ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries COLLEGE & RESEARCH LIBRARIES NEWS No. 9, October 1968 ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries, Vol. 29, No. 5 Guide to Methods of Library Evaluation JULY 7, 1968 This document is designed as an aid in judg­ ing the adequacy of an academic library. It is organized into sections of descending impor- I. Prime evidence: books, reading spaces, and professional staff. II. Secondary evidence: such as budget and planning documents. III. Special activities suggesting excellence: such as a student book club and publica- Since books, space, and staff constitute the ingredients which can make any library great, there often will be no need to document or consider the points of “secondary evidence” or the “special activities.” Local circumstances will determine the advisability of using these subordinate data to clarify evaluation. In applying these evaluation methods to the well established library, it is important to watch for danger signs where the library may be slipping in one or another index, or is failing to meet new conditions posed by evolving in­ structional or research patterns and practices. In applying these methods to a library which has not yet established its quality, it is em­ phasized that the most important condition is a strong rate of improvement; the mere fact of meeting minimum quantitative standards is of far less importance. Various sets of minimum standards exist and can be discriminatingly applied in library evaluation. These have been established by the Association of College and Research Libraries,1 the several regional accrediting associations, and a large number of professional associa­ tions;2 this guide does not contradict any of these; it does not purport to set standards. Rather it suggests the methods for judging the library program for any institution of higher education. In the course of such judgment, standards can be of use in threshold cases; yet, even for these libraries, the momentum of library development and the effectiveness made of available resources is of far greater significance than is sole reliance on quantita­ tive data. The published ranges of actual li­ brary statistics may also serve as benchmarks.3 I. Prime Evidence All three of these must be adequate for the clientele and its program. Otherwise no library can be judged to be satisfactory, no matter what other activities or qualities it may offer. A. Books and related materials. In evaluating the collections, there must be 1 “Standards for College Libraries” College and Re­ search Libraries, vol. 20 (July 1959) p. 274-280. “Standards for Junior College Libraries,” College and Research Libraries, vol. 21 (May 1960), p. 200-206. 2 Standards for the six regions and twenty-one pro­ fessional associations were com piled as College and University Library Accreditation Standards—1957, Chi­ cago, Association of College and Research Libraries, 1958. 46p. ACRL Monograph, no. 20. 3 Library Statistics of College and Universities: In­ stitutional Data, annual publication of the U.S. Office of Education. Our policy is your assurance of better SERVICE for a quarter of a century, Taylor-Carlisle's policy has been to offer its clientele the finest service possible. This policy is supported by a huge inventory conveniently at hand in our own warehouses . . . . . . by having competent, efficient personnel. . . . . . and experienced, progressive management. Better service is our policy. Send for our brochure and terms. Taylor- Carlisle NEW YORK: 115 E ast 23rd Street, New York, N.Y. 10010 FLORIDA: Winter Park Mall, Winter Park, Florida 32789 TEXAS: 1 Shell P la z a , Houston (opening soon) 294 discrimination among subject fields and some attention paid to needs of individual courses. The full scope of course and research in­ terests must be covered by good books, both as to chronological periods and degrees of sub­ ject specificity, including primary and sec­ ondary works and a fair quantity of collateral and even minor works in the major fields. There must also be a reasonable quantity of books, including duplicate copies of heavily used titles, and there must be particular rele­ vance of these books to the range and level of the curricula offered. The currency of the collections must be maintained; that is, a substantial and contin­ uing infusion of new books discriminately se­ lected must be in evidence in each field. Finally, the physical condition of the col­ lection must be adequate to assure its avail­ ability for the next generations of students, especially in bibliographies, reference works, primary sources, and journals. Evaluation Method. Use select lists to check on thoroughness of coverage. Ask a few spe­ cialists to spot check various areas in their field and ask various faculty members about the adequacy of the collections in their fields. (These first two techniques will be of no ap­ preciable value in a library far beyond meet­ ing any minimum quantitative standards, yet even in these libraries these techniques may be applied in the fields of newly established departments or new graduate programs.) Ask a sampling of students about their ease in obtaining sources. Check titles on the “new books shelf” or on the shelves of new receipts in the acquisitions department. Check through p art of the outstanding order file for scope, range, and currency for various fields. Inspect the “standing order” file, and such desiderata lists as may exist; and review some titles on outgoing interlibrary loan requests to get a feel for requested material that is lacking in the collections. Read any recent self-study or report by a consultant on the state of the col­ lections. Sample the bindings or other preserva­ tion treatm ent given the collection, including microfilms, by visiting various parts of the library. B. Reading Spaces. The library (including departm ental librar­ ies) must be located on campus in a conveni­ ent place so that trips from classes or dormi­ tories or commuter’s parking do not discour­ age library use. I t must be open adequate hours to meet needs, including weekends; and all major de- ACRL Membership August 31, 1968 . . 12,859 August 31, 1967 . . 12,060 August 31, 1966 . . 10,539 COLLEGE &RESEARCH N E W SLIBRARIES ACRL News Issue of College & Research Libraries Editor, David Kaser, Cornell University Li­ braries, Ithaca, N.Y. 14850. Managing Editor, Mary Falvey, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago 60611. News Editor, David Doerrer, Cornell Uni­ versity Libraries, Ithaca, N.Y. 14850. Editorial Board: John M. Dawson, University of Dela­ ware; Gustave A. Harker, University of Florida; Samuel Rothstein, University of British Columbia; James E. Skipper, University of California, Berkeley; Norman E. Tanis, Kansas State College of Pittsburg; Maurice F. Tauber, Columbia University; Eileen Thornton, Oberlin College. ACRL Officers, 1968/69: President, David Kaser; Chairman, College Libraries Section, Evan Ira Farber; Junior College Libraries Section, Shirley A. Edsall; Rare Books Section, J. M. Edelstein; Subject Specialists Section, Thomas D. Gillies; Agriculture and Biological Sciences Subsection, Louise Darling; Art Subsection, Herbert G. Scherer; Law and Political Science Sub­ section, Morris L. Cohen; Slavic and East European Subsection, Dmytro M. Shtohryn; University Libraries Section, G. F. Shepherd. News from the Field, Personnel profiles and notes, classified advertising, official matter of ACRL, and other material of a timely nature is published in the News issues of College ir Research Libraries. Inclusion of an article or advertisement in CRL does not constitute official endorsement by ACRL or ALA. Production and Advertising and Circulation office: 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, 111. 60611. Change of address and orders for subscriptions should be addressed to College & Research Libraries, for receipt at the above address, at least two months before the publication date of the effective issue. Subscription to CRL is included in membership dues to ACRL of $6 or more; other subscriptions to CRL are $10 per year. Neither subscriptions nor memberships include miscellaneous unscheduled supplements, which are available by purchase only. Retroactive subscrip­ tions are not accepted. Single journal copies are avail­ able at $1.50 each and News issues at $1.00 each from ALA Publishing Department. Indexed in Library Literature. Abstracted in Library Science Abstracts. Book reviews indexed in Book Re- College & Research Libraries is the official journal of the Association of College and Research Libraries, a division of the American Library Association; and is published seventeen times per year—bi-monthly as a technical journal with 11 monthly News issues, com­ bining July-August—at 1201-05 Bluff St., Fulton, Mo. 65251. Second-class postage paid at Fulton, Mo. 295