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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Assessment And Evaluation Methods For Access Services, Dallas Long
Assessment And Evaluation Methods For Access Services, Dallas Long
Dallas Long
This paper serves as a primer to assessment and evaluation design by describing the range of methods commonly employed in library settings. Quantitative methods, such as counting and benchmarking measures, are useful for investigating the internal operations of an Access Services department in order to identify workflow inefficiencies or comparator data to judge performance against peer institutions. Qualitative methods, such as focus groups and observation studies, are useful for exploring patron behavior and perceptions, especially in regards to space planning and customer service. The strengths and limitations of these methods are also briefly addressed.
Effects Of Library Instruction On University Students’ Satisfaction With The Library: A Longitudinal Study, Anthony Stamatoplos, Robert Mackoy
Effects Of Library Instruction On University Students’ Satisfaction With The Library: A Longitudinal Study, Anthony Stamatoplos, Robert Mackoy
Robert Mackoy
Consideration of satisfaction should be an important part of the evaluation of library services. Satisfaction depends, to some extent, on patron expectations of services. This study evaluated changes in student expectations following library instruction and how they were related to overall, long-term satisfaction with the library. Satisfaction appeared to be related to student perceptions of information accessibility, staff competence and helpfulness, computer usefulness and ease of use, and skill level for using libraries. The study suggests that libraries may be well served by measuring patron satisfaction and learning what variables drive satisfaction at particular libraries.