The Mansfield Library strives to integrate evaluation and assessment initiatives into all aspects of library operations. These efforts provide insight into the perceptions and needs of library users and reveal trends in service delivery, collections, instruction and work efficiency.

The Library's assessment efforts take many forms, including formal surveys like LibQUAL+, library faculty research, instruction feedback and trend analyses coordinated by the Assessment Services Group. Through these initiatives, the library seeks to predict the needs of library users and inform decision-making in all areas of operations: access and collections, bibliographic management, and information and research services.

The changes below were made based on formal assessments (e.g., LibQUAL), collected evidence (e.g., encounters with users at the Information Center and Archives Desk), and best practices at other academic libraries in response to users' changing research behaviors.

Select Additions and Modifications to Library Services Based on Assessment Efforts

Information and Research Services:

• Added:

1. Bench seating for the lobby to encourage cell phone courtesy. 
2. Comfortable furniture for Mansfield Library and for ML at COT.
3. Federated searching to our suite of databases, followed by a web-scale discovery service.
4. Instant messaging and text reference services.
5. Library Blog
6. Math placement software to facilitate new student orientation.
7. New Book and News Reading Area (level 3).
8. Presentation technology to two group study rooms.
9. Software to the public computers, including MS Publisher and SPSS.
10. Two group study rooms that include new viewing equipment at ML at COT.

• Created a reservation system for group study rooms.
• Designed workshops for specific user groups.
• Facilitated the inclusion of the Writing Center and Math Tutors into the Mansfield Library.
• Increased the number of circulating laptops for in-library use.
• Redesigned spaces throughout the building for individual and group work.

Access and Collections:

• Created a template for reviewing collections in response to new program proposals and department accreditation reviews.
• Increased the hours the library is open from 98 in 2004 to 111 in 2006.
• Purchased new databases and eJournal packages to extend our research collections.
• Digitized archival and special collections materials.
• Reorganized the historical and Montana map collection to provide user access as part of the Archives and Special Collections remodel.

Bibliographic Management:

• Added "New Materials" and "Movies & More" tabs to our online catalog.
• Provided RSS feeds for new materials.

Systems:

• Completed a web page redesign followed by modifications.
• Redesigned the online catalog.

LibQUAL+

Thank you to all who participated in our LibQUAL+ surveys in 2003 and in 2006. The library is running the survey again Spring 2010 and looks forward to your feedback. The LibQUAL+ survey is sponsored by the Association of Research Libraries and provides a proven and reliable instrument for academic libraries to use in assessing services and resources.

The results from this survey, together with other data regularly collected by the Library, affirm that the Mansfield Library continues to be valued and relied upon by the campus community. While library use continues to grow, the library is being used differently and in ways that reflect trends in academic libraries across the country.

An analysis of the data provided from these surveys indicates that services and collections at the Mansfield Library have shown improvement both in general satisfaction indicators and in information literacy outcomes.

Highlights from the 2006 survey indicate that the Mansfield Library most closely met desired service levels of the campus community in the following categories:

• Convenient service hours.
• Community space for group learning and study.
• Employees who deal with users in a caring fashion.

Survey respondents identified the following categories as areas of most importance:

• Print and/or electronic journal collections I require for my work.
• A library web site enabling me to locate information on my own.
• Making electronic resources accessible from my home or office.

A detailed narrative analysis and accompanying tables are available as are the full reports for 2003 and 2006 surveys provided by the Association of Research Libraries.

The Mansfield Library continues to incorporate these analyses along with other assessment data as it plans for the future.

Select Faculty Research

Brown, B. (2010). Access services management measures revisited: From triage to marketing to disarticulation. Journal of Access Services, 7, 84-96.

Brown, B., Major, C., & Derry, S. (2007). Promoting diversity-related media in an academic library collection. College & University Media Review, 13, 57-75.

Brown, B., & Zoellner, K. (2007, June). Curricular program proposals: Interactive tools enable a new strategy for formulating library responses. Poster presented at the national conference of the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services, Washington, DC.

Burroughs, J. (2009). What users want: Assessing government information preferences to drive information services. Government Information Quarterly, 26(1), 203-218.

Granath, K., & Samson, S. (2004, June). Assessment as a tool to instruction program and development. Paper presented at the LOEX of the West conference, Boise, ID.

Hines, S. S. (2008). How it's done: Examining distance education library instruction and assessment. Journal of Library Administration, 48(3/4), 467-478.

Hines, S. S. (2006, April). What do distance education faculty want from the library?  Paper presented at The Twelfth Off-Campus Library Services Conference, Savannah, GA.

McCann, S. (2006, October). Library redesign: Making the data work harder. Analysis of United States college and university libraries. Poster session presented at the 10th annual Internet Librarian conference, Monterey, CA.

McCann, S., & Ravas, T. (2010). Impact of image quality in online art history journals: A user study. Art Documentation, 29(1), 41-48.

Samson, S. (2010). Information literacy learning outcomes and student success. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 36(3), 202-210.

Samson, S., Derry, S., & Eggleston, H. (2004). Networked resources, assessment and collection development. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 30, 476-481.

Samson, S., & McCrea, D. (2008). Using peer review to foster good teaching. Reference Services Review, 36(1), 61-70.

Samson, S., & McLure, M. (2007). Library instruction assessment through 360 [Special issue]. Public Services Quarterly, 3(1/2), 9-28.

Zoellner, K. (2008, August). Communicating assessment: What academic library web sites tell us. Poster session presented at the Library Assessment Conference, Seattle, WA.

Zoellner, K., Samson, S., & Hines, S. (2008). Continuing assessment of library instruction to undergraduates: A general education course survey research project. College & Research Libraries, 69, 370-383.

Zoellner, K., & Potter, C. (2008, June). Library instruction and resources across the education continuum: Assessing the relationship between western Montana high schools and the University of Montana. Poster session presented at the annual conference of the American Library Association, Anaheim, CA.