Assessing the hybrid university library: addressing diverse agendas through effective and efficient approaches

This paper will outline the importance of university library assessment for meeting three different agendas: to provide internal information on service development, to produce data that can be used as evidence to library users/ funders and to provide evidence of quality for central government. This has to be done within the context of the hybrid library where the balance between paper and electronic information is continually evolving The examples used will be from the United Kingdom but the wider implications will be established.

There will also be consideration of the practice implications. There is a limit on the human and financial resources that can be allocated to university library assessment. It is therefore essential that hybrid university library assessment be approached as efficiently as possible. It needs to strategically support the aims and objectives of the library and the larger institution. Data collection methods have to be selected that can be applied easily and effectively. There are merits in approaches that can be used to simultaneously address all agendas.

The paper will conclude that the dissemination approaches to library assessment also have to be managed. There are risks that the outcomes from library assessment will be lost unless careful consideration is given on how best use the findings.

Graham Walton
Northumbria University
Coach Lane Campus
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE7 7XA
United Kingdom
E-mail: graham.walton@unn.ac.uk