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Planning and Assessment

Sample Documents

Reference Desk Student Assistants training program.  Syllabus contains a link to an online guide where student workers in the program may find learning outcomes.  Online quizzes provide feedback to the student and to the training librarian and office manager for timely follow up and for future program planning.

 

Assessment Success Story: Electronic Front Desk Service Tools Help Inform Signage

Librarians and staff who work at the Research Help Desk have long collected tallies of patron questions.  Predicting that a revitalized Main Floor would bring more, and more diverse, research and information questions, they chose to invest in LibAnswers/LibAnalytics.

LibAnswers is an electronic service that would help manage not only how many questions were received at the Desk, but would capture types of questions, transaction times, how many referrals were made to other library services, and what tools and technologies were involved in meeting patron needs.

Reports generated from LibAnswers have resulted in a better understanding of the kinds of questions and transactions take place at the Desk.  For example, the library has used LibAnalytics data

  • to use question frequency reports to inform its plans for library signage, digital signage and patron wayfinding [data-driven planning]
  • to meet the library's institutional goal of more frequent referrals to other public service points and better leverage in-house expertise [data used to improve internal processes and meet annual and long-term goals]
  • Pilot new staffing models and cross-training initiatives [data used to inform staffing]