Discusses usability testing as a tool for evaluating the effectiveness and ease of use of academic library Web sites; considers human-computer interaction; reviews major usability principles; and explores the application of formal usability testing to an existing site at the University at Buffalo (NY) libraries. (Author/LRW)

Discusses library models in higher education and user roles in relation to the transformative effects of technology. Explores how these models are changing our conceptualization of library assessment models, including measurement models, from a linear to a more cyclical and dynamic perspective shaping relations among input, output, quality and…

Discusses the results of the Wisconsin-Ohio Reference Evaluation Program (WOREP) that was used by the reference department at the Brandeis University (Massachusetts) library. Results are compared with an onsite evaluation to determine factors that influence the provision of high-quality reference service. (LRW)

Discusses the development of an electronic reserves software system and related administrative issues at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Topics include staffing; technical and work flow issues; education and training of users, faculty, and staff; assessment; and advice for other libraries building electronic reserve programs.…

Articulates a rationale for seeking improved librarian-faculty relations based on a comprehensive literature review, and explores methods for evaluating the quality of librarian-faculty relations. Highlights include ways to involve faculty in library programs, involving librarians in classroom activities, increasing faculty awareness of library…

This essay proposes the use of assessment centers, designed to simulate real-life situations and identify managerial skills, as a possible solution to dilemmas of current administrative personnel selection practices in academic libraries. Background, setting up the assessment center, obtaining assessment expertise, and legal implications are…

Performance evaluation used for both faculty and librarians for 2 years included rating of performance standards, professional achievement, and auxiliary services. After careful application to ensure equitability of the original and revised forms, faculty questioned the implications of emphasis on research and publication, achievement, salaries,…

Types of performance evaluation for academic librarians are discussed, noting strengths and weaknesses--formats, relative ranking system, dimensionalized ranking system, management by objectives, and degree of participation. Use of appraisal program to aid library administration in monitoring ongoing activity, planning ahead, and motivating…

Using a multi-method approach--student and faculty surveys and a comparison of bibliographies from senior nursing students--to evaluate the Information Literacy Skills Program at the University of Botswana, this study found that information about the impact of instruction can be discovered through more open-ended questions; the ALA's…

Examines questions related to service quality, satisfaction, and outcomes assessment in academic libraries. Relates the literature of library and information science to each concept, identifies major research methodologies used, and offers suggestions for future research. (Contains 65 references.) (Author/LRW)

Discussion of journal pricing and its effects on academic libraries focuses on data from the Optical Society of America's pricing study that used price per 1,000 words as a quantitative evaluative tool. Data collection methodology is described, and implications of the results for library collection development are suggested. (eight references)…

A comparison of book reviews for humanities and social sciences books named to CHOICE's 1987 "Outstanding Academic Books" with a selection of books not named to the list showed no substantial difference in the number or quality of reviews received. Study suggests that libraries should be cautious in their reliance on published lists for…

Discusses trends in regional accreditation commissions of higher education, including a greater emphasis on outcomes assessment, distance education, information literacy, and encouragement for collaboration, innovation, and experimentation in teaching and learning. Makes recommendations for academic libraries. (Author/LRW)

Describes an information literacy skills assessment project by California State University as part of an accountability process. Highlights include information competence; a qualitative study using information scenarios; capturing what students do when they search for information; and ethnographic data. (LRW)

Examines whether surveying students in the classroom using course-specific questionnaires--and interviewing their instructors--is a viable tool for academic library collection building. Findings revealed this approach to be a valuable qualitative tool for assessing the college library's local book collection. (AEF)