This framework outlines and tracks the assessment activities of the Thompson Rivers University (TRU) Library. It is intended to be flexible and adaptable, in order to accommodate changing strategic priorities of our institution and our library. In order to remain accountable; collections, services, and spaces are periodically assessed both for their relevance to our users, and their alignment to our strategic priority and stated values.
Questions about any information contained here may be directed to Amy McLay Paterson, TRU Assessment Librarian.
Goals of Assessment Planning
Assessment projects may be planned in alignment with TRU Library Strategic Priorities, but they may also be done periodically within library functional areas. Here are some questions to consider and steps you can take before getting your project started.
Questions to Consider:
Are you wanting to assess within your own functional area of the library, or would this assessment cover multiple areas?
What commitment level or buy-in will you need from library staff? How will this affect processes and/or workloads?
What kind of timeline does this project need?
Will you be involving students or other library users?
What are your objectives? And how do you expect this assessment to impact the library as a whole?
What kind of data will you be collecting?
What tools will you be using?
How will you be communicating your findings?
Once you have conceptualized your assessment project, fill in a copy of the Assessment Project Template box below and post it in the Future Assessment Projects section. You may find that information is sparse in the beginning, but you will fill in more information as you go along.
To add an Assessment Project to this framework, make a copy of this template box and fill in the information specific to your project. You may not have all information at the outset, but you can and should update the project as time goes on.
Status: Is this project current, future, or ongoing?
Background: Write a short paragraph giving background information and context for what you are doing
Responsibility: Who is the project lead?
Assessment Objectives:
Assessment Tools:
Outcomes:
Available Reports: Here you can attach any relevant reports from your assessment. LibGuides includes a mechanism for password protection, should you wish to make a document private but the rest of your project public
The TRU Library regularly collects aggregate data pertaining to usage of its collection, spaces, and services. These numbers are reported to internal and external bodies for posterity, benchmarking, and to make evidence-based decisions concerning library resources. Personal information is not used for assessment purposes. Any collection of personal information by the TRU library is used for the management of library services and is not shared with external bodies. Circulation records for individual users are not retained after an item is returned. The TRU library complies with the University Policy on Protection of Personal Information.
The following are types of data regularly collected and periodically used for assessment by the TRU Library:
You may view yearly data in aggregate at the CPSLD website. All data listed here is stored on an off-site, Canadian server, compliant with all BC Privacy Legislation.
Gate Counts
Collection: Gate counter automatically records when a library user enters/leaves a Kamloops campus library. Numbers are recorded monthly.
Use: Reporting to external bodies; track usage patterns
Head Counts
Collection: Counts are taken 3-4 times daily by library staff manually counting numbers of people occupying various library spaces. Head counts are taken in the House of Learning Library and the Williams Lake Library only.
Use: Identify in-demand and under-used spaces; identify busy times of day; provide snapshots of library usage at different moments in time
Reference and Information Services Questions
Collection: Library staff records basic details (location, question type) of questions asked at our information desks or emailed to library@tru.ca Periodically, question details may be retained or recorded for the purposes of staff training or gathering additional input. No personal or identifying information is retained after the question has been answered.
Use: Reporting to external bodies, identify staffing and training needs
Research Consultations
Collection: Subject Librarians record details of in-depth research consultations. Details do not include personal information but generally include user type (student, faculty, community, etc.), academic department, referral method, and amount of time spent.
Use: Subject Librarians can self-evaluate outreach to liaison areas and report time investment in APARs and tenure/promotion documents; data may be reported to external bodies in aggregate
Library Instruction Classes
Collection: Subject Librarians record details of instruction sessions taught, including the names of the requesting faculty member, the length of the session, number of students attending, location of the session and the amount of time spent preparing.
Use: Numbers of sessions and numbers of attendees are reported externally in aggregate. Subject librarians may use data on their own sessions to self-evaluate and improve liaison outreach efforts and to report in APARs and tenure/promotion documentation.
Workshop Attendance
Collection: Attendance numbers at library-created and sponsored workshops is recorded. When names and email addresses are submitted as part of event registration, this information will be used only to communicate with registrants about the event signed up for and will not be released to any other party or used for any other purpose.
Use: Workshop numbers are reported externally in aggregate. Attendance is also used internally by librarians to assess future workshops and may be self-reported in APARs and/or tenure and promotion documents.
Circulation statistics
Collection: Monthly circulation numbers are captured by library, item type, and call number range. Circulation includes all loans and renewals but does not currently account for in-house item use.
Use: Reporting to external consortia and evaluation of collections for the purposes of further acquisitions and retention
Inter-Library Loan usage
Collection: Borrowing and lending numbers are tracked by month. Titles requested from other libraries are retained apart from any personal information about the requester.
Use: Numbers of items borrowed and lent are externally reported, as well as used by the Open Education Librarian to evaluate future services. Requested titles are kept for purchase consideration by Subject Librarians and the Collection Services Librarian.
Services to DROL users
Collection: Physical items sent to Open Learning students and faculty are recorded, as well as ILL items sent directly to DROL members. Reference and consultation services provided to DROL members are also recorded in addition to the method by which the question or consultation was received (ex. phone, email).
Use: The Open Education Librarian reports DROL service usage to TRU Open Learning. She also evaluates and plans future services.
Website / Research Guides Views
Collection: Website visits and views are tracked using Google Analytics. Storage, access, and retention of this data is controlled by TRU Marketing and Communications in accordance with B.C. legislation and university policy. Research guide visits and views are tracked internally by the library. This information is stored on a secure, Canadian server; referring URLs are collected, but no personal or identifying information is collected or retained.
Use: Website and Research Guide Analytic information is used by the Electronic Resources Librarian to optimize future web services. Research Guide statistics are additionally used by all librarians for assessment of their functional and subject areas.
Electronic Resource Usage
Collection: E-Resource usage is provided by library vendors and/or occasionally consortia. Availability and access to usage statistics is normally one consideration before licensing an electronic resource. Where possible, COUNTER reports are harvested via SUSHI protocol and stored on a secure, Canadian server.
Use: E-resource usage statistics are used by the Collection Services Librarian, the Electronic Resources Librarian, and other Subject Area Librarians to evaluate the value of our electronic resources for collection and retention purposes. Usage statistics are one of many considerations when deciding to add a new resource or retain an existing one.
Status: Ongoing, twice yearly during and after LNAP events
Background: Long Night against Procrastination (LNAP) usually occurs twice a year in November and March as an all-night study event for students. The library partners with the TRU Writing Centre as well as other campus groups to host and staff the event. For more information, see https://libguides.tru.ca/lnap
Responsibility: User Engagement and Student Success Librarian/ Assessment and User Experience Librarian
Assessment Objectives:
Assessment Tools:
Outcomes:
Nov. 2017: Students were asked in Entrance Survey how they heard about LNAP, with Posters being the overwhelming response. LNAP Marketing team chose to continue to focus on print posters for future LNAP events, rather than brainstorm new and emerging social media campaigns.
March 2018: The team were curious about whether students who lived on campus were more or less likely to stay until the Survivor's breakfast, with results indicating that very few LNAP "survivors" live on campus. Students were also asked in the Entrance survey about how they arrived at campus, with the survey being used as one tool to discover whether transportation is an ongoing issue for LNAP participants.
Nov. 2018: LNAP organizers were curious about student perceptions and attitudes toward the "all-night" aspect of the event. The entrance survey asked students how long they planned to stay, with the majority responding "all night" and whether students would attend the event if it ended at 1am, with the majority answer being "no."
Available Reports:
Status: Current
Background: In partnership with other COPPUL libraries, the TRU Library is reviewing its monograph collection to retain unique monograph resources and weed unused monographs owned by other nearby COPPUL libraries.
Responsibility: Collection Services Librarian
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Assessment Tools:
Available Reports:
Status: Current, possibly ongoing at the end of Fall and Winter semesters
Background: Faculty who booked a Library Instruction session in the previous semester were sent a short survey asking about their opinions and their perception of the session's impact
Responsibility: Assessment and User Experience Librarian/ Research and Instruction Librarian
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Status: Slated for 2018-19
Background: The TRU Library Website transitioned to new templates developed by TRU Marketing and Communications in December 2016, which required many changes to the look and feel. Additionally, Research Guides have gradually taken a more prominent role in the Library Web Presence. There has not yet been a comprehensive user study to discover how users are interacting with the TRU library web content and to make evidence-based decisions about our web presence going forward.
Responsibility: E-Resources and Assessment Librarian
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Available Reports:
Status: Completed April 2017
Background: Before consolidating the Reference and Circulation desks, in-depth information about every Public Service interaction at TRU's Main Library was recorded over a sample period of 4 weeks, 2 of which were identified as typically busy weeks, and 2 were identified as lighter.
Responsibility: E-Resources and Assessment Librarian
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Status: Completed
Background: In 2017, the TRU Library transitioned its Service Model to a Single Service desk, providing both Circulation and Information Services. Additionally, roles for LCSAs and Librarians in providing Information Services were updated.
Responsibility: Access and User Services Librarian
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Status: Current
Background: TRU Library maintains citation guides in 6 different formats: APA, MLA, Chicago, CSE, ASA and ACS. However, many of the guides have not been updated because of demands on librarian workload, in addition to easy availability of external resources. The working group was formed to investigate and recommend a sustainable path to updating citation guides that accounts for both student need and staff workload demands.
Responsibility: E-Resources and Assessment Librarian
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Status: Completed Fall 2018
Background: When on-duty staff are required to leave the Main Library Service Desk, they use the Service Desk pager to notify the on-call LCSA to support the desk. Sample weeks have been identified in October and November 2018 to take an in-depth look at Pager Use on the Service Desk
Responsibility: E-Resources and Assessment Librarian
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