J. Eric Davies

What Gets Measured, Gets Managed: Statistics and Performance Indicators for Evidence Based Management:

The severe financial and supply constraints currently experienced by many libraries has highlighted the need for careful and thorough evaluation of the services provided and the application of evidence based management techniques bolstered by appropriate performance indicators. Evidence is needed to support the work of refining methods, redefining existing services and developing new ones, but what is most important is the intelligent use and interpretation of suitable evidence by those who determine policy, allocate resources and manage. Every organization needs three kinds of performance metrics for measuring: its success in mobilizing its resources; its staff’s effectiveness on the job; and its progress in fulfilling its mission. The three major functions to which statistics can be put include: monitoring operational effectiveness; providing a basis for strategic planning; and demonstrating the value obtained by users. An appropriately constructed evidence base offers the potential to support managers in a range of activity. It can form the solid underpinning for: policies; strategies; tactics; processes/operations; and advocacy. The application of library statistics is discussed with particular reference to the data collected by the Library and Information Statistics Unit, Loughborough University and the use of such data for benchmarking applications. Concludes that the collection and interpretation of evidence can not only lead to significant service quality and improved management, but it can also enhance the level of professional satisfaction and involvement.

An assessment of potential efficiency gains through online content use

Purpose – Online content has largely replaced traditional print‐based resources as the primary tool for literature searching throughout much of the academic and research community. This paper presents the results of a small‐scale study, commissioned by the JISC in 2004, to assess the potential efficiency gains that may be achieved through the use of online content by researchers.Design/methodology/approach – Information gleaned from an extensive literature review was combined with recent usage data to calculate broad estimates of the efficiency gains which are being made by the research community through using online searching strategies as opposed to print resources.Findings – The estimated staff costs in UK universities of literature searching are some £7 million per annum. Manual literature searching can take around five times as long as using relevant electronic resources. The consequent savings from the availability of electronic bibliographic databases are estimated in the region of £25 million per ...

Scholarly communication trends — voices from the vortex: a summary of specialist opinion

The views of specialists (academics, librarians, publishers and information scientists) on trends in scholarly communications were canvassed by means of structured questions. A greater commonality of views was found than might have been expected.

Accessible, open and inclusive How visually impaired people view library and information services and agencies

Reports the key findings from a project, undertaken by the Library and Information Statistics Unit, Loughborough University (LISU) and funded by Resource: The Council for Museums Archives and Libraries, under the auspices of the Share the Vision Programme, to conduct an extensive survey of visually impaired people in the UK, with a view to determining their perceptions, opinions and activities regarding relevant information sources and library services that are available to them. It was hoped that the statistics and findings from the survey would provide useful input to evidence-based decision making and would be acted upon positively. A full report detailing the methodology, findings and recommendations was published in large print and on the World Wide Web http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/dils/lisu/pub-lic.html. A total of 582 interviews was obtained from a sample of people, the vast majority of whom were registered as either blind or partially sighted. The survey was carried out using a structured interview technique, either face to face with visually impaired people in clubs and drop-in centres across the UK, or by telephone. The survey focused on: levels of use; alternative formats; use of information technology; and user satisfaction. Concludes that there are opportunities for greater cooperation between the various agencies since, in 1999, less than one third of public library authorities reported having working relationships with any of the other providers considered in this study, and this picture had not changed for some years.

Strategic issues in managing information and document supply in academic libraries

Explores the strategic management of document and information supply with reference to developments in higher education and the academic library and information services and systems context. It emphasises the evolutionary nature of the issue and performs a generalised environmental analysis of the situation. It identifies and discusses critical factors including: the availability of resources, the nature of demand, the dynamics of information, and changes in culture. Strategic factors of information demand and delivery are considered from both the users’ and LIS managers’ perspectives. Various information and document access scenarios are contrasted, including: traditional collections, interlibrary loan, document delivery and “virtual” networked collections. A section on access issues critically interprets the character of the various approaches currently available. Management’s need for adequate and appropriate information for planning document supply is identified and some observations are made on the contribution of the e‐Lib programme and its components to the issue. The Loughborough‐based FIDDO project is specifically mentioned.

Poetry for pleasure promoting poetry to children in public libraries

This article reports an investigation of the attitudes and opinions of children’s librarians towards poetry, and towards its promotion in the public library. It also reports some attitudes towards literature promotion to young people in general. A series of structured interviews with library professionals currently working in the public sector strongly indicate that children’s librarians are themselves enthusiastic concerning poetry, and are firmly convinced both of the benefits incurred by children encouraged to read, write and listen to poems from a very early age, and of children’s own enjoyment of this genre. Due to its brevity and memorability, poetry is regarded by the interviewees as the most accessible literary form for poor or reluctant readers, despite its wider image as a neglected and ‘difficult’ genre for children and young people.

Designing tools to fill the void: a case study in developing evaluation for reading promotion projects

The Library and Information Statistics Unit at Loughborough University (LISU) was recently commissioned to develop an evaluation toolkit for a project aimed at supporting the development of new creative partnerships between libraries, museums and the arts using books and reading as a launch pad to develop new audiences and new venues for reading inspired creativity. Entitled “Books Connect”, the project comprised 13 individual cross‐domain events or initiatives that took place in the nine local authority areas in the East Midlands region of the UK in early 2002. These individual activities were very varied; involving different art forms, venues and partnerships, and featuring workshops, displays and performances and thus presented an interesting challenge in terms of creating a uniformly applicable set of performance indicators and data gathering instruments that could be used “in the field” by individual project managers. The specially created evaluation “toolkit” comprised a set of audience questionnaires and interview schedules as well as templates to gather reviews from co‐ordinators, and accounts of artists’ and partners’ experience of events and initiatives. The data gathered were assembled and analysed by LISU specialists.

Experimental evaluation of selected electronic document delivery systems

Reports results of research to test and analyse five different document delivery systems according to request and delivery times, costs, document quality, and coverage. The aim was to evaluate the success of the different systems according to these criteria and to assess their relative value for money. The systems tested were UMI ProQuest Direct, InfoTrac SearchBank, British Library inside, Elsevier Engineering Information EiText and the standard BLDSC service. Two sets of documents were used in the evaluation: one relating to business studies and the other to manufacturing engineering. The full-text database systems provided a more rapid service than e-mailed and faxed delivery options. BLDSC uses the slowest method of delivery. ProQuest Direct and SearchBank were generally reliable. Partial and fragmented delivery of documents was an occasional feature of EiText and British Library inside . The flat rate per document fee charged by BLDSC is at least three times cheaper than either EiText or British Library inside . BLDSC provides the most comprehensive coverage by far in the titles held and the range of subjects. SearchBank and ProQuest Direct offer the least number of titles, across a range of subjects which is broader than EiText but more limited than British Library services. Concludes that the standard BLDSC service still offers extremely good value for money if assessed on document quality, price and coverage. However, if demand for faster document delivery were to increase, then BLDSC would face greater competition albeit in a limited range of material.

Managing information about people: data protection issues for academic library managers

Examines the ethical, legal and social context of academic library management with particular reference to the general treatment of personal information through data protection. Describes the legal background to data protection, including the Data Protection Act 1984 and the European Union Directive of 1995, and considers the implications for library management. Drawing on the results of a British Library Research and Innovation Centre‐funded impact survey of university libraries undertaken in 1995, examines in detail current data protection policies, practices and levels of awareness. Identifies a general need for greater awareness and knowledge and suggests some ways of rectifying the situation. Discusses current and future management issues and scenarios which influence the priority given to data protection and emphasizes the importance of giving it adequate attention.

Metrics for schools' and children's services: a ten year retrospective

Purpose – One measure of any nations long‐term commitment to culture, reading and learning is surely its investment in the provision of library and information services to children. The aim of this article is to describe the approach to charting the UKs performance and to identify some issues of global relevance.Design/methodology/approach – Separate questionnaires were circulated to all public library authorities and schools library services in the UK. The distribution of questionnaires is carried out electronically. Potential respondents are contacted by e‐mail and the questionnaire is included as an attachment. Up to 2000‐2001, questionnaires were distributed on paper by post.Findings – A ten‐year review of data allows one to draw the conclusion that little is changing dramatically. The last ten years have seen a remarkable change in the nature and magnitude of information media. The computer has transformed the way in which children interact with one another and the wider world and books can be boug...