Service Quality Improvement Council

Assessment Group
Minutes, October 19, 1999

Present: Katie Bauer, Martha Conway, Matthew Beacom, William Wheeler

Meeting time has now been changed to every other Tuesday at 11:00am.

We now have the elements in place for introducing the ARL definitions paper and proposing a sampling methodology for gathering data on Reference transactions. Katie will combine the ARL definitions document, the statement about sampling reference transactions, and the proposed email documents. The group will review the final document, and present to SQUIC.

I am concerned that we clearly make the case for sampling. The arguments in favor of sampling:

1. Simplest way of introducing consistence across the Yale libraries.

2. Process will be random, which will let us use statistical analysis with the data we gather.

3. This will create a system that can be adapted for future studies.

Targeted rollout date is January 1. At the end of six months, we can evaluate how well the sampling method works.

We decided that, as part of the proposed sampling method, we would like to sponsor a forum, possibly in conjunction with SCOPA. The forum would address basic statistical concepts, and how they affected this particular process of measuring reference transactions. For example, how to define the population you are studying and the unit of measurement, how to create a sample, the meaning of "random" in statistics, and so on.

Recorded by Katie Bauer, kathleen.bauer@yale.edu