces by integrating maker education in their program offerings, and by developing makerspaces that enable patrons to tinker and create products. But less attention has been paid to supporting librarians and maker educators in assessing the impact of these spaces. To expand…

The purpose of this study was to identify feelings and behaviors of fieldwork supervisors in public libraries using Lev Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development theory as a background for design, analysis, and discussion of results. This research sought to find out how fieldwork supervisors perform initial assessments of their fieldwork students,…

This essay served as the basis for the opening keynote speech during the Library Assessment Conference in Baltimore in 2010. It set the stage by tracing the demands for accountability in the beginning of the century and outlining progress made. It provided important background and context for the following four keynote papers delivered by Megan…

The "New South Wales Learning 2.0" training program is being made available to the entire NSW public library work force of over 2300 people in 2008-2009. This paper is a snapshot of the impact of the course as at September 2008, five months after it was launched. It explores how the training impacted on the staff skill levels, knowledge,…

An application of the contingent valuation method (CVM) for estimating the economic value of a regional public library service is described, and some of the key methodological issues surrounding CVM and other stated preference techniques are discussed with reference to library use and funding contexts. Given the range of valuations that can result…

The best kind of learning is that which never ends--and a culture of training means that staff will be more flexible and responsive to new ideas and strategies, imperative in today's libraries. In this practical resource, leading workplace trainers Reed and Signorelli offer guidance on improving the effectiveness of training programs. Their book…

This study aims to present a new model measuring the economic value of public libraries, combining the dissonance minimizing (DM) and information bias minimizing (IBM) format in the contingent valuation (CV) surveys. The possible biases which are tied to the conventional CV surveys are reviewed. An empirical study is presented to compare the model…

Five branch libraries measured the quantity of books, sound recordings, and periodicals in their catalogs in comparison with the number available for loan. A sampling method similar to those used for political pools and market research was employed. (JAB)

Reviews progress toward evaluation of particular forms of adult services within libraries, of total adult service programs, and of the status of adult services within public librarianship at the state and national levels. (JB)

Describes a library staff inservice day developed at the Oak Lawn (Illinois) Public Library to meet the needs of a staff with diverse ages, interests, and duties. Recommends offering a variety of sessions that staff may choose from, provides examples, and includes a summary of evaluation results. (LRW)

Evaluated the home pages of Hennen's 100 greatest public libraries for accessibility by people with disabilities. Explains library selection, which was based on HAPLR (Hennen's American Public Library Rating) Index Scores; and discusses accessible Web design and the Americans with Disabilities Act, universal design, and measuring accessibility.…

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)

Discusses methods for the performance evaluation of supervisors and describes how an instrument for upward appraisal by the supervisor's subordinates was developed at the Dayton-Montgomery County (Ohio) Public Library. Employee focus group meetings, evaluation statements for rating by staff, and preparation of draft and final evaluation…

Summarizes issues emerging from an institute on strategies and techniques for evaluating children's services in public libraries, including observation as a research method, the importance of statistics on children's services, and the adaptation of traditional evaluation strategies for children's services. (Seven references) (MES)