Evaluation of Library and Information Services

by John Crawford

Overview

Provides update to current thinking about, and reasons for, service evaluation of libraries in the UK. Examines quantitative and qualitative methods including questionnaires, focus groups, suggestions boxes and interview techniques.Problems arising from survey outcomes are summarised and long-term evaluation and the relevance of benchmarking are discussed.Contains case studies covering survey work in public, academic and special libraries; charters and service level agreements; and examples of relevant research projects.New chapter on performance measurement in the electronic library.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781135476571
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	09/02/2003
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	135
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

John Crawford is Library Research Officer at Glasgow Caledonian University where he is responsible for the evaluation of library services and directing and conducting research projects. He holds degrees from the universities of London and Strathclyde and obtained his Ph.D. from Glasgow Caledonian University in 1994. He has written or co-authored some 40 articles, conference papers and contributions to books. His interests include the evaluation of library services, performance measurement, copyright, the library and information needs of non-traditional students and the historical aspects of librarianship. He is active in professional affairs and is chairman of the Library History Group.

Table of Contents

Introduction
1. Identifying performance issues for evaluation
2. Quantitative methods
3. Qualitative methods
4. Pitfalls and progress
5. Case studies and future developments
6. Performance measurement for the electronic library
7. Further reading
8. List of organisations