Library Assessment in Higher Education

Subjects:

• Library & Information Science » Management & Administration -- General

Reviews:

• Matthews....has written a theory-focused review of "assessment from the broad perspective." Critiquing mission statements of universities and academic libraries, Matthews also anaylyzes the Input-Environment-Output model of the 1980s for the student educational process and identifies inadequacies and drawbacks of standard use analysis methodologies. His basic message stresses the shift in focus by the regional accreditation commissions to requiring evidence of how academic libraries impact students' learning outcomes and the faculty's teaching and research efforts.
  —Library Journal January 2008
• Without hesitation, Matthews points out the difficulty in establishing a positive correlation between library use and a student's academic growth and success. Insofar as many academic librarians struggle with this dilemma, Matthew's review of the literature on this topic is particularly interesting....Library Assessment in Higher Education....joins a number of other monographs in the growing field of performance measurement and appraisal in academic libraries and provides up-to-date coverage of the evolving efforts in this important area of library research and practice.
  —Library & Information Science Research 2008
• Matthews raises important issues regarding the lack of relevance of many forms of library assessment to the underlying question of student learning outcomes and he discusses the many attempts that have been made to measure the impact of librarians with respect to these outcomes.
  —Partnership: the Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research June 2008
• This volume is valuable for its insight regarding the understanding of how the academic library impacts student learning, faculty research agendas, and institutional goals. Each chapter is devoted to a facet of assessment and follows a well-developed format: brief overview and definitions, description of topics that fall within the topic, major subcategories, in addition to print and online resources....The author brings practical experience, sample forms, and rigorous research studies designed for academic libarians responsible for supporting classroom instruction information literacy skills and support to faculty researchers. A highly recommended and useful tool!
  —Colorado Association of Libraries April 2008
• Well-organized and well written chapters take the reader through looking at the mission of the academic institution, assessing learning and research outcomes, defining the library's contribution, and developing a library assessment plan. Matthews advocates for academic libraries and librarians to adopt a "culture of assessment" where decisions are based on facts, research, and analysis rather than instinct and experience. A useful addition to professional and personal collections.
  —Booklist January 2008
• Matthews (library and information science, San Jose State U., California) advises academic library managers on techniques for library assessment, forgoing discussion of individual departments in favor of a broad view of whether and in what way a school library achieves its mission. Eight chapters address topics including: the Inputs-Environmental Variables- Outputs Model of the student educational process; assessment of student learning outcomes; the library's contribution to the educational process and the research environment; and development of a library assessment plan. The appendix contains outcomes questions for practitioners.
  —Reference & Research Book News November 2007

Table of Contents:

• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Mission of the College and University
• Chapter 3: Models of the Student Educational Process
• Chapter 4: Institutional Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes
• Chapter 5: Assessment of the Library's Contribution to the Educational Process
• Chapter 6: Institutional Assessment of the Research Environment
• Chapter 7: Assessment of the Library's Contribution to the Research Environment
• Chapter 8: Developing a Library Assessment Plan
• Appendices
• Index

PDF Catalogs:
LU Academic Library Spring 2008.pdf	LU Textbook Catalog Fall 2007.pdf