Library assessment is the practice of evaluating library services, resources, spaces, and other areas to determine:
- the impact of library services and resources on the university that it supports, and
- how to improve library performance and better align library services and resources to university needs.
Library assessment differs from academic assessment because library impact on student and faculty outcomes often can’t be measured directly. Thus, the Library Assessment unit collaborates with library faculty and staff to design and track meaningful measures of the Libraries' impact on UNLV students and faculty.
Continuous Improvement in the Libraries
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A Culture of Assessment
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Statistical Highlights & Major Reports
Visitors* |
Checkouts† |
Instruction‡ |
Collections** |
5,210,270 | 250,368 | 840 | 1,127,076 |
*Number of visitors entering Lied Library in FY16 (from ACRL Gate Counts).
†Circulation/use of books, equipment, and other physical items (from Millennium).
‡Number of instruction sessions on library research practices held in FY16 (from ACRL, # of presentations).
**Combined physical and digital collections (from ACRL, Total Physical Collections).
Surveys
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External Reports
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"The assessment librarian serves as a catalyst for change within the library by delivering evidence and analysis to fuel better decision making."
-- ACRL Standards for Proficiencies for Assessment Librarians & Coordinators, 2016
Libraries' Impact on Student Success
The Libraries measure impact on student success through a variety of methods described below. Our involvement in student success includes direct library instruction, but encompasses our work with other faculty on instructional design, as well as participation in campus-wide curricular development.
Faculty
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Students
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Curriculum
Library faculty have played an important role in the development and implementation of the UNLV General Education program. The general education curriculum articulates desired learning outcomes for students throughout their academic career at UNLV. The University Undergraduate Learning Outcomes, or UULOs, include information literacy-related objectives that are closely aligned with skills taught in library instruction sessions.
Contact
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Starr HoffmanDirector, Planning & Assessment |
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James ChengLibrary Data Analyst |