Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Hidden Treasure: Connecting Your Value With The Needs Of The Institution, Leslie Engelson, Christina Torbert

Library Publications

While traditionally libraries are very good at counting (books, patrons, reference questions, etc.), the question of value can no longer be answered by quantifying things and activities. In fact, it is challenging to try to assess and assign value to the services and resources provided by libraries. Increasingly libraries are asked to communicate their value to their stakeholders more effectively by providing evidence of outcomes related to user experience and institutional mission and goals. Several library associations have recently published reports delineating the value of libraries to the constituents.