Section 2 Performance measurement
2.6 Useful sources
2.6.1 Australasian sources
Best Practice Handbook for Australian University Libraries
• campus viability;
• innovation;
• electronic library suite of indicators;
• user acceptance of non-traditional sources of information;
• electronic resources access by remote users;
• proportion of resources available electronically 24 hours per day;
• performance of IT services in converged operations;
• efficient/effective web navigation;
• user adoption of electronic information retrieval;
• information literacy (effectiveness of teaching);
• information skills (program effectiveness and penetration);
• quality of information literacy training;
• reader education programs—penetration and use;
• support for off-campus students especially interstate and overseas;
• items return to shelf turnaround time;
• serials usage survey; and
• facilities use indicators.
A number of useful articles and websites covering all aspects of performance measurement are included in the Useful Sources list.
Best Practice Handbook for Australian University Libraries
Calvert, P. 1997, ‘Measuring service quality: From theory into practice’, Australian Academic & Research Libraries, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 198–204.
Calvert, P. & Hernon, P. 1997, ‘Surveying service quality within university libraries,’ Journal of Academic Librarianship, vol. 23, no. 4, pp. 408–415.
This article focuses on gap reduction. It builds on a conceptual framework for understanding and measuring quality in academic libraries created by Hernon and Altman, with the intention of refining it for practical use. The research was conducted in the seven university libraries of New Zealand during 1996.
Calvert, P. 1998, ‘Service quality in academic libraries: Research in New Zealand and Singapore’, in Pathways to Knowledge, Australian Library and Information Association 5th Biennial Conference and Exhibition,Conference paper available http://www.alia.org.au/conferences/adelaide98/
Cargnelutti, T. 1999, ‘Finding one’s web feet. Revisiting KIN: Key indicators of electronic resource usage in the Web environment’, in Robots to Knowbots: The Wider Automation Agenda, 1999 VALA Biennial Conference. Proceedings.
Victorian Association for Library Automation, Melbourne, pp. 279–296. Paper also available at: (http://www.library.unsw.edu.au/~eirg/vala98.html)
The authors of this paper initially reported and described a range of key indicators of database and electronic resource usage at the 1996 VALA conference. This paper focuses on the difficulties associated with measuring electronic resource use and delivery, in particular web based resources, and outlines additional key indicators based on changes to the type and delivery of information now available.
CAVAL Reference Interest Group Working Party on Performance Measures for Reference Services 1995, First Report; 1997, Second Report; 1998, Final Report, CAVAL, Melbourne.
The Final report consolidates the previous work done by this group to identify performance measures and indicators currently used to evaluate reference services in Victorian academic libraries. Outlines a model of reference service effectiveness and identifies 12 Key Performance Indicators used by library staff and customers. Three dimensions of service evaluation are described ñ Attributes, Support, Knowledge. The identification of potential appropriate measures forms a part of the report. A comprehensive and well-timed report that makes a valuable contribution to an area of library service regarded by many as difficult to measure.
Best Practice Handbook for Australian University Libraries
CAUL performance indicators:
• Gorman, G. & Cornish, B. 1995, Library/Clientele Congruence, CAUL Performance Indicator A,Council of Australian University Librarians, Canberra.
• Robertson, M. 1995, Document Delivery Performance, CAUL Performance Indicator B, Council of Australian University Librarians, Canberra.
• Taylor, C. 1995, Materials Availability, CAUL Performance Indicator C, Council of Australian University Librarians, Canberra.
Cullen, R. J. & Calvert, P.J. 1995, ‘Stakeholder perceptions of university library effectiveness,’ Journal of Academic Librarianship, vol. 21, no. 6, pp. 438–448.
This research in New Zealand, based on the multiple constituencies model, identified key performance indicators in university libraries as perceived by six separate stakeholder groups. Ranked lists and correlations between the lists show similarities, but also confirm that stakeholder groups have different perspectives on library effectiveness.’
Ellis-Newman, J. & Robinson, P. 1998, ‘The cost of library services: Activity- based costing in an Australian academic library,’ in Journal of Academic Librarianship,vol. 24, no. 5, pp. 373–380.
Activity-based costing is normally associated with budget planning and allocation. More latterly a number of libraries have costed activities, largely within technical service operations, as an adjunct to benchmarking. This article discusses the value of activity-based costing to libraries, its relationship to the collection of library statistics and its potential use as a measure of service quality, with reference to operations at Edith Cowan University and the University of Western Australia.
Exon, F.C.A. & Williamson, V. 1996, Performance Indicators Database:
Selecting the Best Performance Indicators for Your Library—Operating Manual,Curtin University of Technology Library and Information Service, Perth, W.A.
This database provides an index to the performance indicators described in literature published up to the end of 1995. It includes indicators suitable for measurement of the performance of libraries and incorporates a
spreadsheet describing each indicator, a reference to the source(s) of the indicator, a statement of how it is calculated and an index of applications that it might be used for.
Hernon, P. & Calvert, P. J. 1996, ‘ Methods for measuring service quality in university libraries in New Zealand’, Journal of Academic Librarianship,vol.
22 , no. 5, pp. 387–391.
Best Practice Handbook for Australian University Libraries
Outlines the development and subsequent testing of a questionnaire (based on Hernon and Altman’s conceptual framework Service Quality in Academic Libraries) designed to measure service quality at seven academic libraries in New Zealand. Includes the survey instrument and the recommendation that the instrument should be tailored to fit specific library environments ñ ‘service quality is a local issue’.
Hoffman, H. 1998, ‘Performance indicators for technical services in academic libraries’, Australian Academic & Research Libraries,vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 177–189.
–1995, Key Performance Indicators: A Practical Guide for the Best Practice Development, Implementation and Use of KPIs,South Melbourne, Pitman
A step by step approach to identifying, developing and measuring key performance indicators. Covers general principles for the development and use of KPIs, a workbook and facilitator’s resource kit.
Wilson, A. & Trahn, I. 1999, ‘Best Practice in Australian University Libraries:
lessons from a national project’, Paper presented at 3rd Northumbria Inter- national Conference on Performance Measurement in Libraries & Information Services. 27–31 August 1999, Longhirst Management Training and Conference Centre, Longhirst Hall, Northumberland, England.
‘Best Practice for Australian University Libraries’ is a federally funded project which has investigated current ‘best practice’ activities within Australian academic libraries and made reference to relevant best practice activities at selected international sites. In this project, the term ‘best practice’ encompasses the extent of the implementation of quality frameworks and the use of benchmarking and performance measurement as tools for the continuous improvement of products, processes and services. Staff competencies and training required for the effective application of these frameworks and tools were also investigated.
Recommendations on the practical application of this knowledge in support of effective future best practice have been made. These recommendations include the conversion of information from the project into the basis for an ongoing source of reference for all university libraries.’