![]() ![]() Neither the quantity of library usage nor the quality of library services provides evidence of the impact that libraries have on their users, which is why we need to focus on the outcomes of library usage in order to discuss impact and value. What actually needs to happen, and indeed has become more common in recent years, is for library managers to change their focus from inputs and outputs to outcomes and impacts. Traditionally, library managers have found it difficult to establish these performance indicators and have tended to “measure the measurable” instead - in other words, to concentrate on operational and financial data, which is focused on “inputs” (such as financial or staff resources) and “outputs” (such as catalog records or study spaces). The success of these areas can be measured through performance indicators, which should show, at a glance, what is being achieved. ![]() Motivated, skilled and technically expert staff.Examples of critical success factors for a library to deliver excellent service might include: Critical success factors need to be systematically monitored and measured through the use of performance indicators (PIs). One area of management to consider when discussing performance measurement is critical success factors, the areas in which a business or organization’s performance must be satisfactory in order for it to perform well. This all needs to be measured while simultaneously measuring how well the library achieves its strategic objectives for its intended outcomes. ![]() Again, this is not a measure of performance, although it does go some way to checking and assuring the quality of the service and this too is important in the pursuit of excellence and continual improvement. For example, the same academic library might report that 98 percent of students were satisfied with their induction session. Although they may be useful for other purposes (such as making a business case for increased funding), they do not measure the library’s performance and are not KPIs.Īnother trap that librarians often fall into is badging “satisfaction measures” as KPIs. These types of statistics, without any reference to an outcome, are simply measures of usage or busyness. An academic library might proudly report the number of students who attended induction sessions in an academic year or how many books were issued or how many electronic articles were downloaded. Many libraries, for example, collect usage statistics and (incorrectly) report them as KPIs. These are each different measures, but there has been a misguided tendency to label all metrics used to measure any of them as KPIs. Librarians are faced with measuring usage, quality of service and strategic performance (i.e., how well the library is achieving its outcomes). In this article, I would like to discuss the key performance indicators (KPIs) that libraries use in measuring performance. “Service excellence is not necessarily achieved using traditional quality assurance processes but that it is more likely to be attained through strategic planning processes aligned with key performance indicators that provide accountability” (Holmes & Parsons, 2016, p. Library stakeholders and customers also expect to receive high-quality service, and libraries now exist in a culture of striving to achieve excellence and deliver continual high-service performance. Managing objectives strategically, then, allows libraries to achieve its desired outcomes and those of its users. ![]() If the library achieves its aims or goals, there is a high likelihood that the library’s users and the communities it serves will consider it valuable (financially or otherwise). These objectives will differ according to the nature and strategic function of the library and the expectations of its user community. Libraries across all sectors serve a particular purpose and set out to achieve the goals and objectives of the library’s stakeholders. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |