Library Assessment

Every year University Libraries is tasked with reporting quantitative and qualitative data that is captured in various databases through different software.  The daily, weekly, monthly, or annual data that is entered, is necessary for successfully fulfilling our reporting requirements, letting other campus entities know of our hard work, and demonstrating the value of UL. This page highlights our annual assessments and gives insight into what types of data are reported.

UL takes part in an annual academic yearly cycle of assessment reporting for the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE), that is evaluated using an established rubric.  The assessment cycle annual report highlights UL outcomes and measures that require data compilation and findings reporting.  Our annual report is then reviewed by OIE and scored using a rubric with the following scale:

1. Beginning     2. Developing     3. Mature     4. Exemplary

The highest possible score is a 4 on this scale.  This annual report is due in February.  Data and findings are reported in the Taskstream Accountability Management System.

Data for this report is compiled from the following locations:

Digital Measures

Google Analytics

Gorgas Library You Tube Channel

LibInsight

LibPAS

Voyager

UL puts together a yearly report delivered in January or February highlighting accomplishments from the previous year.  The assessment team is responsible for a portion of reporting including statistics about visitors, circulation, collections, collection use, instruction, archival processing, ILL borrowing and lending, as well as website use and hardware and software available.  Reporting of this information is expected in late October after the end of the fiscal year.  

Data for this report is compiled from the following locations:

Computer Availability Stats and Charts

Google Analytics

LibInsight

LibPAS

lib.ua.edu website

Special Collections

Traf-Sys People Counting Systems

The assessment team works closely with the Associate Dean for Research & User Services, the Head of GIS, the Coordinator of Library Instruction, and the Coordinator of Creative Media & Instruction Design Librarian. Instructional assessment involves assessing the pre/post research habits of students with a strong emphasis on information literacy student learning outcomes (SLOs).  A program on instructional assessment has been established in EN102 and is in development for the increasing reach of instructional assistance provided by liaisons across campus departments. 

Instructional assessment incorporates both qualitative and quantitative measurements. Reporting is ongoing, but larger summative reports occur at the end of academic semesters and are reviewed with all liaisons.

A pre/post test for EN102 has been administered for several years.  Dr. Kevin Walker and Sara Whitver authored an article in 2020 related to the assessment of information literacy. Please review the attachments below if you would like to read their article or view examples of the pre/post test assessments currently distributed to EN102 students.

The assessment team is working to develop a generic assessment tool for use in the assessment of information literacy across other areas of liaison instruction.  It is in the initial stages of distribution and development.  To view please see the draft below. 

The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (OIRA) creates an annual Factbook.  UL is required to report information about Titles and Volumes in the Library Collections every October.  To view a longitudinal snapshot of this information please visit the OIRA Factbook site regarding Other Academic Information. 

The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) conducts an annual Academic Library Trends and Statistics Survey. The voluntary survey is composed of three parts that include: questions from the IPEDS Academic Libraries Component, additional questions about academic libraries not found in IPEDS, and questions about library trends including DEI questions(added in 2020). 

ACRL has created a LibGuide that explains the survey in more detail and offers instructions and other general information.  More detailed access to information requires a username and password which is limited to the assessment librarian.  Generally survey submission is due in February.

If you are interested in viewing the Standards for Libraries in Higher Education you can view this webpage and Table of Contents.

The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) collects annual data through the ARL Statistics and Salary Surveys that asks questions about library collections, expenditures, staffing, and operational and service activities. Data collected is also used to create the ARL Investment Index.

ARL Statistics survey submissions are generally due annually in January.

If you wish to view emerging trends ARL provides data visualization and articles for this data.

ARL Statistics has a separate website that includes information about statistics collection and use. 

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) is used for reporting to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the annual report is mandatory for the Federal Government.

Academic Libraries are required to report a section of the larger required report that includes information about collections, staff, services, and physical facilities. Here is the IPEDS 2020-21 form which lists specific variables reported.

Academic Libraries have an annual spring requirement for inclusion of information for the IPEDS survey that is due in early April. One keyholder from the University Libraries is responsible for entering in the required reported data.   

The Peterson's annual data collection survey replaced the Peterson's and Wintergreen separate surveys in 2020 when Peterson's acquired Wintergreen Orchard House from Carnegie Dartlet. Peterson's is a private company that collects higher education data for businesses and institutions. 

Collected information related to University Libraries includes, Library Officer information, titles, and facilities numbers and usage hours. The annual survey for data collection occurs in February.