Description
An Evaluation of the Benefits and Value of Libraries provides guidance on how to evaluate libraries and contains many useful examples of methods that can be used throughout this process. There is substantial focus on the importance of goals and objectives, along with advice on strategies that can be used in the case of libraries that may not be well resourced for conducting surveys. The text will be useful as a handbook, and does not assume prior knowledge of finance or economics. A guide on how to conduct a cost-benefit analysis on library services and a discussion on how to use scenario analysis and the persona method is provided, as are examples of customer surveys, for users and non-users alike.- Provides guidance on library evaluation, monitoring and methods- Provides practical examples and customer surveys- Applies economic methods to library management
Table of Contents
List of figures, tables and boxesForewordAcknowledgementsAbout the authorsIntroductionChapter 1: What is benefit assessment?Performance analysisEfficiencyAre we doing the right things?MeasuringChapter 2: Libraries and the surrounding worldDeveloping a stakeholder modelScenario planningThe present situationThe futureChapter 3: Goals, mission statements and methodsGoalsMission statementsChoice of methodBenefit shown in a matrix and diagramThe goals are not financialChapter 4: Financial benefit assessmentFinancial valueProcess mappingCost analysisBenefit analysisChapter 5: Cost-benefit analysis of one-time investmentsBusiness caseBackground and purposeDescription of the solutionFinancial analysisCalculation of the time for the investment to be paid back using payback period and ROIRisk analysisSchedule/project planChapter 6: Customer surveysLegitimacyThe library's imageIdentity and profileUsersNarrative method and storytellingStorytelling and librariesCustomer survey 1Customer survey 2ResultsChapter 7: The persona methodThe personaHow to create personasUsing personasChapter 8: The balanced scorecardConcept and backgroundWorking methodExamples of metricsPitfallsAppendix 1: Cost-benefit analysisAppendix 2: Gothenburg City Library users' surveyAppendix 3: 2008 Attitudes and Knowledge Survey of Gothenburg City LibraryBibliographyIndex
