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This paper aims to explain how the integrity or trustworthiness of library service quality assessment data can be evaluated. Using the metaphor of a bathroom scale, the paper also aims to present the ideas underlying score reliability and score validity in an accessible manner.

The use of the software, SPSS, to compute the related statistics is illustrated. LibQUAL+® data are used in heuristic examples, to make the discussion concrete, but the illustrations apply to both new and other measures of library service quality.

The paper suggests that assumptions about the quality of data should always be empirically checked whenever an attempt is made to characterize service quality.

This user‐friendly, conversational paper explains some of the more critical elements of service quality assessment.

The purpose of this study is to report on the findings of the two‐year Association of Research Libraries (ARL) sponsored project, “Making Library Assessment Work: Practical Approaches to Effective and Sustainable Assessment,”; it aims to examine the organizational factors that facilitate and impede effective data use and the implications for assessment in research libraries.

Information was gathered from a variety of sources, including: a self‐evaluation of assessment activities and needs done by each of the 24 participating libraries; extensive discussion with a designated contact at each library; a review of library and institutional sources such as annual reports, strategic plans, accreditation self‐studies, ARL and IPEDS statistics; and the observations and discussion that occurred during 1.5 day site visits.

The paper finds that libraries surveyed have made some progress incorporating data in decision making and services improvement, but there is much work to be done.

This is not an evidence‐based practice study but rather one that examines why evidence (the data on which a decision may be based) is not used more widely in libraries.

The work described in this paper aims to reflect the natural evolution of longstanding dialogue between the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), Johns Hopkins University (JHU), and Bielefeld University.

This study looks at how each institution has combined library and assessment expertise and developed evaluation methodologies that emphasize different, but interrelated aspects of library services.

The resulting tools may be viewed as an integrated decision support system (DSS) that can offer librarians and library administrators a comprehensive framework for choosing appropriate tools, methodologies, and resources for evaluation of both existing and future library services.

This paper provides an excellent introduction and overview for practitioners new to the topics described.

The purpose of this paper is to describe a model of digital library (DL) work that surfaced through the ARL Profiles 2010 and resonates current work underway by the large-scale DL projects like DPLA, SHARE, Hathitrust, Academic Preservation Trust, and Digital Preservation Network.

In total, 86 ARL members submitted institutional profiles that were analyzed using Atlas.ti and surfaced major themes that comprise the mission of research libraries including serving the public good, expanding their presence globally, setting standards for access and quality, needing to explore best practices, and being visible at the national and international levels.

The analysis of the narratives identified three key areas for DL developments: first, digitized special collections, second, acquiring digital content, and third, developing digital services (Figure 1). Specific examples and context are provided in the paper.

The qualitative data collected from these profiles demonstrate that libraries are transforming their services to leverage digital technologies and meet the changing needs of their users. The approach was open ended and allowed libraries to celebrate their strengths and unique context. Some of the disadvantages of this approach include the amount of work both on behalf of the participating libraries as well as on behalf of the analysts and the difficulty of comparing libraries with one another.

This was the first time ARL attempted to describe research libraries using narrative descriptions. The approach complements the traditional ARL Statistics and offers a viable alternative in a future environment that is dominated by radical change. This qualitative approach deployed here is critical for describing DL developments as current large-scale digitization projects have extended the directions that were surfacing in these profiles and have major implications for the future of digital content and research. Future research in this area is strongly encouraged.

Entering into its 11th year, the Ontario Council of University Libraries' Scholars Portal (www.scholarsportal.info/) is in its second year of systematic evaluation of its content and services. This paper aims to examine this iteration.

This paper focuses on the 2010‐2011 results and provides a brief description of the differences between the two implementations.

This paper presents key findings from the OCUL data analysis that address the research questions proposed by the study. How does the use of consortial products compare to that of individually‐licensed content? What can we infer from those results about the profile and visibility of these collections? How are patrons discovering different formats such as e‐books? Who are these patrons, and why are they using electronic collections? The paper examines the implications of running the survey in mandatory and optional modes, the characteristics of the non‐respondents of web‐based, intercept surveys in the academic institution, the efficacy of surveying users through an open‐URL resolver and other issues that present themselves when attempting to survey a large user base across a consortium versus an individual institution.

The originality and value of this survey are the following: the use of SFX as the instrument for the intercept survey on a consortial scale; the use of the every nth sampling plan; the longitudinal comparison of results collected over time from a large research consortium; the purpose of use by consortium, by institution, and by top ten vendors; the examination of ebook usage by classification of user and by purpose of use; and the ability of this methodology to provide a continuous evaluation of the use of networked electronic resources.

In 2009, in Performance Measurement and Metrics, the authors reported results of LibQUAL+® experiments at four universities in which the use of the LibQUAL+® Lite protocol was investigated. The purpose of this article is to briefly report related results for the first use of LibQUAL+® in Hebrew. The authors also take the opportunity to propose another method for equating scores across the LibQUAL+® Lite and the traditional LibQUAL+® protocols.

Matrix sampling is a survey method which can be used to collect data on all survey items without requiring every participant to react to every survey question. Here, the authors investigate the features of data from one such survey, the LibQUAL+® Lite protocol, exploring the participation rates, completion times, and result comparisons across the two administration protocols – the traditional LibQUAL+® protocol and the LibQUAL+® Lite protocol – at an Israeli University and for the first time, in Hebrew.

This experimental approach confirms the previous work which showed that greater completion rates were realized with the LibQUAL+® Lite protocol. The data from the Lite protocol might be the most accurate representation of the views of all the library users in a given community.

This is the first time LibQUAL+® has been used in Hebrew.

As libraries are developing a larger Web presence, issues regarding the utility, accessibility, and impact of the usage of their networked resources and services are gaining critical importance. The need to assess systematically the networked electronic services and resources is great as increasing amounts of financial resources are dedicated to the Web presence of libraries. This paper aims to address this issue.

This project proposes to measure the impact of networked electronic services, building on MINES for Libraries^®, in a scalable way across libraries and consortia to enhance digital library service quality and impact on learning by enabling the future allocation of resources to areas of user‐identified need. Short, standardized web surveys are placed at the point‐of‐use of networked electronic resources and services through a network assessment infrastructure that uses contemporary mechanisms of authentication and access, such as EZproxy, openURL, Shibboleth, federated searching and others as modules to interface with ARL's StatsQUAL^®. A valid and reliable sampling method is proposed.

Point‐of‐use web surveys hold considerable promise as key tools in the assessment toolkit libraries may deploy to improve the research, teaching, and learning outcomes of their users.

This project enhances and deepens the information gained from vendor‐supplied data.

The developments described will make it easier for libraries to assess the usage of networked electronic resources and services.

Survey researchers sometimes develop large pools of items about which they seek participants' views. As a general proposition, library participants cannot reasonably be expected to respond to 100+ items on a given service quality assessment protocol. This paper seeks to describe the use of matrix sampling to reduce that burden on the participant.

Matrix sampling is a survey method that can be used to collect data on all survey items without requiring every participant to react to every survey question. Here the features of data are investigated from one such survey, the LibQUAL+^® Lite protocol, and the participation rates, completion times, and result comparisons across the two administration protocols – the traditional LibQUAL+^® protocol and the LibQUAL+^® Lite protocol – at each of the four institutions are explored.

Greater completion rates were realized with the LibQUAL+® Lite protocol.

The data from the Lite protocol might be the most accurate representation of the views of all the library users in a given community.

This paper aims to report on the first phase of a two‐year project sponsored by the Association of Research Libraries, “Making Library Assessment Work: Practical Approaches for Developing and Sustaining Effective Assessment”.

This paper reports on the project, which is intended to provide libraries with the knowledge and understanding necessary to select and apply appropriate measurement techniques, and to use assessment data in decision making. The focus of this effort is on practical and sustainable approaches to effective assessment. The paper is particularly interested in the successful application of assessment within different organizational cultures and moving library assessment from a project‐based approach to a more programmatic, integrated, and sustainable operation within libraries.

The findings of the study indicate that all the ARL libraries in Phase I are developing a stronger understanding of the value of assessment and library leadership supports this movement. It finds that there are staff in each library who have good research methodology skills, although they may not be involved in assessment efforts. It reveals that areas that did not receive a passing grade in most libraries included resource allocation, sustainability, prioritizing needs, choosing the appropriate assessment method, using data for improvement, and communicating assessment results.

The paper provides useful information on a project intended to help librarians in decision making.