Assessment and Evaluation Flashcards

Comparing your library's per-capita circulation with peer libraries of similar size is called what?

Answer: Benchmarking

Benchmarking compares performance against peers or standards to identify strengths and gaps.

A survey question asks patrons to rate service from 'strongly disagree' to 'strongly agree.' What is this response format?

Answer: Likert scale

A Likert scale measures the degree of agreement along an ordered set of responses.

Which survey instrument, developed with ARL, measures academic library users' minimum, desired, and perceived service levels?

Answer: LibQUAL+

LibQUAL+ uses a gap analysis between minimum, desired, and perceived service quality.

A strategic planning exercise lists the library's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. What is this called?

Answer: SWOT analysis

A SWOT analysis examines internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats.

Which type of evaluation is conducted during a program to make improvements while it is still running?

Answer: Formative evaluation

Formative evaluation gathers feedback during implementation to refine the program.

Why should a survey avoid a question like 'Don't you agree our friendly staff are helpful?'

Answer: It is a leading question that biases responses

Leading questions push respondents toward a particular answer and distort results.

Which free toolkit from the Public Library Association helps libraries measure patron outcomes with standardized surveys?

Answer: Project Outcome

PLA's Project Outcome provides standardized surveys measuring knowledge, confidence, behavior change, and awareness.