Learning Outcomes

An exploration of current and future trends in library assessment, this session brings together Canadian academic library perspectives to examine our individual and collective capacity to succeed in evaluating and communicating library impact. Panelists will provide an update on several projects with national and international impact, including: Managing and re-imagining our core library statistics program Since 1976, CARL has managed an annual library statistics program that collects, stores, and analyzes data related to staffing, expenditures, collections, and the use of facilities in its member libraries. In 2020 CARL conducted a major revision of its survey questionnaire and adopted a new platform for depositing and visualizing data. Panelists will discuss the changes and adjustments planned for the next round of surveying, including the prioritization of certain statistical measures and balancing short vs long-term needs. Returning to user satisfaction surveys Growing interest in survey tools: CARL recently conducted a survey to better understand which service quality and/or user satisfaction survey(s) its members were running/considering running over the next 2 years, to better understand potential areas for coordination and benchmarking in the future. National InSync cohort for benchmarking: A number of CARL member libraries have committed to running the InSync survey at their libraries within a two-year timeframe, making it possible for them to benchmark against their peers. Exploring innovative ways for measuring and describing impact CARL Library Impact Framework (CLIF): The concept of impact pathways was borrowed from the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences report entitled Approaches to Assessing Impacts in the Humanities and Social Sciences. To realize the impact pathways concept, CLIF has adapted a logic model framework. This approach provides users of CLIF with a way to represent a more complete arc of influence of research libraries systematically and visually. By design, CLIF encourages the use of assessment techniques and tools beyond the quantitative data collection and descriptive statistics often used by research libraries. Adaptation of The Experience Impact Compass developed by Seismonaut and recently implemented by Toronto Public Libraries, for use by research libraries in a potential national study. Planning for a pilot at the University of Calgary currently underway. The goal is to move beyond vital statistics to understand and effectively capture the impact services have on individuals. Subsequently, panelists will engage in a shared discussion about library capacity. How do we build the capacity within and across our institutions to succeed in these complex spaces? What skills are needed most? How do we manage change, respecting current practices while leading for the future? Participants will leave this session with the following learning outcomes: Knowledge of new projects related to library impact assessment Opportunities and practices for developing internal capacity for assessment Strategies for change management in academic libraries.

Key Topics

Library assessment, trends, capacity, professional development Is our current approach to assessment and communicating impact enough? Are the annual statistics working for us? What skills should we be cultivating now to prepare us for the future? How can we build resilience in our assessment programs in a time of change?

Plan for attendee engagement

Audience members will have the chance to react to and ask questions about project updates. Online polling tools will be used throughout the discussion portion to gather audience input on challenges and opportunities for building library capacity in their own institutions. Time will be reserved for audience reactions to discussions and for them to pose their own questions to panelists.