Research Catalog

Title

Guide to library user needs assessment for integrated information resource management and collection development / edited by Dora Biblarz, Stephen Bosch, Chris Sugnet.

Publication

Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press, 2001.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Additional Authors

• Biblarz, Dora.
• Bosch, Stephen.
• Sugnet, Chris.
• Association for Library Collections & Technical Services

Description

vii, 70 p.; 23 cm.

Summary

"New technologies are making information more fluid, but what does this mean for information providers? Without a doubt, it means that traditional roles are evolving. The task of providing information now demands expertise in exploiting new technologies and trawling their uncharted ebbs and flows of information." "The Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS), a division of the American Library Association, offers a host of well-integrated and forward-looking services to help you navigate through these changes. It is a leader in the development of principles, standards, and best practices for creating, collecting, organizing, delivering, and preserving information resources in all forms. It offers educational, research, and professional service opportunities. And it is committed to quality information, universal access, collaboration, and lifelong learning."--BOOK JACKET.

Series Statement

Collection management and development guides ; no. 11

Uniform Title

Collection management and development guides no. 11.

Subject

• Collection management (Libraries)
• Library use studies
• Needs assessment

Note

• Association for Library Collections & Technical Services, a division of the American Library Association."

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 61-65).

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

The reasons for undertaking needs assessment, defining the value of user assessments, and the theory concerning user needs assessment -- The process for developing a needs assessment project -- Establish the goals of the assessment -- Assess available resources -- Establish project scope -- Define the user population -- Review current awareness -- Identify useful information -- Establish a time frame -- Complete the plan -- What can be measured and how to measure it: Types of assessment data that may be useful -- Direct user input (e.g., user surveys) -- Pros and cons of direct user input for needs assessment -- Methodology for direct user input -- Exploratory data collection -- Focus groups -- Qualitative input from surveys -- Crucial incident surveys -- Internal staff feedback -- User interviews -- Representative data gathering -- Techniques for random surveys -- Direct mailing -- Online forms -- Randomly timed surveys -- Secondary information: Data that describes current conditions -- Specific types of secondary data -- Demographic data -- Specific demographic data for academic libraries -- Specific demographic data for public libraries -- Number and distribution of student enrollment credit hours -- Course offerings -- Electronic resources use statistics -- Circulation statistics -- Circulation patterns of monographic/serial collections -- Statistics derived from patron requests for holds/recalls on currently circulating materials -- In-house use statistics for both serials and monographs -- Photocopy activity.

ISBN

0810841312 (pbk. : alk. paper)

LCCN

^^2001031447

OCLC

• 46835399
• SCSB-12495305

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library