Data can help managers make responsive decisions by offering important insights about the use of service. For decades, comparative quantitative data about collections, expenditures, and resources have been gathered and reported to national organizations and have served as the basis for ranking research libraries. Recently, focus has been shifting to include qualitative measures and one current challenge is to identify and design ways to gather information to assess and improve a library's service quality. One approach to library service quality improvement is to develop a better understanding of readers' expectations for excellence and their perceptions of how well services are delivered, and to work toward lessening the gap between these expectations and perceptions. Service quality may seem elusive, but becomes better understood as reader perspectives are identified and understood.

The Assessment Group is formed to explore ways the library might assess service quality and to help raise awareness about assessment with staff. The members will develop their quantitative and qualitative assessment skills, and will in turn foster the development of such skills throughout the library.

To begin such an effort, the group will undertake the following tasks:

1. Partner with selected library units, committees or individuals to develop and conduct simple assessments to explore different types of data gathering and analysis, and to increase the collective knowledge among service staff and managers about reader evaluation of services provided. Two small assessment projects should be completed in the first year.
2. Assist in the implementation of the fall reader survey to measure what service factors are most important to readers and their perception of the library's service quality.
3. Assist the Service Quality Support Director with the ongoing inventory of what qualitative and quantitative data are systematically collected (besides annual statistics) to assess services across the library and to begin to build a toolkit of assessment examples, templates, case studies and information.
4. Develop a running list of possible assessment projects and begin to define what assessment data would help the library make decisions.

Members will serve staggered terms for no more than two years.

Katie Bauer

Holly Grossetta Nardini (chair)

Pamela Mann

Tony Oddo

Abe Parrish

Jennifer Weintraub