An information desk was added to the public services area of the Ward Edwards Library at Central Missouri State University as a pilot project. The project started at the beginning of the fall semester of 1988, and statistics were kept during the trial period to determine whether this added access point enhanced reference service. The desk was…

With funding from the Institute for Museum and Library Services, the Council on Library and Information Resources, ARL (Association of Research Libraries), the University Libraries Group, and the Regional Alliance for Preservation conducted a joint study in 2001 to examine the state of preservation programs in American academic libraries. The…

A complex tool, data envelopment analysis (DEA) was used to evaluate the relative efficiency of major academic research libraries that are members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). Results of a two-year base line study using traditional measures taken from 1995-96 ARL statistics are reported. (AEF)

This report reflects the results of an evaluation of the coverage in the annual Public Library Statistics program, a joint federal-state information collection project. It is the first phase of a broader project of the Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to evaluate the overall statistics available from the annual…

Since 1969, the Pacific Southwest Regional Medical Library Service (PSRMLS) has provided programs and services to promote the development of hospital libraries, both by encouraging the establishment of new libraries and by aiding existing libraries in improving services and resources. This document reports the results of an evaluation project…

A local model for support of periodic academic program reviews by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE) has developed and evolved at the Ball State University library. The process of devising a format to systematically report library holdings statistics to support program reviews and other collections development duties began in 1975;…

This report on the results of the 1987-88 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Preservation Statistics Questionnaire presents data from 109 ARL member libraries from the United States and Canada. The first of three major sections, Summary Data Tables, displays the aggregated statistics describing the current level of preservation efforts in ARL…

This study reports findings from a survey of U.S. and Canadian medical libraries belonging to the Association of Academic Health Sciences Library Directors (AAHSLD). Conducted in the spring of 1990 and funded by AAHSLD, the survey had the two primary purposes of assessing the use of the AAHSLD "Annual Statistics" in providing data for decision…

Reports on output measures that can give children's librarians additional information to better control collections and make better selection and weeding decisions. Statistical comparisons utilizing circulation data (comparing circulation year to year, circulation to patrons served, circulation to number of materials owned) and availability of…

This report, the third in a series, contains the results of an evaluation of the definitions and internal consistency of the finance variables used in the Federal State Cooperative System Public Library Statistics (FSCS/PLS) program, and a comparison of the statistics collected for these variables to selected statistics from independent sources.…

Explains videotex, discusses its usefulness in disseminating large quantities of information via computer, and describes the use of videotex at the Glaxo, Inc., library where it is used for a daily news service and newsletters. An evaluation of the videotex services is reported, including usage statistics and results of a library survey. (Contains…

Examines results of a three-year survey by the St. Louis Public Library to measure benefits users derive from its services relative to costs of providing them; the ultimate goal was to develop and test a practical, conservative cost-benefit methodology. Cardholders surveyed were general users, business users, and teachers/caregivers. (AEF)

This paper presents guidelines and tools for action research in the school library which will help the librarian justify expenditures and personnel and evaluate and plan services. It shows how statistics can be turned into meaningful knowledge about what is currently being done in the library, how well it is being done, whether it should be done,…

A thorough understanding of the uses and applications of statistical techniques is integral in gaining support for library funding or new initiatives. This resource is designed to help practitioners develop and manipulate descriptive statistical information in evaluating library services, tracking and controlling limited resources, and analyzing…

This study examined the state of formal staff training and development in Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member libraries by identifying what programs are offered; how they are organized, administered, and budgeted; who participates; and how training is evaluated. In February 1997, a survey was distributed to all ARL libraries; of the 120…