Did you enjoy the library? Impact surveys in diverse settings

Poll, Roswitha

doi:10.1108/pmm-03-2014-0006

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Surveys allow researchers to get information about users’ experiences through direct questioning, therefore, they are qualified as solicited evidence methods (ISO, 2014). As stated by Roswitha Poll (2014), surveys are one of the most frequently used and applicable tools for assessing the impact of libraries. Many such studies have been conducted in Finland (Serola and Vakkari, 2012) as well as Norway and the Netherlands (Vakkari et al , 2014), Great Britain (Usherwood, 2002), Italy (Chiessi, 2011), USA (Curry Lance et al , 2001; Sin and Vakkari, 2015) and Australian projects Enriching communities (J.L.…”

Section: Research Design and Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Social impact of Polish public libraries

Paul

2019

PMM

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the methodological issues around developing a quantitative research instrument of the social impact of Polish public libraries. The results of the use of this instrument to survey users of Mazovian Province, Poland, are summarized as an example of its use. Design/methodology/approach The research focused on informational, educational and participatory aspects of social impact on the sidelines leaving cultural heritage issues. “Impact” and “social impact” were defined according to ISO 16439:2014. Information and documentation – methods and procedures for assessing the impact of libraries. The research instrument included questions both about the activities taken in libraries by its users and the benefits they gained. The questionnaire also contained questions which allowed to control the variables such as frequency of using libraries, socioeconomic factors and cultural practices. To describe dependencies, various statistical tests were applied. The study was conducted on the group of 1,098 users of 38 public libraries between February and June 2017. Findings Younger and people from smaller towns felt more benefits from using libraries. There are significant differences between types of benefits people of various age, financial status and household size experienced. People who went to libraries and other cultural institutions often experienced more benefits. The more a person performs activities in libraries, the more benefits he or she has. Some added value of particular activities is also visible. Research limitations/implications Despite the efforts and the size of the sample, it is not representative of the population of library users in the Mazovian Province (mainly due to the data collection method – auditory survey). Originality/value Studying the social impact of the libraries in Poland is still at its beginning. The presented research is, therefore, exploratory in terms of cognitive and methodological value.

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Section: Research Design and Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Social impact of Polish public libraries

Paul

2019

PMM

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“…As discussed, however, the use of ISO 16439 can inform approaches that address impact more systematically, as opposed to simply satisfaction. Poll (2014) presents case studies from public and academic libraries in Europe that have used various types of impact surveys. These surveys try to uncover what an individual gained (or what changed) from their interaction with the library.…”

Section: User Surveysmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing ‘Goodness’: A Review of Quality Frameworks for Australian Academic Libraries

Sputore

Fitzgibbons

2017

Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association

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Quality assessment can help a library link its services and performance to strategic university goals and priorities. A vast body of professional literature describes quality and assessment theory and practice in libraries, including comprehensive International Standards. However there is no single measure of 'goodness' for libraries, and choices must be made to ensure assessment activities are effective and sustainable. Libraries seeking to strategically demonstrate their value and proactively respond to emerging priorities have much to gain from an understanding of this field. This review article aims to highlight the features, advantages and outcomes associated with contemporary approaches to quality management and assessment, and offer sources for further exploration. International Standards are discussed, as well as specific methodologies and approaches. This review is placed in the context of current issues and opportunities for Australian academic libraries. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE • A complex range of drivers in the international higher education sector are compelling academic libraries to demonstrate their quality, value and impact. • Qualitative and quantitative assessment methods can be used to effectively collect evidence of the quality, value and impact of the library. • A range of internationally recognised frameworks can help libraries to take a holistic approach to quality assessment. • At a more targeted level, there are a wide range of relevant approaches to assessment that have been successfully used by libraries, and libraries must be strategic in their selection of methods in order to achieve the desired outcomes. • An essential outcome from assessing quality must be communicating quality to clients and stakeholders, ideally in the context of broader and strategic institutional goals.

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“…The value propositions should encapsulate what matters to the library users, where the service can make a difference, and which impacts can be assessed. A review of various impact surveys in diverse library sectors (Poll, 2014) discusses the necessary type of adaptation to the setting, and outlines the aims, scope and sample size of various impact surveys. Later sections in this paper discuss some of the cost-benefit approaches used for economic impact assessment, including the return on investment (ROI) methods.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reflections on the value and impact of library and information services

Urquhart

Turner

2016

Performance Measurement and Metrics

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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to critically review methods of impact assessment and economic analyses. Design/methodology/approach – Reviews the literature on impact assessment, and examines some case studies of impact assessment in health libraries. Relates satisfaction and dissatisfaction assessment to impact assessment. Identifies recent impact assessment approaches in public and academic libraries, and explores different uses of terminology for impact and outcome. Reviews literature on economic analysis of value, including cost analyses, cost-effectiveness analysis and return on investment (ROI) studies. Findings – Terms for library assessment (outcome, output, impact, value and benefit) vary among different sectors. Impact evaluation should examine initial assumptions of value carefully, and examine possible gaps in the line of argument linking inputs of library services to presumed impacts (positive and negative). More attention to sampling and response rates is required, to avoid problems such as the “warm glow” effect. Qualitative and quantitative evidence should be carefully integrated to tell the impact story. Economic impact can be estimated, but methodology depends on the service aims and sector. Originality/value – Demonstrates that some of the requirements for traditional impact assessment also affect economic analyses and ROI studies.

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Did you enjoy the library? Impact surveys in diverse settings

Cited by 4 publications

References 4 publications

Social impact of Polish public libraries

Social impact of Polish public libraries

Assessing ‘Goodness’: A Review of Quality Frameworks for Australian Academic Libraries

Reflections on the value and impact of library and information services

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