Assessing Access Services : Implementing a 5-year Plan for Sustainable Assessment

Abstract

In the recent past, assessment has become heavily emphasized in academic libraries. With support from professional organizations such as the Association of College and Research Libraries and the Institute for Museum and Library Services, many libraries have been encouraged to develop assessment plans and implement assessment projects. Assessment in libraries is often focused on information literacy, learning needs, and space as evidenced by the wide body of literature about assessment in these areas. However, other areas in libraries, for example service at the reference desk, circulation, cataloging, technical services, etc., will potentially benefit from focused assessment as well.In the fall of 2016, University of Baltimore's Langsdale Library, began a Total Library Assessment (TLA). Langsdale Library is one of five departments on campus tasked by the provost with piloting and implementing a comprehensive 5-year plan. In the spring 2016, library department heads were asked to write 5-year plans for their respective departments. This program will highlight Access Services' role in the TLA plan for Langsdale Library in order to provide attendees with a model of an assessment plan in Access Services and highlight the implementation of TLA in Access Services through November 2017.