ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries C&RL News ■ March 2000 / 175 ACRL STANDARDS S t a n d a r d s f o r c o l l e g e l i b r a r i e s T h e f i n a l v e r s io n , a p p r o v e d J a n u a r y 2 0 0 0 Prepared by the ACRL College Libraries Section Standards Committee Foreword These standards are intended to apply to li braries supporting academic programs at the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels. Earlier standards for college libraries relied heavily upon resource and program “inputs" such as financial support, space, materials, and staff activities.1 These new standards continue to consider “inputs,” but they also take into con sideration “outputs” and “outcomes.” In or der to create uniformity, the definitions as described in the ACRL “Task Force on Aca demic Library Outcomes Assessment Report” will be used in these standards. Inputs are generally regarded as the raw materials of a library program—the money, space, collection, equipment, and staff out of which a program can arise. Outputs serve to quantify the work done, i.e., number of books circulated, number of reference questions answered. Outcomes are the ways in which library users are changed as a result of their contact with the library’s resources and programs.2 These standards provide both a quantita tive and a qualitative approach to assessing the effectiveness of a library and its librar ians. They advocate the use of input, output, and outcome measures in the context of the institution’s mission statement. They encour age comparison of these measures with those of peer institutions; they provide statements of good library practice, and they suggest ways to assess that practice in the context of the institution’s priorities. They address librar ies only, not other components of a larger organization (e.g., computing). In considering the application of these standards, those who make use of them should keep in mind the rapid changes in scholarly communications that have taken place in recent years. While electronic publi cations have increased in number, publica tions on paper and microtext have contin ued, making it necessary for librarians to store, provide, and interpret information in mul tiple formats. With the increase in the avail ability of information, user expectations have risen substantially. Librarians are increasingly expected to assist users in evaluating the in formation they receive. These changes evince an evolving role for college librarians, one that suggests a closer partnership with users and a greater responsibility for the educa tional process. D evelopm ent and approval o f the standards The first edition of the “Standards for College Libraries” was published in 1959- Subsequent editions were published in 1975, 1986, and 1995. The standards are the responsibility of the College Libraries Section (CLS) Standards Committee, a standing committee of the Col lege Libraries Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) which is a division of the American Library Associa tion (ALA). About the authors Members of the ACRUCLS Standards Committee who were responsible for the preparation of these standards were Chair Willis E. Bridegam, Amherst College, e-mail: webridegam@amherstedu; Rebecca R. Bostian, Governors State University; Robert W. Fernekes, University of South Carolina-Aiken; Richard L. Hart, Pennsylvania State University; Myrna Joy McCallister, University of Baltimore; Sharon McCaslin, Peru State College; James L Mullins, Villanova University; and David M. Pilachowski, Williams College 176 /C&RL N ews ■ M arch 2000 T h e C L S S t a n d a r d s C o m m i t t e e h a s e n c o u r a g e d r e v i e w o f t h e n e w d r a f t s t a n d a r d s b y a s m a n y p e o p l e a s p o s s i b l e . T h e c o m m i t t e e p u b l is h e d t h e d r a f t s t a n d a r d s i n t h e M a y 1 9 9 9 i s s u e o f C & R L N e w s ; h e l d a p u b l i c h e a r i n g a t t h e N e w O r l e a n s A n n u a l M e e t i n g o f A L A i n J u l y 1 9 9 9 ; p o s t e d t h e d r a f t s t a n d a r d s o n t h e A C R L W e b s i t e ; r e p o r t e d t h e U R L f o r t h e s t a n d a r d s o n t h e O b e r l i n G r o u p L i s t s e r v a n d C O L L I B - L ; a n d p u b l i s h e d a n a r t i c l e o n t h e d r a ft s t a n d a r d s i n t h e C L S N e w s l e t t e r . T h e s e s t a n d a r d s w e r e r e v i e w e d b y t h e C L S E x e c u t iv e C o m m i t t e e a n d t h e A C R L S t a n d a r d s a n d A c c r e d i t a t i o n C o m m i t t e e , a n d a p p r o v e d b y t h e A C R L B o a r d o f D i r e c t o r s a t t h e A L A 2 0 0 0 M i d w i n t e r M e e t i n g . A d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t A C R L ’s s t a n d a r d s a n d g u i d e l i n e s m a y b e f o u n d a t: h t t p :/ / w w w .a l a .o r g / a c r l/ g u i d e s / i n d e x .h t m l . P o in ts o f c o m p a r is o n E a c h c o l l e g e l i b r a r y i s e n c o u r a g e d t o c h o o s e its o w n p e e r g r o u p f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f c o m p a r i s o n s . P e e r c o l l e g e s m a y a l r e a d y b e i d e n t i f i e d f o r b e n c h m a r k i n g p u r p o s e s b y t h e c o l l e g e . I f n o t , a p e e r g r o u p c o u l d b e i d e n t i f i e d u s i n g c r i t e r i a s u c h a s c o l l e g e m i s s i o n , r e p u t a t i o n , s e l e c t i v i t y f o r a d m i s s i o n , s i z e o f b u d g e t , s i z e o f e n d o w m e n t , e x p e n d i t u r e f o r li b r a r y s u p p o r t , a n d / o r s i z e o f c o l l e c t i o n . O n c e a p e e r g r o u p h a s b e e n d e t e r m i n e d , “p o i n t s o f c o m p a r i s o n ” c a n b e m a d e t o c o m p a r e t h e s t r e n g t h o f t h e l i b r a r y w i t h i ts p e e r s . S u g g e s t e d p o i n t s o f c o m p a r i s o n f o r i n p u t a n d o u t p u t m e a s u r e s a r e p r o v i d e d . T h i s l is t i s n o t t o b e c o n s i d e r e d e x h a u s t i v e — o t h e r p o i n t s o f c o m p a r i s o n c a n b e d e t e r m i n e d b y t h e c o l l e g e . S u g g e s t e d p o i n t s o f c o m p a r i s o n : I n p u t m e a s u r e s • R a t i o o f v o l u m e s t o c o m b i n e d t o t a l s t u d e n t ( u n d e r g r a d u a t e a n d g r a d u a t e ) a n d f a c u l t y F T E . • R a t i o o f v o l u m e s a d d e d p e r y e a r t o c o m b i n e d t o t a l s t u d e n t a n d f a c u l t y F T E . • R a t i o o f m a t e r i a l / i n f o r m a t i o n r e s o u r c e e x p e n d i t u r e s t o c o m b i n e d t o t a l s t u d e n t a n d f a c u l t y F T E . • P e r c e n t o f t o t a l l i b r a r y b u d g e t e x p e n d e d i n t h e f o l l o w i n g t h r e e c a t e g o r i e s : 1 . m a t e r i a l s / i n f o r m a t i o n r e s o u r c e s , s u b d i v i d e d b y p r i n t , m i c r o f o r m , a n d e l e c t r o n i c ; 2 . s t a f f ( i n c l u d i n g t h e h e a d l i b r a r i a n , f u l l - a n d p a r t - t i m e s t a f f , a n d s t u d e n t a s s i s t a n t e x penditures, i n c l u d i n g f e d e r a l c o n t r i b u t i o n s , i f a n y , a n d o u t s o u r c i n g c o s t s ) . W h e n d e t e r m i n i n g s t a f f e x p e n d i t u r e s , c a r e s h o u l d b e t a k e n t o c o n s i d e r c o m p a r a b l e s t a f f ( i . e . , i n c l u d i n g o r e x c l u d i n g m e d i a , s y s t e m s o r d e v e l o p m e n t s t a f f ) a n d f r i n g e b e n e f i t s ( w i t h i n o r o u t s i d e t h e l i b r a r y b u d g e t ) ; a n d 3 . a l l o t h e r o p e r a t i n g e x p e n s e s ( c a r e s h o u l d b e t a k e n t o i n c l u d e t h e s a m e c a t e g o r i e s , e . g . , n e t w o r k i n f r a s t r u c t u r e , e q u i p m e n t ) . • R a t i o o f F T E l i b r a r y s t a f f t o c o m b i n e d s t u d e n t a n d f a c u l t y F T E . • R a t i o o f l i b r a r y s p a c e ( i n s q u a r e f e e t ) t o c o m b i n e d s t u d e n t a n d f a c u l t y F T E . • R a t i o o f n u m b e r o f s t u d e n t s a t t e n d i n g l i b r a r y i n s t r u c t i o n a l s e s s i o n s t o t o t a l n u m b e r o f s t u d e n t s i n t a r g e t g r o u p . 3 • R a t i o o f l i b r a r y s e a t i n g t o c o m b i n e d s t u d e n t a n d f a c u l t y F T E . 4 • R a t i o o f c o m p u t e r w o r k s t a t i o n s t o c o m b i n e d s t u d e n t a n d f a c u l t y F T E ( c o n s i d e r t h a t c o l l e g e r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r s t u d e n t o w n e r s h i p o f d e s k t o p o r l a p t o p c o m p u t e r s c o u l d a f f e c t t h e n e e d f o r w o r k s t a t i o n s w i t h i n t h e l i b r a r y ) . S u g g e s t e d p o i n t s o f c o m p a r i s o n : O u t p u t m e a s u r e s • R a t i o o f c i r c u l a t i o n ( e x c l u d i n g r e s e r v e ) t o c o m b i n e d s t u d e n t a n d f a c u l t y F T E . • R a t i o o f i n t e r l i b r a r y l o a n r e q u e s t s t o c o m b i n e d s t u d e n t a n d f a c u l t y F T E ( c o u l d b e d i v i d e d b e t w e e n p h o t o c o p i e s a n d b o o k s ) . • R a t i o o f i n t e r l i b r a r y l o a n l e n d i n g t o b o r r o w i n g . • I n t e r l i b r a r y l o a n / d o c u m e n t d e l i v e r y b o r r o w i n g t u r n a r o u n d t i m e , f ill r a t e , a n d u n i t c o s t . • I n t e r l i b r a r y l o a n / d o c u m e n t d e l i v e r y l e n d i n g t u r n a r o u n d t i m e , f ill r a t e , a n d u n i t c o s t . • R a t i o o f r e f e r e n c e q u e s t i o n s ( s a m p l e w e e k ) t o c o m b i n e d s t u d e n t a n d f a c u l t y F T E . P la n n in g , a s s e s s m e n t , a n d o u t c o m e s a s s e s s m e n t P l a n n i n g T h e l i b r a r y s h o u l d h a v e a m i s s i o n s t a t e m e n t a n d g o a l s t o s e r v e a s a f r a m e w o r k f o r i t s a c t iv i t i e s . T h e m i s s i o n a n d g o a l s s h o u l d b e c o m p a t i b l e a n d c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h o s e d e v e l o p e d b y t h e c o l l e g e . A s s e s s m e n t o f t h e q u a l i t y a n d e f f e c t i v e n e s s o f t h e l i b r a r y s h o u l d b e l i n k e d c l o s e l y w i t h t h e s p e c i f i c m i s s i o n a n d g o a l s o f t h e c o l l e g e . I n o r d e r t o b u i l d i ts p r o g r a m s http://www.ala.org/acrl/guides/ C&RL N e w s ■ M a rch 2 0 00 / 17 7 a n d s e r v i c e s i n t h e c o n t e x t o f t h e c o l l e g e , t h e l i b r a r y s h o u l d b e i n v o l v e d i n t h e o v e r a l l p l a n n i n g p r o c e s s . F o r m a l p l a n n i n g p r o c e d u r e s a n d m e t h o d s , s u c h a s s t r a t e g i c p l a n n i n g , a r e u s e d f r e q u e n t l y . T h e s e p l a n n i n g m e t h o d s r e q u i r e i n p u t f r o m a b r o a d s p e c t r u m o f t h e c o l l e g e c o m m u n i t y . T h e y h e l p t h e c o l l e g e p r e p a r e f o r t h e f u t u r e b y c l e a r l y d e f i n i n g a v i s i o n a n d m i s s i o n , b y s e t t i n g g o a l s a n d o b j e c t i v e s , a n d b y i m p l e m e n t i n g s p e c i f i c s t r a t e g i e s o r c o u r s e s o f a c t i o n d e s i g n e d t o h e l p m e e t t h o s e e n d s . S t r a t e g i c p l a n n i n g is a n i t e r a t i v e p r o c e s s t h a t i n c l u d e s e v a l u a t i o n , u p d a t i n g , a n d r e f i n e m e n t . T h i s p r o c e s s h e l p s t h e c o l l e g e c o m m u n i t y f o c u s o n its e s s e n t i a l v a l u e s a n d p r o v i d e s a n o v e r a l l d i r e c t i o n t h a t h e l p s t o g u i d e d a y - t o - d a y a c t i v i t i e s a n d d e c i s i o n s . A s s e s s m e n t C o m p r e h e n s i v e a s s e s s m e n t r e q u i r e s t h e i n v o l v e m e n t o f a l l c a t e g o r i e s o f l i b r a r y u s e r s . T h e c h o i c e o f c l i e n t e l e t o b e s u r v e y e d a n d q u e s t i o n s t o b e a s k e d s h o u l d b e m a d e b y t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n a n d t h e s t a f f o f t h e l i b r a r y w i t h t h e a s s i s t a n c e o f a n a p p r o p r i a t e a d v i s o r y c o m m i t t e e . Q u e s t i o n s s h o u l d r e l a t e t o h o w w e l l t h e l i b r a r y s u p p o r t s its m i s s i o n a n d h o w w e l l it a c h i e v e s i t s g o a l s a n d o b j e c t i v e s . L i b r a r y u s e r s s h o u l d b e e n c o u r a g e d t o o f f e r s i g n e d o r a n o n y m o u s c o m m e n t s a n d s u g g e s t i o n s . O p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r m a k i n g s u g g e s t i o n s s h o u l d b e a v a i l a b l e b o t h i n t h e l i b r a r y a n d t h r o u g h r e m o t e e l e c t r o n i c a c c e s s . A l l c a t e g o r i e s o f u s e r s s h o u l d b e g i v e n a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e e v a l u a t i o n . T h e w e i g h t g i v e n t o r e s p o n s e s s h o u l d b e c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h e f o c u s a n d m i s s i o n o f t h e l ib r a r y . A p r o g r a m o f a s s e s s m e n t a n d e v a l u a t i o n s h o u l d t a k e i n t o c o n s i d e r a t i o n t h e c h a n g i n g r h y t h m o f t h e a c a d e m i c y e a r . E v a l u a t i o n , w h e t h e r it i n v o l v e s s o m e o r a l l o f t h e t e c h n i q u e s l i s t e d b e l o w , s h o u l d b e a n o n g o i n g p r o c e s s . F o r m a l e v a l u a t i o n t o o l s m a y i n c l u d e t h e f o l l o w i n g : • G e n e r a l l i b r a r y k n o w l e d g e s u r v e y s ( o r “p r e - t e s t s ”) o f f e r e d t o i n c o m i n g f i r s t - y e a r s t u d e n t s , r e - o f f e r e d a t a m i d p o i n t i n t h e s t u d e n t s ’ c a r e e r s a n d a g a i n n e a r g r a d u a t i o n , t o a s s e s s w h e t h e r t h e l i b r a r y ’s p r o g r a m o f c u r r i c u l a r i n s t r u c t i o n is p r o d u c i n g m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n - l i t e r a t e s t u d e n t s . • E v a l u a t i o n c h e c k l i s t s f o r l i b r a r i a n a n d tu t o r i a l i n s t r u c t i o n t o g a t h e r f e e d b a c k f r o m s t u d e n t s , o t h e r l i b r a r i a n s , a n d t e a c h i n g f a c u l t y . • S t u d e n t j o u r n a l e n t r i e s , o r i n f o r m a t i o n l i t e r a c y d i a r i e s , u s e d t o t r a c k t h e i r l i b r a r y u s e . • F o c u s g r o u p s o f s t u d e n t s , f a c u l t y , s t a f f , a n d a l u m n i w h o a r e a s k e d t o c o m m e n t o n t h e i r e x p e r i e n c e s u s i n g i n f o r m a t i o n r e s o u r c e s o v e r a p e r i o d o f t i m e . • A s s e s s m e n t a n d e v a l u a t i o n b y l i b r a r i a n s f r o m o t h e r c o l l e g e s a n d / o r o t h e r a p p r o p r i a t e c o n s u l t a n t s . • R e v i e w s o f s p e c i f i c l i b r a r y a n d i n f o r m a t i o n s e r v i c e a r e a s a n d / o r o p e r a t i o n s . O u t c o m e s a s s e s s m e n t O u t c o m e s a s s e s s m e n t w i l l i n c r e a s i n g l y m e a s u r e a n d a f f e c t h o w l i b r a r y g o a l s a n d o b j e c t i v e s a r e a c h i e v e d . I t w i l l a d d r e s s t h e a c c o u n t a b i l i t y o f i n s t i t u t i o n s o f h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n f o r s t u d e n t a c h i e v e m e n t a n d c o s t e f f e c t i v e n e s s . I t s h o u l d t a k e i n t o c o n s i d e r a t i o n l i b r a r i e s ’ g r e a t e r d e p e n d e n c e o n t e c h n o l o g y , t h e i r i n c r e a s i n g u s e o f o n l i n e s e r v i c e s , t h e i r g r o w i n g r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o p r o v i d e i n f o r m a t i o n l i t e r a c y s k i l l s , t h e i r i n c r e a s i n g r e l i a n c e o n c o n s o r t i a l s e r v i c e s , t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f d w i n d l i n g f i n a n c i a l r e s o u r c e s f o r c o l l e c t i o n d e v e l o p m e n t , a n d n e w d e v e l o p m e n t s i n t h e w a y s i n w h i c h s c h o l a r l y i n f o r m a t i o n is p u b l i s h e d a n d d i s t r i b u t e d . O u t c o m e s a s s e s s m e n t c a n b e a n a c t i v e m e c h a n i s m f o r i m p r o v i n g c u r r e n t l i b r a r y p r a c t i c e s . I t f o c u s e s o n t h e a c h i e v e m e n t o f o u t c o m e s t h a t h a v e b e e n i d e n t i f i e d a s d e s i r a b l e i n t h e l i b r a r y ’s g o a l s a n d o b j e c t i v e s . I t i d e n t i f i e s p e r f o r m a n c e m e a s u r e s , s u c h a s p r o f i c i e n c i e s , t h a t i n d i c a t e h o w w e l l t h e li b r a r y i s d o i n g w h a t it h a s s t a t e d it w i s h e s t o d o . A s s e s s m e n t i n s t r u m e n t s m a y i n c l u d e s u r v e y s , t e s t s , i n t e r v i e w s , a n d o t h e r v a l i d m e a s u r i n g d e v i c e s . T h e s e i n s t r u m e n t s m a y b e s p e c i a l l y d e s i g n e d f o r t h e f u n c t i o n b e i n g m e a s u r e d o r p r e v i o u s l y d e v e l o p e d i n s t r u m e n t s m a y b e u s e d . I t i s c r i t i c a l , h o w e v e r , t o c h o o s e t h e i n s t r u m e n t , t h e s i z e o f t h e s a m p l e , a n d t h e m e t h o d u s e d f o r s a m p l i n g c a r e f u l l y . T h e i n s t r u m e n t s h o u l d b e v a l i d , a n d t h e w a y it is u s e d s h o u l d b e a p p r o p r i a t e f o r t h e t a s k . C o l l e a g u e s a t p e e r i n s t i t u t i o n s m a y r e n d e r i n v a l u a b l e a s s i s t a n c e b y s u g g e s t i n g a s s e s s m e n t q u e s t i o n s a n d s a m p l e s i z e s , b y s h a r i n g l e s s o n s l e a r n e d , a n d b y s u g g e s t i n g a l t e r n a t i v e m e t h o d s f o r m e a s u r i n g o u t c o m e s . Q u e s t i o n s 1 . I s t h e l i b r a r y ’s m i s s i o n s t a t e m e n t c l e a r l y 178 / C&RL News • March 2000 understood by the library staff and the col lege administration? Is it reviewed periodi cally? 2. How does the library incorporate the college’s mission into its goals and objectives? 3. How does the library maintain a sys tematic and continuous program for evaluat ing its performance, for informing the col lege community of its accomplishments, and for identifying and implementing needed improvements? 4. Is the library’s assessment plan an inte gral component of the institution’s assessment and accreditation strategies? For example, does the library revise and update its assess ment procedures in conjunction with cam pus-wide planning and the actions of aca demic departments? 5. How does the library assess itself? (e.g., What quantitative and qualitative data does the library collect about its performance? How does it take into account special needs, such as those of physically challenged users?) 6. What outcomes does the library mea sure and how does it measure these out comes? 7. How does the library compare itself with its peers? A p p ly in g t h e n e w s ta n d a r d s f o r c o lle g e lib r a r ie s The ACRL/CLS Standards and Continuing Education Committees will present a pro gram cosponsored by the ACRL Standards and Accreditation Committee on apply ing the newly approved “Standards for Col lege Libraries” at the ALA Conference in Chicago on Sunday, July 9, 2000, from 10:30 a.m.-noon. Members of the CLS Standards Committee and others will pro vide practical guidance for librarians who wish to make use of the new standards. Topics to be covered include the impor tance of mission statements, choosing peer institutions, quantitative analysis of input and output statistics, outcomes assessment, using the “best practices” statements and questions to assess a library, and the use of the standards for internal and external evaluation, including reaccreditation. Services The library should establish, promote, main tain, and evaluate a range o f quality services that support the college’s mission and goals. The library should provide competent and prompt assistance for its users. Hours of ac cess to the library should be reasonable and convenient for its users. Reference and other special assistance should be available at times when the college’s primary users most need them. When academic programs are offered at off-campus sites, library services should be provided in accordance with the “ACRL Guidelines for Distance Learning Library Ser vices” ( http://w w w .ala.org/acrl/guides/ distlrng.html). Questions 1. How well does the library establish, promote, maintain and evaluate a range of quality services that support the academic pro gram of the college and optimal library use? 2. Are reference, circulation, and govern ment document services designed to enable users to take full advantage of the resources available to them? 3. How do student and faculty expecta tions affect library services? 4. How well do interlibrary loan and docu ment delivery services support the needs of qualified users? 5. Does the library maintain hours of ac cess consistent with reasonable demand? 6. What library services are provided for programs at off-campus sites? How are the needs of users and their satisfaction deter mined at those sites? 7. How are students and faculty informed of library services? 8. Does the library maintain and utilize quantitative and qualitative measurements of its ability to serve its users? In structio n The library should provide information and instruction to users through a variety of ref erence and bibliographic services, such as course-related and course-integrated instruc tion, hands-on active learning, orientations, formal courses, tutorials, pathfinders, and point-of-use instruction, including the refer ence interview. As an academic unit within the college, the library should facilitate academic success, http://www.ala.org/acrl/guides/ C&RL N ew s ■ M a rch 2000 / 179 a s w e l l a s e n c o u r a g e l i f e l o n g l e a r n i n g . B y c o m b i n i n g n e w t e c h n i q u e s a n d t e c h n o l o g i e s w i t h t h e b e s t o f t r a d i t i o n a l s o u r c e s , l i b r a r i a n s s h o u l d a s s i s t p r i m a r y u s e r s a n d o t h e r s i n i n f o r m a t i o n r e t r i e v a l m e t h o d s , e v a l u a t i o n , a n d d o c u m e n t a t i o n . I n a d d i t i o n , l i b r a r i a n s s h o u l d c o l l a b o r a t e f r e q u e n t l y w i t h c l a s s r o o m f a c u l t y ; t h e y s h o u l d p a r t i c i p a t e i n c u r r i c u l u m p l a n n i n g , a s w e l l a s e d u c a t i o n a l o u t c o m e s a s s e s s m e n t . I n f o r m a t i o n l i t e r a c y s k i l l s a n d b i b l i o g r a p h i c i n s t r u c t i o n s h o u l d b e i n t e g r a t e d i n t o a p p r o p r i a t e c o u r s e s w i t h s p e c i a l a t t e n t i o n g i v e n t o i n t e l l e c t u a l p r o p e r t y , c o p y r i g h t , a n d p l a g i a r i s m . M o d e s o f i n s t r u c t i o n , o f t e n r e f e r r e d t o a s t e a c h i n g m e t h o d s , “m a y i n c l u d e , b u t a r e n o t l i m i t e d t o a d v i s i n g i n d i v i d u a l s a t r e f e r e n c e d e s k s , i n - d e p t h r e s e a r c h c o n s u l t a t i o n s , i n d i v i d u a l i z e d i n s t r u c t i o n , e l e c t r o n i c o r p r i n t i n s t r u c t i o n a i d s , o r g r o u p i n s t r u c t i o n i n t r a d i t i o n a l o r e l e c t r o n i c c l a s s r o o m s e t t i n g s . ” 5 Q u e s t i o n s 1 . D o e s t h e l i b r a r y p r o v i d e f o r m a l a n d i n f o r m a l o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r i n s t r u c t i o n ? 2 . D o e s t h e l i b r a r y p r o v i d e a d e q u a t e s p a c e f o r i n s t r u c t i o n f o r b o t h l a r g e a n d s m a l l g r o u p s ? I s t h e a v a i l a b l e s p a c e d e s i g n e d t o p r o v i d e h a n d s - o n i n s t r u c t i o n , a s w e l l a s p r e s e n t a t i o n o f a l l t y p e s o f r e s o u r c e s ? 3 . D o e s t h e l i b r a r y m a k e a p p r o p r i a t e u s e o f t e c h n o l o g y i n its i n s t r u c t i o n ? 4 . H o w d o l i b r a r i a n s w o r k w i t h c l a s s r o o m f a c u l t y i n d e v e l o p i n g a n d e v a l u a t i n g l i b r a r y c u r r i c u l a i n s u p p o r t o f s p e c i f i c c o u r s e s ? 5 . I f a p p l i c a b l e , h o w d o e s t h e l i b r a r y f a c i l i t a t e f a c u l t y r e s e a r c h ? 6 . D o e s t h e l i b r a r y p r o v i d e a v a r i e t y o f e d u c a t i o n a l p r o g r a m s ? 7 . H o w d o e s t h e l i b r a r y p r o m o t e a n d e v a l u a t e its i n s t r u c t i o n a l p r o g r a m s ? R e s o u r c e s T h e l i b r a r y s h o u l d p r o v i d e v a r i e d , a u t h o r i t a t i v e , a n d u p - t o - d a t e r e s o u r c e s t h a t s u p p o r t i t s m i s s i o n a n d t h e n e e d s o f i t s u s e r s . R e s o u r c e s m a y b e p r o v i d e d o n s i t e o r f r o m r e m o t e s t o r a g e l o c a t i o n s , o n t h e m a i n c a m p u s o r a t o f f - c a m p u s l o c a t i o n s . M o r e o v e r , r e s o u r c e s m a y b e i n a v a r i e t y o f f o r m a t s , i n c l u d i n g p r i n t o r h a r d c o p y , o n l i n e e l e c t r o n i c t e x t o r i m a g e s , a n d o t h e r m e d i a . W i t h i n b u d g e t c o n s t r a i n t s , t h e l i b r a r y s h o u l d p r o v i d e q u a l i t y r e s o u r c e s i n t h e m o s t e f f i c i e n t m a n n e r p o s s i b l e . C o l l e c t i o n c u r r e n c y a n d v i t a l i t y s h o u l d b e m a i n t a i n e d t h r o u g h j u d i c i o u s w e e d i n g . Q u e s t i o n s 1 . W h a t c r i t e r i a a r e u s e d t o m a k e d e c i s i o n s a b o u t t h e a c q u i s i t i o n , r e t e n t i o n , a n d u s e o f p r i n t , e l e c t r o n i c , a n d m e d i a r e s o u r c e s ? H o w d o e s t h e l i b r a r y s e l e c t r e s o u r c e s f o r its u s e r s ? 2 . W h a t i s t h e r o l e o f t h e c l a s s r o o m f a c u l t y i n t h e s e l e c t i o n o f l i b r a r y r e s o u r c e s a n d i n t h e o n g o i n g d e v e l o p m e n t a n d e v a l u a t i o n o f t h e c o l l e c t i o n ? 3 . D o e s t h e l i b r a r y h a v e a c o n t i n u i n g a n d e f f e c t i v e p r o g r a m t o e v a l u a t e i ts c o l l e c t i o n s , r e s o u r c e s a n d o n l i n e d a t a b a s e s , b o t h q u a n t i t a t i v e l y a n d q u a l i t a t i v e l y ? 4 . D o p r i n t, m e d i a , a n d e l e c t r o n i c r e s o u r c e s r e f l e c t c a m p u s c u r r i c u l a r a n d r e s e a r c h n e e d s ? 5 . D o e s t h e l i b r a r y h a v e s u f f i c i e n t u s e r li c e n s e s f o r its e l e c t r o n i c r e s o u r c e s s o t h a t o n s i t e a n d r e m o t e u s e r s c a n b e a c c o m m o d a t e d ? 6 . H o w a r e c o n s o r t i u m p u r c h a s i n g a n d l i c e n s i n g a g r e e m e n t s u t i l i z e d ? 7 . I f t h e l i b r a r y h a s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r c o l l e c t i n g a n d m a i n t a i n i n g t h e c o l l e g e a r c h i v e s , h o w d o e s i t a d d r e s s t h e s e r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s ? 8 . H o w d o t h e l i b r a r y ’s c o l l e c t i o n s a n d o n l i n e d a t a b a s e s c o m p a r e w i t h i t s p e e r s ? 9 . D o e s t h e l i b r a r y m a i n t a i n t h e c u r r e n c y o f t h e c o l l e c t i o n t h r o u g h a j u d i c i o u s w e e d i n g p r o g r a m ? A c c e s s A c c e s s t o l i b r a r y r e s o u r c e s s h o u l d b e p r o v i d e d i n a t i m e l y a n d o r d e r l y f a s h i o n . L i b r a r y c o l l e c t i o n s a n d t h e c a t a l o g f o r a c c e s s i n g t h e m s h o u l d b e o r g a n i z e d u s i n g n a t i o n a l b i b l i o g r a p h i c s t a n d a r d s . A c e n t r a l c a t a l o g o f l i b r a r y r e s o u r c e s s h o u l d p r o v i d e a c c e s s f o r m u l t i p l e c o n c u r r e n t u s e r s a n d c l e a r l y i n d i c a t e a l l r e s o u r c e s . P r o v i s i o n s h o u l d b e m a d e f o r i n t e r - l ib r a r y l o a n , c o n s o r t i a l b o r r o w i n g a g r e e m e n t s , a c c e s s t o v i r t u a l e l e c t r o n i c c o l l e c t i o n s , a n d d o c u m e n t d e l i v e r y t o p r o v i d e a c c e s s t o m a t e r i a l s n o t o w n e d b y t h e l i b r a r y . F u r t h e r m o r e , d i s t a n c e l e a r n i n g p r o g r a m s s h o u l d b e s u p p o r t e d b y e q u i v a l e n t m e a n s s u c h a s r e m o t e e l e c t r o n i c a c c e s s t o c o l l e c t i o n s , t h e p r o v i s i o n o f r e l i a b l e n e t w o r k c o n n e c t i o n s , a n d e l e c t r o n i c t r a n s m i s s i o n o r c o u r i e r d e l i v e r y o f l i b r a r y m a t e r i a l s t o r e m o t e u s e r s . P o l i c i e s r e garding 1 8 0 / C&RL N ew s ■ March 2000 a c c e s s s h o u l d b e a p p r o p r i a t e l y d i s s e m i n a t e d t o l i b r a r y u s e r s . Q u e s t i o n s 1. W h a t m e t h o d s a r e u s e d t o p r o v i d e m a x i m u m i n t e l l e c t u a l a n d p h y s i c a l a c c e s s i b i l i t y t o t h e l i b r a r y a n d its r e s o u r c e s ? 2 . H o w a r e t h e a c c u r a c y a n d c u r r e n c y o f t h e c a t a l o g a s s u r e d ? 3 . I s t h e a r r a n g e m e n t o f t h e c o l l e c t i o n s l o g i c a l a n d u n d e r s t a n d a b l e ? 4 . D o e s t h e lib r a r y p r o v i d e t i m e l y a n d e f f e c t i v e i n t e r l i b r a r y l o a n o r d o c u m e n t d e l i v e r y s e r v i c e f o r m a t e r i a l s n o t o w n e d b y t h e lib ra r y ? 5 . D o e s t h e l i b r a r y p a r t i c i p a t e i n a v a i l a b l e c o n s o r t i a l b o r r o w i n g p r o g r a m s ? 6 . D o e s t h e l i b r a r y p r o v i d e s u f f i c i e n t n u m b e r s o f a p p r o p r i a t e l y c a p a b l e c o m p u t e r w o r k s t a t i o n s f o r a c c e s s t o e l e c t r o n i c r e s o u r c e s ? 7 . I s a c c e s s t o t h e c a t a l o g a n d t o o t h e r lib r a r y r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e a c r o s s c a m p u s a n d o f f - c a m p u s ? 8 . I f m a t e r i a l s a r e l o c a t e d i n a s t o r a g e f a c i l it y , a r e t h o s e m a t e r i a l s r e a d i l y a c c e s s i b l e ? 9 . I n w h a t w a y s d o e s t h e l i b r a r y p r o v i d e f o r its u s e r s w h o a r e e n g a g e d i n d i s t a n c e l e a r n i n g p r o g r a m s ? S t a f f T h e s t a f f s h o u l d b e s u f f i c i e n t i n s i z e a n d q u a l i t y t o m e e t t h e p r o g r a m m a t i c a n d s e r v i c e n e e d s o f i t s p r i m a r y u s e r s . L i b r a r i a n s , i n c l u d i n g t h e d i r e c t o r , s h o u l d h a v e a g r a d u a t e d e g r e e f r o m a n A L A - a c c r e d i t e d p r o g r a m . I n a d d i t i o n , t h e r e m a y b e o t h e r p r o f e s s i o n a l s t a f f w h o w i l l h a v e a p p r o p r i a t e t r a i n i n g , e x p e r i e n c e , o r d e g r e e s . A l l l i b r a r y p r o f e s s i o n a l s s h o u l d b e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r a n d p a r t i c i p a t e i n p r o f e s s i o n a l a c t i v i t i e s . T h e s u p p o r t s t a f f a n d s t u d e n t a s s i s t a n t s s h o u l d b e a s s i g n e d r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s a p p r o p r i a t e t o t h e i r q u a l i f i c a t i o n s , t r a i n i n g , e x p e r i e n c e , a n d c a p a b i l i t i e s . T h e f u r t h e r d e v e l o p m e n t o f p r o f e s s i o n a l a n d s u p p o r t s t a f f s h o u l d b e p r o m o t e d t h r o u g h a n o n g o i n g c o m m i t m e n t t o c o n t i n u i n g e d u c a t i o n , i n c l u d i n g t r a i n i n g o n s e c u r i t y , e m e r g e n c i e s , a n d t h e p r e s e r v a t i o n o f m a t e r i a l s . P r o f e s s i o n a l l i b r a r y s t a f f s h o u l d b e c o v e r e d b y a w r i t t e n p o l i c y t h a t c l e a r l y e s t a b l i s h e s t h e i r s t a t u s , r i g h t s , a n d r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s . T h i s p o l i c y s h o u l d b e c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h e A C R L “S t a n d a r d s f o r F a c u l t y S t a t u s f o r C o l l e g e a n d U n i v e r s i t y L i b r a r i a n s . ” Q u e s t i o n s 1 . D o e s t h e l i b r a r y e m p l o y s t a f f c a p a b l e o f s u p p o r t i n g a n d d e l i v e r i n g i n f o r m a t i o n in a l l a v a i l a b l e f o r m a t s , i n c l u d i n g e l e c t r o n i c r e s o u r c e s ? 2 . I s s u f f i c i e n t b u d g e t a r y s u p p o r t p r o v i d e d t o e n s u r e t h e o n g o i n g t r a i n i n g o f a l l s ta f f? 3 . D o e s t h e l i b r a r y h a v e q u a l i f i e d l i b r a r i a n s , o t h e r p r o f e s s i o n a l s t a f f , s k i l l e d s u p p o r t s t a f f , a n d s t u d e n t a s s i s t a n t s i n a d e q u a t e n u m b e r s t o m e e t i ts n e e d s ? 4 . H o w d o e s t h e c o l l e g e e n s u r e t h a t t h e l i b r a r y ’s p r o f e s s i o n a l s t a f f h a v e t h e a p p r o p r i a t e a c c r e d i t e d d e g r e e s a n d h o w d o e s it e n c o u r a g e t h e m t o e n g a g e i n a p p r o p r i a t e p r o f e s s i o n a l a c t i v i t i e s ? 5 . H o w d o e s t h e s i z e o f t h e l i b r a r y s t a f f r e l a t e t o t h e g o a l s a n d s e r v i c e s o f t h e l i b r a r y , t h e c o l l e g e ’s p r o g r a m s , d e g r e e s , e n r o l l m e n t , s i z e o f t h e f a c u l t y a n d s t a f f , a n d a u x i l i a r y p r o g r a m s ? 6 . H o w d o l i b r a r y s t a f f p o l i c i e s a n d p r o c e d u r e s c o m p a r e w i t h c o l l e g e g u i d e l i n e s a n d s o u n d p e r s o n n e l m a n a g e m e n t , e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e a r e a s o f h i r i n g , r e c r u i t m e n t , a p p o i n t m e n t , c o n t r a c t r e n e w a l , p r o m o t i o n , t e n u r e , d i s m i s s a l , a n d a p p e a l ? 7 . H o w d o s t a f f m e m b e r s w h o a r e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r i n s t r u c t i o n m a i n t a i n s u f f i c i e n t k n o w l e d g e a n d s k i l l s t o b e e f f e c t i v e i n s t r u c t o r s ? 8 . H o w d o e s t h e l i b r a r y p r o v i d e s e c u r i t y , p r e s e r v a t i o n , a n d e m e r g e n c y t r a i n i n g f o r its s ta ff? F a c i l i t i e s T h e l ib r a r y f a c i li t y s h o u l d b e w e l l p l a n n e d ; it s h o u l d p r o v i d e s e c u r e a n d a d e q u a t e s p a c e c o n d u c i v e t o s t u d y a n d r e s e a r c h w i t h s u i t a b l e e n v i r o n m e n t a l c o n d i t i o n s f o r its s e r v i c e s , p e r s o n n e l , r e s o u r c e s , a n d c o l l e c t i o n s . T h e l ib r a r y ’s e q u i p m e n t s h o u l d b e a d e q u a t e a n d f u n c t i o n a l . Q u e s t i o n s 1. D o e s t h e l i b r a r y p r o v i d e w e l l - p l a n n e d , s e c u r e , a n d a d e q u a t e s p a c e f o r u s e r s ? 2 . A re b u ild in g m e c h a n i c a l s y s te m s p r o p e r ly d e s i g n e d a n d m a i n t a i n e d t o c o n t r o l t e m p e r a t u r e a n d h u m id i ty a t r e c o m m e n d e d le v e l s ? 3 . W h a t a r e t h e p e r c e p t i o n s o f u s e r s r e g a r d i n g t h e p r o v i s i o n o f c o n d u c i v e s t u d y s p a c e s , i n c l u d i n g a s u f f i c i e n t n u m b e r o f s e a t s a n d v a r i e d t y p e s o f s e a t i n g ? 4 . I s t h e r e e n o u g h s p a c e f o r t h e l i b r a r y ’s c o l l e c t i o n s ? C&RL N ew s ■ M arch 2 0 0 0 / 181 5 . D o e s t h e s t a f f h a v e s u f f i c i e n t w o r k s p a c e a n d i s it c o n f i g u r e d t o p r o m o t e e f f i c i e n t o p e r a t i o n s ? 6 . I f t h e r e a r e b r a n c h l i b r a r i e s , d o t h e y h a v e s u f f i c i e n t s p a c e f o r t h e c o l l e c t i o n s a n d s t a f f ? 7 . I s t h e l i b r a r y ’s s i g n a g e a d e q u a t e ? 8 . D o e s t h e l i b r a r y p r o v i d e e r g o n o m i c w o r k s t a t i o n s f o r i t s u s e r s a n d s t a f f ? 9 . A r e e l e c t r i c a l a n d n e t w o r k w i r i n g s u f f i c i e n t t o m e e t t h e n e e d s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h e l e c t r o n i c a c c e s s ? 1 0 . D o e s t h e l i b r a r y m e e t t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s o f t h e A m e r i c a n s w i t h D i s a b i l i t i e s A c t? 1 1 . A r e f a c i l i t i e s p r o v i d e d t o d i s t a n c e l e a r n e r s i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e “A C R L G u i d e l i n e s f o r D i s t a n c e L e a r n i n g L i b r a r y S e r v i c e s . ”6 C o m m u n i c a t i o n a n d c o o p e r a t i o n C o m m u n i c a t i o n i s e s s e n t i a l t o e n s u r e t h e s m o o t h o p e r a t i o n o f t h e l i b r a r y . C o m m u n i c a t i o n s h o u l d f l o w f r o m a l l l e v e l s o f t h e l i b r a r y : f r o m t h e d i r e c t o r t o t h e s t a f f a n d f r o m t h e s t a f f t o t h e d i r e c t o r . T h e l i b r a r y s h o u l d h a v e a r e g u l a r m e c h a n i s m t o c o m m u n i c a t e w i t h t h e c a m p u s . L i b r a r y s t a f f s h o u l d w o r k c o l l a b o r a t i v e l y a n d c o o p e r a t i v e l y w i t h o t h e r d e p a r t m e n t s o n c a m p u s . A s p e c i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p s h o u l d b e e n c o u r a g e d b e t w e e n t h e l i b r a r y a n d i n f o r m a t i o n t e c h n o l o g y s t a f f i n p r o v i d i n g a c c e s s t o e l e c t r o n i c i n f o r m a t i o n r e s o u r c e s . I n s o m e c a s e s , a v i c e p r e s i d e n t , d e a n , o r d i r e c t o r o f i n f o r m a t i o n s e r v i c e s m a y a d m i n i s t e r b o t h li b r a r y a n d i n f o r m a t i o n t e c h n o l o g y o p e r a t i o n s a n d s e r v i c e s . T h e l i b r a r y is u s u a l l y r e s p o n s i b l e f o r s e l e c t i n g a n d p r o v i d i n g i n f o r m a t i o n c o n t e n t . I n f o r m a t i o n t e c h n o l o g y u s u a l l y p r o v i d e s t h e t e c h n i c a l i n f r a s t r u c t u r e a n d s u p p o r t t o d e l i v e r i n f o r m a t i o n . T h e r e is n o s i n g l e o r g a n i z a t i o n a l m o d e l t h a t w i l l w o r k f o r a l l c o l l e g e s . R e g a r d l e s s o f w h e t h e r t h e s e r v i c e s a r e i n d e p e n d e n t o r a r e i n t e g r a t e d i n s o m e w a y , i t i s i m p o r t a n t t h a t t h e s e r v i c e s w o r k c o l l a b o r a t i v e l y a n d k e e p e a c h o t h e r f u l l y i n f o r m e d . Q u e s t i o n s 1. I s t h e r e e f f e c t i v e c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h i n t h e l i b r a r y t h a t a l l o w s f o r a f r e e f l o w o f a d m i n i s t r a t i v e a n d m a n a g e r i a l i n f o r m a t i o n ? 2 . A r e s t a f f m e m b e r s e n c o u r a g e d t o s u g g e s t n e w i d e a s o r p r o c e d u r e s t o i m p r o v e o p e r a t i o n s o r w o r k i n g c o n d i t i o n s w i t h i n t h e l ib r a r y ? I s t h e r e a p r o c e s s t o f a c i l i t a t e th is ? 3 . D o e s t h e l i b r a r y h a v e a r e g u l a r m e a n s t o e x c h a n g e i n f o r m a t i o n w i t h t h e c a m p u s ? 4 . H a s t h e l i b r a r y e s t a b l i s h e d c o o p e r a t i v e w o r k i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h o t h e r d e p a r t m e n t s o n c a m p u s ? 5 . I f l i b r a r y a n d i n f o r m a t i o n t e c h n o l o g y a r e a d m i n i s t e r e d s e p a r a t e l y , d o e s t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n a l s t r u c t u r e p r o v i d e o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r p r o d u c t i v e c o m m u n i c a t i o n a n d c o l l a b o r a t i o n ? 6 . I f o n e a d m i n i s t r a t o r h a s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r b o t h t h e l i b r a r y a n d i n f o r m a t i o n t e c h n o l o g y , h o w w e l l h a v e t h e t w o f u n c t i o n s b e e n i n t e g r a t e d ? 7 . I s t h e l i b r a r y a b l e t o o b t a i n t e c h n i c a l s u p p o r t f o r i n f o r m a t i o n t e c h n o l o g y i n t h e f o r m o f i n - h o u s e e x p e r t i s e t o p r o v i d e e l e c t r o n i c r e s o u r c e s t o o n - s i t e a n d r e m o t e u s e r s ? 8 . I s t h e c a p a c i t y o f t h e c a m p u s n e t w o r k s u f f i c i e n t t o p r o v i d e r e a s o n a b l e r e s p o n s e t i m e s f o r l o c a l a n d r e m o t e i n f o r m a t i o n r e s o u r c e s ? A d m i n i s t r a t i o n T h e l i b r a r y s h o u l d b e a d m i n i s t e r e d i n a m a n n e r t h a t p e r m i t s a n d e n c o u r a g e s t h e m o s t e f f e c t i v e u s e o f a v a i l a b l e l i b r a r y r e s o u r c e s . T h e l i b r a r y d i r e c t o r s h o u l d r e p o r t t o t h e p r e s i d e n t o r t o t h e a p p r o p r i a t e c h i e f a c a d e m i c o f f i c e r o f t h e c o l l e g e . T h e r e s h o u l d b e a s t a n d i n g l i b r a r y a d v i s o r y c o m m i t t e e . T h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s a n d a u t h o r i t y o f t h e l i b r a r y d i r e c t o r s h o u l d b e d e f i n e d i n w r i t i n g . I f t h e r e a r e b r a n c h l i b r a r i e s , t h e y s h o u l d b e a d m i n i s t e r e d b y t h e l i b r a r y d i r e c t o r i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e “A C R L G u i d e l i n e s f o r B r a n c h L i b r a r i e s i n C o l l e g e s a n d U n i v e r s i t i e s : ” T h e l i b r a r y s h o u l d b e a d m i n i s t e r e d i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e s p i r i t o f t h e A L A “L i b r a r y B i l l o f R i g h t s . ” Q u e s t i o n s 1 . H o w d o e s t h e l i b r a r y a d m i n i s t r a t i o n e n c o u r a g e e f f e c t i v e u s e o f a v a i l a b l e l i b r a r y r e s o u r c e s ? 2 . W h a t i s t h e s t a t u t o r y o r l e g a l f o u n d a t i o n ( e . g . , c o l l e g e b y l a w s ) f o r t h e l i b r a r y ’s a c t i v i t i e s ? 3 . T o w h o m d o e s t h e lib ra r y d ir e c to r re p o rt? I s t h a t r e p o r t i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p a p p r o p r i a t e ? 4 . I s t h e r e a d o c u m e n t t h a t d e f i n e s t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s a n d a u t h o r i t y o f t h e l i b r a r y d i r e c t o r ? 1 8 2 / C&RL N ew s • M arch 2000 5 . D o e s t h e l i b r a r y h a v e a s t a n d i n g a d v i s o r y c o m m i t t e e ? D o e s t h e c o m m i t t e e h a v e a d e q u a t e c l a s s r o o m f a c u l t y a n t i s t u d e n t r e p r e s e n t a t i o n ? H o w e f f e c t i v e i s t h e c o m m i t t e e ? 6 . H o w e f f e c t i v e a r e t h e p o l i c i e s a n d p r o c e d u r e s t h a t d e t e r m i n e i n t e r n a l l i b r a r y g o v e r n a n c e a n d o p e r a t i o n s ? 7 . D o e s t h e l i b r a r y o p e r a t e i n a c c o r d w i t h t h e s p i r i t o f t h e A L A “L i b r a r y B i l l o f R i g h t s ”? B u d g e t T h e l i b r a r y d i r e c t o r s h o u l d p r e p a r e , j u s t i f y , a n d a d m i n i s t e r a l i b r a r y b u d g e t t h a t i s a p p r o p r i a t e t o t h e l i b r a r y ’s o b j e c t i v e s . T h e b u d g e t s h o u l d m e e t t h e r e a s o n a b l e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f l i b r a r y u s e r s w h e n b a l a n c e d a g a i n s t o t h e r c o l l e g e n e e d s . T h e l i b r a r y s h o u l d u t i l i z e i t s f i n a n c i a l r e s o u r c e s e f f i c i e n t l y a n d e f f e c t i v e l y . T h e l i b r a r y d i r e c t o r s h o u l d h a v e a u t h o r i t y t o a p p o r t i o n f u n d s a n d i n i t i a t e e x p e n d i t u r e s w i t h i n t h e l i b r a r y b u d g e t a n d i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h c o l l e g e p o l i c y . T h e b u d g e t s h o u l d s u p p o r t a p p r o p r i a t e l e v e l s o f s t a f f i n g a n d a d e q u a t e s t a f f c o m p e n s a t i o n . Q u e s t i o n s 1 . D o e s t h e l i b r a r y d i r e c t o r p r e p a r e , j u s t i f y , a n d a d m i n i s t e r t h e l i b r a r y b u d g e t i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h a g r e e d u p o n o b j e c t i v e s ? 2 . A r e t h e l i b r a r y ’s a n n u a l a u t h o r i z e d e x p e n d i t u r e s a d e q u a t e t o m e e t t h e o n g o i n g , a p p r o p r i a t e n e e d s o f t h e l i b r a r y ? 3 . H o w i s t h e c o l l e g e ’s c u r r i c u l u m t a k e n i n t o a c c o u n t w h e n f o r m u l a t i n g t h e l i b r a r y ’s b u d g e t ? 4 . H o w a r e t h e i n s t r u c t i o n a l m e t h o d s o f t h e c o l l e g e , e s p e c i a l l y a s t h e y r e l a t e t o i n d e p e n d e n t s t u d y , c o n s i d e r e d w h e n f o r m u l a t i n g t h e l i b r a r y ’s b u d g e t ? 5 . W h a t m e t h o d s a r e u s e d t o d e t e r m i n e t h e a d e q u a c y o f e x i s t i n g c o l l e c t i o n s ? I s t h e b u d g e t a d e q u a t e t o m a i n t a i n a n a p p r o p r i a t e r a t e o f c o l l e c t i o n d e v e l o p m e n t i n f i e l d s p e r t i n e n t t o t h e c u r r i c u l u m ? 6 . H o w d o e s t h e s i z e , o r a n t i c i p a t e d s i z e , o f t h e s t u d e n t b o d y a n d t h e c l a s s r o o m f a c u l t y a f f e c t t h e l i b r a r y b u d g e t ? 7 . D o e s t h e b u d g e t s u p p o r t a n a p p r o p r i a t e l e v e l o f s t a f f i n g a n d c o m p e n s a t i o n ? 8 . H o w i s t h e a d e q u a c y a n d a v a i l a b i l i t y o f f u n d i n g f o r o t h e r l i b r a r y r e s o u r c e s ( e . g . , A r c h i v e s a n d S p e c i a l C o l l e c t i o n s ) d e t e r m i n e d ? 9 . D o e s t h e l i b r a r y b u d g e t r e f l e c t t h e l i b r a r y ’s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r a c q u i r i n g , p r o c e s s i n g , s e r v i c i n g , a n d p r o v i d i n g a c c e s s t o m e d i a a n d c o m p u t e r r e s o u r c e s ? 1 0 . T o w h a t e x t e n t d o e s t h e l i b r a r y d i r e c t o r h a v e a u t h o r i t y t o a p p o r t i o n f u n d s a n d i n i t i a t e e x p e n d i t u r e s w i t h i n t h e l i b r a r y b u d g e t a n d i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h c o l l e g e p o l i c y ? 1 1 . H o w d o e s t h e l i b r a r y m o n i t o r i t s e n c u m b r a n c e s a n d t h e p a y m e n t o f i t s i n v o i c e s ? H o w d o e s t h e l i b r a r y d e t e r m i n e i t s c h o i c e s a n d s c h e d u l e i t s e x p e n d i t u r e s ? 1 2 . D o e s t h e b u d g e t i n c l u d e a d e q u a t e s u p p o r t f o r e x t e n d e d c a m p u s p r o g r a m s ? N o t e s 1 . T h e p r e s e n t d o c u m e n t w i l l r e p l a c e t h e “S t a n d a r d s f o r C o l l e g e L i b r a r i e s , ” 1 9 9 5 e d i t i o n ( C & R L N e w s , A p r i l 1 9 9 5 , p p . 2 4 5 - 2 5 7 ) . T h e C L S S t a n d a r d s C o m m i t t e e w a s g u i d e d b y t h e w o r k o f t h e A C R L T a s k f o r c e o n A c a d e m i c L i b r a r y O u t c o m e s A s s e s s m e n t , a g r o u p t h a t w a s c h a r g e d b y A C R L t o d e v e l o p a p h i l o s o p h i c a l f r a m e w o r k f o r a s s e s s i n g l i b r a r i e s i n t e r m s o f d e s i r e d c a m p u s o u t c o m e s . ( T h e t a s k f o r c e ’s f i n a l r e p o r t w a s a c c e p t e d b y t h e A C R L B o a r d i n J u l y 1 9 9 8 . ) T h e s e s t a n d a r d s a l s o a d d r e s s r e c e n t c o n c e r n s o f a c c r e d i t i n g a g e n c i e s ( i . e . , o u t c o m e s a n d a s s e s s m e n t m e a s u r e s , a s w e l l a s r a p i d l y e m e r g i n g a n d c h a n g i n g i n s t r u c t i o n a l a n d i n f o r m a t i o n t e c h n o l o g i e s ) . 2 . A C R L T a s k F o r c e o n A c a d e m i c L i b r a r y O u t c o m e s A s s e s s m e n t , J u n e 2 7 , 1 9 9 8 , h t t p : / / w w w . a l a . o r g / a c r l / o u t c o m e . h t m l . 3 . I b i d , p . 4 . 4 . F o r a f u r t h e r d i s c u s s i o n o f s p a c e r e q u i r e m e n t s r e f e r t o K e y e s D . M e t c a l f , P l a n n i n g A c a d e m i c a n d R e s e a r c h L i b r a r y B u i l d i n g s . 3 r d e d . P h i l i p D . L e i g h t o n a n d D a v i d C . W e b e r . ( C h i c a g o : A m e r i c a n L i b r a r y A s s o c i a t i o n , 1 9 9 9 ) , A p p e n d i c e s B a n d C . 5 . “A C R L G u i d e l i n e s f o r I n s t r u c t i o n P r o g r a m s i n A c a d e m i c L i b r a r i e s , ” C & R L N e w s 6 0 , n o . 4 ( 1 9 9 7 ) : 2 6 4 —6 6 . h t t p : / / w w w . a l a . o r g / a c r l / g u i d e s / g u i i s . h t m l . 6 . “A C R L G u i d e l i n e s f o r D i s t a n c e L e a r n i n g L i b r a r y S e r v i c e s , ” C & R L N e w s 5 9 , n o . 9 ( 1 9 9 8 ) : 6 8 9 - 9 4 . ■ http://www.ala.org/acrl/outcome.html http://www.ala C&RL N ew s • M arch 2000 / 183