oct04b2.indd ACRL STANDARDS & GUIDELINES Standards for libraries in higher education The fi nal, approved standard by the ACRL College and Research Libraries Task Force Preface These standards differ from earlier ACRL li­ brary standards in four signifi cant respects. 1. They are intended to apply to all types of libraries in higher education, from techni­ cal institutes to research universities. 2. The standards and key principles are designed as a tool to help libraries establish individual goals within the context of their institutional goals. 3. They focus on documenting the library’s contribution to institutional effec­ tiveness and student learning outcomes 4. The standards provide suggested points of comparison for peer and longitudinal comparison and encourage the development of other measures. Some measures of quality and quantity are used in this document, as well as questions to provide guidance for assessing each element of library operations and the provision of library services. To be applicable to such a wide range of libraries, it is necessary that the standards not be prescriptive. Instead, they provide a comprehensive outline to methodically examine and analyze all library operations, services, and outcomes in the context of accreditation. The expectation is that these standards embrace key principles that will continue to be espoused by regional accred­ iting associations as critical elements or core requirements that provide a foundation upon which a library documents its compliance. The standards refer to other specifi c ACRL guidelines and standards developed to ad­ dress specialized operations and initiatives (for example, “Guidelines for distance learn­ ing library services,” “Information literacy competency standards for higher education,” and “Guidelines for media resources in aca­ demic libraries”). The committee recognizes that not all variations in types of collections or services are directly addressed in the Stan­ dards. Without incorporating such specifi cs directly into this document, it is anticipated that there would be less need for its frequent revision. It is expected that ACRL standards and guidelines, both existing and those developed later, as well as standards from other organizations, can be used as part of a library’s analytical structure as appropriate. Foreword These standards are intended to apply to libraries supporting academic programs at institutions of higher education. Earlier standards for libraries relied heavily upon resource and program “inputs,” such as fi ­ nancial support, space, materials, and staff activities.1 These new standards continue to consider “inputs,” but they also take into consideration “outputs” and “outcomes.” In 534 / C&RL News October 2004 Development and approval of the standards These standards supersede earlier separate library standards produced by ACRL’s CLS, CJCLS, and ULS. The first edition of the col­ lege library standards was published in 1959; subsequent editions were published in 1975, 1986, 1995, and 2000. Standards for two­year institutions were first published in 1960 and revised in 1979, 1990, and 1994. Standards for university libraries were first issued in 1979 and revised in 1989. (1a) In 1998, on the recommendation of the Task Force on Academic Library Outcomes Assessment, the ACRL Board mandated that all future standards incorporate outcomes as­ sessment. The 2000 edition of “Standards for college libraries” was the first to incorporate outcomes assessment and was considered a model for the other two library standards. Representatives from the standards committees of the CLS, CJCLS, and ULS met and eventually recommended that the new college library standards be adapted as a single compre­ hensive standard for use by all academic and technical libraries. ACRL formed a task force in 2002 to accomplish this task. The College and Research Libraries Stan­ dards Task Force produced a draft document that was widely circulated on electronic dis­ cussion lists, printed in C&RL News, and pub­ lished on the ACRL Web page. Review of the draft was encouraged by e­mail to members, comments by an expert, and through public hearings at the ALA conferences in Toronto (June 2003) and San Diego (January 2004). A revised draft was then published on the Web site for additional comment. In June 2004, the order to create uniformity, the defi nitions as described in the ACRL Task Force on Aca­ demic Library Outcomes Assessment Report will be used in these standards. Inputs are generally regarded as the raw materials of a library program—the money, space, collection, equipment, and staff, out of which a program can arise. ACRL Standards and Accreditation Committee and the ACRL Board approved the fi nal docu­ ment, and the three extant library standards were rescinded. This document and additional information about ACRL’s standards and guidelines may be found at www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/ standardsguidelines.htm. Note (1a) William N. Nelson, “Library Standards in Higher Education: An Overview,” Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science. Published online July 21, 2004, www.dekker.com/servlet/product/DOI /101081EELIS120021360 (last accessed 8/26/2004). About the authors Members of the Task Force on Academic Library Outcomes Assessment who were re­ sponsible for the preparation of these stan­ dards were: Chair, Barton M. Lessin, Wayne State University, e­mail: lessin@wayne.edu; Mary M. Carr, Spokane Community College, e­mail: mcarr@scc.spokane.edu; Robert W. Fernekes, Georgia Southern University, e­ mail: Fernekes@georgiasouthern.edu; Lori A. Goetsch, University of Maryland, e­mail: lgoetsch@lib.ksu.edu; David W. Lewis, In­ diana University­Purdue University India­ napolis, e­mail: dlewis@iupui.edu; Ellen J. Meltzer, University of California—California Digital Library, e­mail: ellen.meltzer@ucop. edu; William N. Nelson, Augusta State Uni­ versity, e­mail: wnelson@aug.edu; and Cary L. Sowell, Austin Community College, e­mail: cary@austincc.edu. Outputs serve to quantify the work done, i.e., number of books circulated, number of reference questions answered. Outcomes are the ways in which library users are changed as a result of their contact with the library’s resources and programs. 2 These standards provide both a quantita­ tive and a qualitative approach to assessing C&RL News October 2004 / 535 mailto:cary@austincc.edu mailto:wnelson@aug.edu mailto:ellen.meltzer@ucop mailto:dlewis@iupui.edu mailto:lgoetsch@lib.ksu.edu mailto:Fernekes@georgiasouthern.edu mailto:mcarr@scc.spokane.edu mailto:lessin@wayne.edu www.dekker.com/servlet/product/DOI www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards the effectiveness of a library and its librar­ ians. They advocate the use of input, output, and outcome measures in the context of the institution’s mission statement. They encour­ age comparison of these measures with those of peer institutions; they provide statements of good library practice; and they suggest ways to assess that practice in the context of the institution’s priorities. They address libraries only, not other components of a larger organization (e.g., computing). In considering the application of these standards, those who make use of them should keep in mind the rapid changes in scholarly communication that have taken place in recent years. While electronic pub­ lications have increased in number, publica­ tions on paper and microtext have continued, making it necessary for librarians to store, provide, and interpret information in multiple formats. With the increase in the availability of information, user expectations have risen substantially. Librarians are increasingly ex­ pected to assist users in evaluating the infor­ mation they receive. These changes evince an evolving role for librarians, one that suggests a closer partnership with users and a greater responsibility for the educational process. Points of comparison Each library is encouraged to choose its own peer group for the purpose of comparisons. Peer groups may already be identifi ed for benchmarking purposes by the institution. If not, a peer group could be identifi ed us­ ing criteria such as the institution’s mission, reputation, selectivity for admission, size of budget, size of endowment, expenditure for library support, and/or size of collection. Once a peer group has been determined, “points of comparison” can be made to compare the strength of the library with its peers. Suggested points of comparison for input and output measures are provided. This list is not to be considered exhaustive; other points of comparison can be deter­ mined by the institution. If comparisons are going to be conducted on an annual or oth­ er regular basis, the same categories should be used each time to assure a consistent and usable result. Suggested points of comparison: Input measures • Ratio of volumes to combined total student (undergraduate and graduate, if ap­ plicable) and faculty FTE. • Ratio of volumes added per year to combined total student and faculty FTE. • Ratio of material/information resource expenditures to combined total student and faculty FTE. • Percent of total library budget expended in the following three categories: 1. materials/information resources, subdi­ vided by print, microform, and electronic. 2. staff resources, subdivided by librar­ ians, full­ and part­time staff, and student assistant expenditures. Federal contribu­ tions, if any, and outsourcing costs should be included here. When determining staff expenditures, care should be taken to con­ sider comparable staff (i.e., including or excluding media, systems, or development staff) and fringe benefits (within or outside the library budget). 3. all other operating expenses (e.g., net­ work infrastructure, equipment). • Ratio of FTE library staff to combined student and faculty FTE. • Ratio of usable library space (in square feet) to combined student and faculty FTE. • Ratio of number of students attending library instructional sessions to total number of students in specified target groups. 3 • Ratio of library seating to combined student and faculty FTE. 4 • Ratio of computer workstations to combined student and faculty FTE (consider that institutional requirements for student ownership of desktop or laptop computers could affect the need for workstations within the library). Suggested points of comparison: Output measures • Ratio of circulation (excluding reserve) to combined student and faculty FTE. 536 / C&RL News October 2004 • Ratio of interlibrary loan requests to combined student and faculty FTE (could be divided between photocopies and books). • Ratio of interlibrary loan lending to borrowing. • Interlibrary loan/document delivery borrowing turnaround time, fill rate, and unit cost. • Interlibrary loan/document delivery lending turnaround time, fill rate, and unit cost. • Ratio of reference questions (sample week) to combined student and faculty FTE. Planning, assessment, and outcomes assessment Planning The library should have a mission statement and goals to serve as a framework for its activities. The mission and goals should be compatible and consistent with those devel­ oped by the institution. Assessment of the quality and effectiveness of the library should be linked closely with the specifi c mission and goals of the institution. In order to build its programs and services in the context of the institution, the library should be involved in the overall planning process. Formal planning procedures and methods, such as strategic planning, are used frequently. These planning methods require input from a broad spectrum of the institution’s community. They help the institution prepare for the future by clearly defining a vision and mis­ sion, by setting goals and objectives, and by implementing specific strategies or courses of action designed to help meet those ends. Strategic planning is an iterative process that includes evaluation, updating, and refi ne­ ment. This process helps the community focus on its essential values and provides an overall direction that helps to guide day­to­ day activities and decisions. 5 Assessment Comprehensive assessment requires the in­ volvement of all categories of library users and also a sampling of non­users. The choice of clientele to be surveyed and questions to be asked should be made by the adminis­ tration and the staff of the library with the assistance of an appropriate advisory com­ mittee. Questions should relate to how well the library supports its mission and how well it achieves its goals and objectives. Library users should be encouraged to offer signed or anonymous comments and suggestions. Opportunities for making suggestions should be available both in the library and through remote electronic access. All categories of users should be given an opportunity to participate in the evaluation. The weight given to responses should be consistent with the focus and mission of the library. A program of assessment and evaluation should take into consideration the changing rhythm of the academic year. Evaluation, whether it involves some or all of the tech­ niques listed below, should be an ongoing process. Formal evaluation tools may include the following: • General library knowledge surveys (or “pre­tests”) offered to incoming fi rst­year students, re­offered at a midpoint in the students’ careers and again near graduation, to assess whether the library’s program of curricular instruction is producing more information­literate students. • Evaluation checklists for librarian and tutorial instruction to gather feedback from students, other librarians, and teaching faculty. • Student journal entries, or information literacy diaries, used to track their library use. • Focus groups of students, faculty, staff, and alumni who are asked to comment on their experiences using information resources over a period of time. • Assessment and evaluation by librarians from other institutions and/or other appropri­ ate consultants. • Reviews of specific library and informa­ tion service areas and/or operations. Outcomes assessment Outcomes assessment will increasingly measure and affect how library goals and C&RL News October 2004 / 537 objectives are achieved. It will address the accountability of institutions of higher edu­ cation for student achievement and cost ef­ fectiveness. It should take into consideration libraries’ greater dependence on technology, their increasing use of online services, their growing responsibility to provide informa­ tion literacy skills, their increasing reliance on consortial services, the possibilities of dwindling financial resources for collection development, and new developments in the ways in which scholarly information is published and distributed. Outcomes assessment can be an active mechanism for improving current library practices. It focuses on the achievement of outcomes that have been identified as desir­ able in the library’s goals and objectives. It identifies performance measures, such as pro­ ficiencies, that indicate how well the library is doing what it has stated it wishes to do. Assessment instruments may include surveys, tests, interviews, and other valid measuring devices. These instruments may be specially designed for the function be­ ing measured, or previously developed in­ struments may be used. It is critical, how­ ever, to choose carefully the instrument, the size of the sample, and the method used for sampling. The instrument should be valid, and the way it is used should be appropriate for the task. Colleagues at peer institutions may render invalu­ able assistance by suggesting assessment questions and sample sizes, by sharing lessons learned, and suggesting alternative methods for measuring outcomes. Questions 1. Is the library’s mission statement clearly understood by the library staff and the institution’s administration? Is it reviewed periodically? 2. How does the library incorporate the institution’s mission into its goals and objectives? 3. How does the library maintain a systematic and continuous program for evaluating its performance, for informing the institution’s community of its accom­ plishments, and for identifying and imple­ menting needed improvements? 4. Is the library’s assessment plan an integral component of the institution’s as­ sessment and accreditation strategies? For example, does the library revise and update its assessment procedures in conjunction with campus­wide planning and the actions of academic departments? 5. How does the library assess itself? (e.g., What quantitative and qualitative data does the library collect about its per­ formance? How does it take into account special needs, such as those of physically challenged users?) 6. What outcomes does the library measure, and how does it measure these outcomes? 7. How does the library compare itself with its peers? Services The library should establish, promote, main­ tain, and evaluate a range of quality services that support the institution’s mission and goals. The library should provide competent and prompt assistance for its users. Hours of access to the library should be reasonable and convenient for its users. Reference and other special assistance should be available at times when the institution’s primary users most need them. Questions 1. How well does the library establish, promote, maintain and evaluate a range of quality services that support the academic program of the institution and optimal library use? 2. Are reference, circulation, and gov­ ernment document services designed to enable users to take full advantage of the resources available to them? 3. How do student and faculty expecta­ tions affect library services? 4. How well do interlibrary loan and document delivery services support the needs of qualifi ed users? 538 / C&RL News October 2004 5. Does the library maintain hours of access consistent with reasonable demand? 6. What library services are provided for programs at off­campus sites? How are the needs of users and their satisfaction determined at those sites? 7. How are students and faculty in­ formed of library services? 8. Does the library maintain and utilize quantitative and qualitative measurements of its ability to serve its users? 9. When academic programs are offered at off­campus sites, what are the standards or guidelines used to assure success? Are the ACRL “Guidelines for distance learning library services (www.ala.org/acrl/guides/ distlrng.html) used to consider existing and potential services? Instruction The library should provide information and instruction to users through a variety of reference and user education services, such as course­related and course­inte­ grated instruction, hands­on active learn­ ing, orientations, formal courses, tutorials, pathfinders, and point­of­use instruction, including the reference interview. As an academic or instructional unit within the institution, the library should facilitate student success, as well as en­ courage lifelong learning. By combining new techniques and technologies with the best of traditional sources, librarians should assist primary users and others in information retrieval methods, evaluation, and documentation. In addition, librarians should collaborate frequently with classroom faculty; they should participate in curriculum planning and information literacy instruction as well as educational outcomes assessment. Infor­ mation literacy skills and user education should be integrated across the curriculum and into appropriate courses with special attention given to information evaluation, critical thinking, intellectual property, copyright, and plagiarism. Modes of instruction, often referred to as teaching methods, “may include, but are not limited to advising individuals at ref­ erence desks, in­depth research consulta­ tions, individualized instruction, electronic or print instruction aids, or group instruc­ tion in traditional or electronic classroom settings.” 6 Questions 1. Does the library provide formal and informal opportunities for instruction? 2. Does the library provide adequate space for instruction for both large and small groups? Is the available space de­ signed to provide hands­on instruction, as well as presentation of all types of resources? 3. Does the library make appropriate use of technology in its instruction? 4. How do librarians work with class­ room faculty in developing and evaluat­ ing library curricula in support of specifi c courses? 5. If applicable, how does the library facilitate faculty research? 6. Does the library provide a variety of educational programs? 7. How does the library promote and evaluate its instructional programs? 8. How does the library apply the “In­ formation literacy competency standards for higher education? Resources The library should provide varied, author­ itative and up­to­date resources that sup­ port its mission and the needs of its users. Resources may be provided onsite or from remote storage locations, on the main campus, and/or at off­campus locations. Moreover, resources may be in a variety of formats, including print or hard copy, online electronic text or images, and oth­ er media. Within budget constraints, the library should provide quality resources in the most efficient manner possible. Collection currency and vitality should be maintained through judicious weeding. C&RL News October 2004 / 539 www.ala.org/acrl/guides Questions 1. What criteria are used to make deci­ sions about the acquisition, retention, and use of print, electronic, and media resources? How does the library select resources for its users? 2. What is the role of the classroom faculty in the selection of library resources and in the ongoing development and evaluation of the collection? 3. Does the library have a continuing and effective program to evaluate its collections, resources and online databases, both quan­ titatively and qualitatively? 4. Do print, media, and electronic re­ sources reflect campus curricular and re­ search needs? 5. Does the library have suffi cient user licenses for its electronic resources so that on­site and remote users can be accom­ modated? 6. How are consortium purchasing and licensing agreements utilized? 7. If the library has responsibility for collecting and maintaining the institution’s archives, how does it address these respon­ sibilities? 8. How do the library’s collections and online databases compare with its peers? 9. Does the library maintain the currency and relevancy of the collection through a judicious weeding program? Access Access to library resources should be pro­ vided in a timely and orderly fashion. Li­ brary collections and the catalog for access­ ing them should be organized using national bibliographic standards. A central catalog of library resources should provide access for multiple concurrent users and clearly indicate all resources. Provision should be made for interlibrary loan, consortial bor­ rowing agreements, access to virtual elec­ tronic collections, and document delivery to provide access to materials not owned by the library. Furthermore, distance learning pro­ grams should be supported by equivalent means, such as remote electronic access to collections, the provision of reliable net­ work connections, and electronic transmis­ sion or courier delivery of library materials to remote users. Policies regarding access should be appropriately disseminated to li­ brary users. Questions 1. What methods are used to provide maximum intellectual and physical accessibil­ ity to the library and its resources? 2. How are the accuracy and currency of the catalog assured? 3. Is the arrangement of the collections logical and understandable? 4. Does the library provide timely and effective interlibrary loan or document de­ livery service for materials not owned by the library? 5. Does the library participate in available consortial borrowing programs? 6. Does the library provide suffi cient numbers of appropriately capable com­ puter workstations for access to electronic resources? 7. Is access to the catalog and to other library resources available across campus and off­campus? 8. If materials are located in a storage facility, are those materials readily acces­ sible? 9. In what ways does the library provide for its users who are engaged in distance learning programs? Staff The staff should be sufficient in size and quality to meet the programmatic and service needs of its primary users. Librarians should have a graduate degree from an ALA­accred­ ited program. In addition, there may be other professional staff who will have appropriate combinations of training, experience, and/or degrees. All library professionals should be responsible for and participate in profes­ sional activities. The support staff and student assistants should be assigned responsibilities appropriate to their qualifi cations, training, 540 / C&RL News October 2004 experience, and capabilities. The further development of professional and support staff should be promoted through an on­ going commitment to continuing education, including training on security, emergencies, and the preservation of materials. Professional library staff should be cov­ ered by a written policy that clearly estab­ lishes their status, rights, and responsibilities. This policy should be consistent with the ACRL “Standards for faculty status for col­ lege and university librarians” (www.ala. org/acrl/guides/facstat01.html). Questions 1. Does the library employ staff capable of supporting and delivering information in all available formats, including electronic resources? 2. Is sufficient budgetary support provided to ensure the ongoing training of all staff? 3. Does the library have qualifi ed librar­ ians, other professional staff, skilled support staff, and student assistants in adequate num­ bers to meet its needs? Counts may include FTE library staff numbers for total staff and a separate number for FTE librarians (MLS or equivalent). 4. How does the institution ensure that the library’s professional staff have the ap­ propriate accredited degrees, and how does it encourage them to engage in appropriate professional activities? 5. How does the size of the library staff relate to the goals and services of the li­ brary, the institution’s programs, degrees, enrollment, size of the faculty and staff, and auxiliary programs? 6. How do library staff policies and pro­ cedures compare with institutional guide­ lines and sound personnel management, especially in the areas of recruitment, hiring, appointment, contract renewal, promotion, tenure, dismissal, and appeal? 7. How do staff members who are respon­ sible for instruction maintain suffi cient knowl­ edge and skills to be effective instructors? 8. How does the library provide security and emergency training for its staff? Facilities The library facility and its branches should be well planned; it should provide secure and adequate space, conducive to study and research with suitable environmental condi­ tions for its services, personnel, resources, and collections. The library’s equipment should be adequate and functional. Questions 1. Does the library provide well­planned, secure, and sufficient space to meet the perceived needs of staff and users? 2. Are building mechanical systems prop­ erly designed and maintained to control temperature and humidity at recommended levels? 3. What are the perceptions of users regarding the provision of conducive study spaces, including a sufficient number of seats and varied types of seating? 4. Is there enough space for current li­ brary collections and future growth of print resources? 5. Does the staff have suffi cient work­ space, and is it configured to promote efficient operations for current and future needs? 6. Does the library’s signage facilitate use and navigation of the facilities? 7. Does the library provide ergonomic workstations for its users and staff? 8. Are electrical and network wiring suf­ ficient to meet the needs associated with electronic access? 9. Does the library meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act? 10. Are facilities provided to distance learners considered in the context of the ACRL “Guidelines for distance learning and library services (www.ala.org/acrl/guides /distlrng.html)? Communication and cooperation Communication is essential to ensure the smooth operation of the library. Communi­ cation should flow from all levels of the library: from the director/dean to the staff and from the staff to the director/dean. C&RL News October 2004 / 541 www.ala.org/acrl/guides The library should have a regular mecha­ nism to communicate with the campus. Library staff should work collaboratively and cooperatively with other departments on campus. A special relationship should be encouraged between the library and information technology staff in providing access to electronic information resources. In some cases, a vice­president, dean, or director may administer library, media, and information technology operations and services. The library is usually responsible for se­ lecting and providing information content. Information technology usually provides the technical infrastructure and support to deliver information. There is no single organizational model that will work for all institutions. Regardless of whether the ser­ vices are independent or are integrated in some way, it is important that the services work collaboratively and keep each other fully informed. Questions 1. Is there effective communication within the library that allows for a free flow of administrative and managerial information? 2. Are staff members encouraged to suggest new ideas or procedures to im­ prove operations or working conditions within the library? Is there a process to facilitate this? 3. Does the library have a regular means to exchange information with the campus? 4. Has the library established coop­ erative working relationships with other departments on campus? 5. If the library and information technol­ ogy are administered separately, does the organizational structure provide opportu­ nities for productive communication and collaboration? 6. If one administrator has responsibility for both the library and information tech­ nology, how well have the two functions been integrated? 7. Is the library able to obtain techni­ cal support for information technology in the form of in­house expertise to provide electronic resources to on­site and remote users? 8. Is the capacity of the campus network sufficient to provide reasonable response times for local and remote information resources? Administration The library should be administered in a manner that permits and encourages the most effective use of available library re­ sources. The library director/dean should report to the president or to the appro­ priate chief academic or instructional officer of the institution. There should be a standing library advisory committee. The responsibilities and authority of the library director/dean should be defined in writing. If there are distance learning services provided, they should be administered in keeping with the suggestions offered in the ACRL “Guidelines for distance learning library services.” The library should be administered in accordance with the spirit of the ALA “Library Bill of Rights.” Questions 1. How does the library administration encourage effective use of available library resources? 2. What is the statutory or legal foun­ dation (e.g., institutional bylaws) for the library’s activities? 3. To whom does the library director/ dean report? Is that reporting relationship appropriate? 4. Is there a document that defi nes the responsibilities and authority of the library director/dean? 5. Does the library have a standing advisory committee? Does the committee have adequate classroom faculty and stu­ dent representation? How effective is the committee? 542 / C&RL News October 2004 6. How effective are the policies and procedures that determine internal library governance and operations? 7. Does the library operate in accord with the spirit of the ALA “Library Bill of Rights”? Budget The library director/dean should prepare, justify, and administer a library budget that is appropriate to the library’s objec­ tives. The budget should meet the reason­ able expectations of library users when balanced against other institutional needs. The library should utilize its fi nancial re­ sources efficiently and effectively. The library director/dean should have author­ ity to apportion funds and initiate expen­ ditures within the library budget and in accordance with institutional policy. The budget should support appropriate levels of staffing and adequate staff compensa­ tion. Questions 1. Does the library director/dean pre­ pare, justify, and administer the library budget in accordance with agreed upon objectives? 2. Are the library’s annual authorized expenditures adequate to meet the ongo­ ing, appropriate needs of the library? 3. How is the institution’s curriculum taken into account when formulating the library’s budget? 4. How are the instructional methods of the institution, especially as they relate to independent study, considered when formulating the library’s budget? 5. What methods are used to determine the adequacy of existing collections? Is the budget adequate to maintain an appropri­ ate rate of collection development in fi elds pertinent to the curriculum? 6. How does the size, or anticipated size, of the student body and the class­ room faculty affect the library budget? 7. Does the budget support an appropriate level of staffing and compensation? 8. How is the adequacy and availabil­ ity of funding for other library resources (e.g., archives and special collections) determined? 9. Does the library budget refl ect the library’s responsibility for acquiring, pro­ cessing, servicing, and providing access to media and computer resources? 10. To what extent does the library director/dean have authority to apportion funds and initiate expenditures within the library budget and in accordance with institutional policy? 11. How does the library monitor its encumbrances and the payment of its in­ voices? How does the library determine its choices and schedule its expenditures? 12. Does the budget include adequate support for extended campus programs? Notes 1. By ACRL Board action on June 29, 2004, the present document supercedes the follow­ ing standards: “College library standards,” 2000 edition (C&RL News, March 2000, p. 175–182); “Standards for community, junior, and technical college learning resources pro­ grams,” 1994 (C&RL News, October 1994, p. 572–585); and “Standards for university librar­ ies: Evaluation of performance,” 1989 (C&RL News, September 1989, p. 679–691). 2. ACRL Task Force on Academic Library Outcomes Assessment, 27 June 1998, www. ala.org/acrl/outcome.html. 3. Ibid, p. 4. 4. For a further discussion of space requirements, refer to: Keyes D. Metcalf, Planning Academic and Research Library Buildings, 3rd ed. Philip D. Leighton and David C. Weber, eds. (Chicago: American Library Association, 1999, c2000). Appen­ dices B and C. 5. Regional and subject­based accredit­ ing association guidelines can help direct the institution in its planning and assess­ ment. 6. ACRL “Guidelines for instruction programs in academic libraries, www.ala. org/acrl/guides/guiis.html.  C&RL News October 2004 / 543