2008 Library Assessment Conference

Full conference program (PDF)
Detailed schedule listing (PDF)
Program at a Glance (PDF)
Poster abstracts (PDF)
Poster presentations

The 2008 Library Assessment Conference: Building Effective, Sustainable, Practical Assessment took place from August 4-7, 2008, on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle. Interest in library assessment continues to grow and we were immensely gratified to see an increase in the number of registrants from 220 at the 2006 Conference in Charlottesville to 380 in Seattle! Indeed, participants were a part of the largest library assessment conference ever held—coming from 43 US states and Puerto Rico, 6 Canadian provinces, and 4 continents outside North America.

The exhilarating program included four days of presentations, workshops, engaging speakers, poster sessions, and many opportunities for informal discussion. Of course, the conference would not have been possible without the contributions of our speakers, presenters and workshop leaders.

Among the conference highlights were an opening keynote session featuring three University Librarians who are known for their forward looking and challenging perspectives, a plenary session on evaluating quality, the conference reception set in the stunning Olympic Sculpture Park against the backdrop of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains, and career recognition awards to three pioneers in library assessment.

We view participants’ commitment to library assessment as critical to the process of demonstrating the impact and connection of the library to the research, teaching, and learning process. One of our primary goals has been to nurture and grow a library assessment community that serves as a catalyst and supports libraries in evaluating and measuring their contributions to the broader organization. The published volume of proceedings is a testimony to the growth of that community and the diverse approaches used effectively in library assessment.

Get Copies from this Conference

Proceedings are available for purchase from ARL Publications for $150. Or download a PDF of the published 2008 proceedings (26 MB PDF). See below for selected PowerPoint presentations and other handouts available online.

Schedule

Monday, August 4

Welcome & Opening

Steve Hiller, Martha Kyrillidou, and Jim Self (Conference Co-Chairs)
Betsy Wilson (Dean of University Libraries, University of Washington)

Plenary Session I: The Most Important Challenge for Library Assessment

Keynote Panel: Susan Gibbons (Vice Provost & Dean, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester), Rick Luce (Vice Provost and Director of Libraries, Emory University), and Betsy Wilson (Dean of University Libraries, University of Washington)
Moderator: Crit Stuart (ARL Director, Research, Teaching & Learning)

Keynote Follow-up Discussion

Reactors: Joan Rapp (Executive Director of Libraries, University of Cape Town) and Stephen Town (Director of Library & Archives, University of York)
Panelists: Susan Gibbons, Rick Luce, Betsy Wilson, and moderator Crit Stuart

Parallel Session #1

E-Metrics

Measuring the Impact of Networked Electronic Services (MINES for Libraries®): Developing an Assessment Infrastructure for Libraries, State, and Other Types of Consortia
Terry Plum (Simmons College)
Brinley Franklin (University of Connecticut)
Martha Kyrillidou (Association of Research Libraries)
Gary Roebuck (Association of Research Libraries)
Raynna Bowlby (Library management consulting)
MaShana Davis (Association of Research Libraries)
Kristina Justh (Association of Research Libraries)

Building Frameworks of Organizational Intelligence: An Analysis of Present and Future Data Farm Strategies at the Penn Libraries
Joseph Zucca (University of Pennsylvania)

Place

LibQUAL+® and the Evolution of “Library as Place” at Radford University, 2001-2007
Eric Ackermann (Radford University)

Using Evidence for Space Planning
Kathryn Crowe (University of North Carolina at Greensboro)
Michael A. Crumpton (University of North Carolina at Greensboro)

Wayfinding Revisited: Improved Techniques for Solving Usability Problems in Physical Spaces (11MB)
Agnes Tatarka (University of Chicago)
David K. Larsen (University of Chicago)

Methods

Under New Management—Developing a Library Assessment Program at a Small Public University
Karen Jensen (University of Alaska Fairbanks)
Anne Christie (University of Alaska Fairbanks)

In Our Visitors’ Footsteps: Using a “Visitor Experience” Project to Assess Services and Facilities at the Library of Virginia (44MB)
Suzy Szasz Palmer (The Library of Virginia)

Standardized Survey Tools for Assessment in Archives and Special Collections
Elizabeth Yakel (University of Michigan)
Wendy Duff (University of Toronto)
Helen Tibbo (University of North Carolina)

Parallel Session #2

Information Literacy I

Assessing Information Competence of Students Using iSkills&trade: A Commercially-available, Standardized Instrument
Stephanie Brasley (California State University, Chancellor’s Office)
Penny Beile (University of Central Florida)
Irvin Katz (Educational Testing Service)

Measuring Student Information Literacy Learning Outcomes: Using the Program Review Process to Gather Evidence of Learning
Gabriela Sonntag (California State University San Marcos)

Assessment in LIS Ed

Covering Assessment in LIS Education
Megan Oakleaf (Syracuse University)
Peter Hernon (Simmons College)
Karin de Jager (University of Cape Town)

Collections

Use and Non-use of Choice-reviewed Titles: A Comparison between Undergraduate and Research Libraries
Michael Levine-Clark (University of Denver)
Margaret M. Jobe (University of Colorado at Boulder)

Strategy and Leadership in the Transition Away from Print
Roger Schonfeld (Ithaka)

Plenary Session II: Evaluating Quality

Speaker: Paul Gregutt (Wine Author/Columnist)

Wine Reception & Book Signing

Led by Paul Gregutt

Poster Reception

Poster listing and electronic versions (BROKEN LINK)

Tuesday, August 5

Parallel Session #3

Management Information

Assessment-based Strategies for Building Connections with Academic Departments
Yvonne Belanger (Duke University)

Expenditures-Focused Index (EFI) Based on the ARL Statistics: Why Is It Important?
Brinley Franklin (University of Connecticut)
Colleen Cook (Texas A&M University)
Martha Kyrillidou (Association of Research Libraries)
Bruce Thompson (Texas A&M University)

Evidence-based Management: Assess to Plan to Budget to Action
Gary Pitkin (University of Northern Colorado)
Annie Epperson (University of Northern Colorado)

Information Literacy II

Assessment Cycle or Circular File: Do Academic Librarians Use Information Literacy Assessment Data?
Megan Oakleaf (Syracuse University)
Lisa Hinchliffe (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Voices of Authentic Assessment: Stakeholder Experiences Implementing Authentic Information Literacy Assessments
Leslie Bussert (University of Washington Bothell/Cascadia Community College)
Karen R. Diller (Washington State University Vancouver)
Sean Wm. Hawes (Washington State University Vancouver)
Sarah Leadley (University of Washington Bothell/Cascadia Community College)
Sue F. Phelps (Washington State University Vancouver)
Norm Pouliot (Cascadia Community College)

Qualitative Methods

Personas and a User-centered Visioning Process
Zsuzsa Koltay (Cornell University)
Kornelia Tancheva (Cornell University)

Patterns of Culture: Re-aligning Library Culture to Meet User Needs
Nancy Turner (Syracuse University)

Mixing Methods, Bridging Gaps: An Ethnographic Approach to Understanding Students
C. Todd White (University of Rochester)

Parallel Session #4

Organizational Culture I

Employees as Customers Judging Quality: Enhancing Employee Assessment
John Harer (Dept of Library Science, East Carolina University)

Toward Transformation: Using Staff Reflections on Organizational Goals, Culture and Leadership for Organizational Assessment and Development
Lisa Hinchliffe (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Keeping a Finger on the Organisational Pulse: Surveying Staff Satisfaction in Times of Change
Elizabeth Jordan (University of Queensland)

Data into Outcomes

Assessment for Impact: Turning Data into Tangible Results
Paul Rittelmeyer (University of Virginia)
Laura Miller (University of Virginia)
Tim Morton (University of Virginia)

What If We Don’t Provide the Computers?: Assessment for Reduction
Donna Tolson (University of Virginia)
Matt Ball (University of Virginia)

Turning Results into Action: Using Assessment Information to Improve Library Performance
Steve Hiller (University of Washington)
Stephanie Wright (University of Washington)

Statistical Data

Adding Context to Academic Library Assessment: Using the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System for Institutional and Comparative Statistics
John Cocklin (Dartmouth College)

Asian Library Statistics: A Pilot Project
Cathie Jilovsky (CAVAL Collaborative Solutions)

Making Incremental Improvements to Public Library Comparative Statistical Practices
Ray Lyons (Independent consultant)
Jason Holmes (Kent State University)

Parallel Session #5

Impact/Evaluation

A Meta-assessment of Statewide Program Evaluations: Matching Evaluation Methods to Program Goals
Jeffrey Pomerantz (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Carolyn Hank (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Charles McClure (Florida State University)
Jordon Andrade (Florida State University)
Jessica McGilvray (Florida State University)

Library Assessment: Changing Roles for the Academic Library in Support of Academic Research Evaluation
Patricia Brennan (Thomson Scientific)

Student Research Behavior: Quantitative and Qualitative Research Findings Presented with Visualizations
Daniel Wendling (National Library of Medicine)
Neal Kaske (National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration)
Travis Johnson (University of Maryland)

LibQUAL+®

LibQUAL+® Lite: A New Model for Conducting Service Quality Assessments That Both Minimizes Demands on Users and Maximizes Response Rates
Bruce Thompson (Texas A&M University)
Martha Kyrillidou (Association of Research Libraries)
Colleen Cook (Texas A&M University)

Does Size Matter? The Effect of Resource Base Size on Faculty Service Quality Perceptions in Academic Libraries
Damon Jaggars (University of Texas)
Fred Heath (University of Texas)
Shanna Smith (University of Texas)

Bench-marking on a National Scale: The 2007 LibQUAL+® Canada Experience
Sam Kalb (Queen’s University)

Organizational Culture II

Keeping Assessment Results on the Radar: Responsibility for Action
Margaret Martin Gardiner (University of Western Ontario)

Collaborative Design and Assessment: Learning ‘With and For’ Users
Mary Somerville (University of Colorado Denver)

Creating a Culture of Assessment: Cascadia Community College Student and Faculty Focus Groups
Julie Planchon Wolf (University of Washington Bothell / Cascadia Community College)
Amanda Hornby (University of Washington Bothell / Cascadia Community College)

Plenary Session III: Reflections on Library Assessment: A Conversation with Duane Webster, Amos Lakos, and Shelley Phipps

Moderators: Colleen Cook (Texas A&M) and Brinley Franklin (University of Connecticut)

Conference Reception, Olympic Sculpture Park

Special awards to Duane Webster, Amos Lakos, and Shelley Phipps for their contributions to library assessment

Wednesday, August 6

Parallel Session #6

Reference

Using the READ Scale (Reference Effort Assessment Data): Qualitative Statistics for Meaningful Reference Assessment (separate slides below)
Bella Karr Gerlich (Dominican University)
Lynn Berard (Carnegie Mellon University)
Sue Leibold (Clarke College)
Jean McLaughlin (University at Albany)
Gretchen Revie (Lawrence University)

Systematic Quantitative and Qualitative Reference Transaction Assessment: An Approach for Service Improvements
Xin Li (Cornell University)
Ellie Buckley (Cornell University)
Kornelia Tancheva (Cornell University)

Evaluation Metrics

Conceptual Context for Expanding the Discussion of Evaluation Metrics for Libraries
Neal Kaske (National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration)
Peter Hernon (Simmons College)
Joe Matthews (San Jose State University)

Building a Resource for Practical Assessment: Adding Value to Value and Impact
Stephen Town (University of York)

Planning to Action

From Data to Action: Setting Goals to Respond to Customer Wants and Needs
Raynna Bowlby (Library management consulting)
Daniel O’Mahony (Brown University)

Integrating Assessment and Planning: A Path to Improved Library Effectiveness
Wanda Dole (University of Arkansas at Little Rock)
Maureen James (University of Arkansas at Little Rock)
Donna Rose (University of Arkansas at Little Rock)
John Barnett (University of Arkansas at Little Rock)
Suzanne Martin (University of Arkansas at Little Rock)

Making a Difference: From Strategic Plan to Business Plan
Susan Bailey (Emory University)
Chris Palazzolo (Emory University)
Eric Bymaster (Emory University)
Charles Forrest (Emory University)

Parallel Session #7

LibQUAL+® Comments

Analyzing LibQUAL+® Comments Using Excel: An Accessible Tool for Engaging Discussion and Action
Elizabeth Chamberlain Habich (Northeastern University)

Are They Really That Different?: Identifying Needs and Priorities Across User Groups and Disciplines at the University of Notre Dame through LibQUAL+® Comments
Sherri Jones (University of Notre Dame)
Jessica Kayongo (University of Notre Dame)

Examining the Overlooked: Comments from Incomplete 2007 LibQUAL+® Survey Responses
Gordon Fretwell (University of Massachusetts Amherst)

Getting Started: Applying Atlas.ti and NESSTAR to the LibQUAL+® Results at UBC Library
Margaret Friesen (University of British Columbia)

Usability

Outsourcing Functional Web Usability: A Practical Approach to Effective Web Enhancements Improving User Experience
Mark Paul (University of Louisville)

If They Build It, Will They Come?: A Qualitative Study Using Participatory Design Feedback for Inclusion in a New Library Home Page
Joan Stein (Carnegie Mellon University)
Nathan Browne (University of Pittsburgh)

Measuring the Effectiveness of Facets in the Next Generation OPAC
Kathleen Bauer (Yale University)

Information Literacy III

Information Competence Assessment Using First Year and Upper Division Writing Samples
Amy Wallace (California State University, Channel Islands)

Library Instruction Assessment Made Easy: Practical Tips to Get You Started with Little Training, Money, or Time
Marvel Maring (University of Nebraska, at Omaha)
Nora Hillyer (University of Nebraska, at Omaha)

Parallel Session #8

Digital Library

Proposition: Digital Collections Are Easier to Find and Use through DLF Aquifer’s American Social History Online
Katherine Kott (Digital Library Federation)

Cross-Institutional Repository Assessment: A Standardized Model for Institutional Research Assessment
Robert McDonald (San Diego Supercomputer Center/UCSD)
Charles Thomas (Florida Center for Library Automation/University of Florida)

Assessment Plans

Creating Assessment Plans: Four Case Studies
Agnes Tatarka (University of Chicago)
Jennifer Rutner (Columbia University)
Xin Li (Cornell University)
Kay Chapa (University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas)

Information Literacy IV

The New ACRL Institute for Information Literacy Immersion Institute Track: Assessment in Action
Debra Gilchrist (Pierce College)
Lisa Hinchliffe (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
Megan Oakleaf (Syracuse University)
Anne Zald (University of Washington)

Assessment Tool or Edutainment Toy
Patrick Griffis (University of Nevada, Las Vegas)

It’s Just a Click Away: Instruction Assessment That Works
Sarah Blakeslee (California State University, Chico)

Plenary IV: Conference Perspectives: A Look Back and a View Forward

Panelists: Paul Beavers (Assessment Officer and the Director of Information Services Group, Wayne State University), Deborah Carver (Dean of Libraries and Professor, University of Oregon), Debra Gilchrist (Dean of Libraries and Institutional Effectiveness, Pierce College), and Peter Hernon (Professor, Simmons College)
Moderator: Crit Stuart (ARL)

Conference close and adjournment

Steve Hiller, Martha Kyrillidou, and Jim Self (Conference Co-Chairs)

Thursday, August 7

Morning Post-Conference Workshops

Beyond the Pie Chart: Techniques for Structuring and Visualizing Quantitative Information
Joseph Zucca (University of Pennsylvania)
Location: Peterson Room, Allen Library

Getting Started with Learning Outcomes Assessment PowerPoint
Megan Oakleaf (Syracuse University)
Location: Suzzallo-Allen Library Maps/Special Collections Classroom

Jumpstarting the Assessment of Library Learning Spaces Handouts
Crit Stuart (Association of Research Libraries)
C. Todd White (University of Rochester)
Location: Odegaard Undergraduate Library 220

Turning Data into Information Handout
Neal Kaske (National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration)
Location: Suzzallo Library 5th Floor Conference Room

Afternoon Post-Conference Workshops

Successfully Implementing the Balanced Scorecard Handouts
Jim Self and Donna Tolson (University of Virginia)
Location: Odegaard Undergraduate Library 220

Usability Testing Handouts
Jennifer Ward (University of Washington)
Location: Suzzallo-Allen Library Maps/Special Collections Classroom