Section 2
Policies and Procedures
Evaluation
The Collection
The primary method used for evaluating the collection is monthly examination of circulation statistics which are printed according to ranges of call numbers using the Follett Circulation Plus software. It is easy to tell from this compilation which areas of the collection are being used and which are relatively untapped. Additional information concerning the collection is gathered during the annual inventory which takes place in June, immediately following the end of the academic year. This perusal is particularly useful for ascertaining the physical condition of the collection. Also, reshelving statistics are maintained in a simple tally format for reference materials that are left out to be reshelved by library staff. This is a simple tally of the number of reference materials reshelved on a daily basis. Additional information concerning the degree to which the collection meets the needs of the students and the faculty, as well as the changing interests of the same, is gathered from the surveys requested of users at the end of each semester.
Programs and Services
Whenever a student or faculty member has taken advantage of one of the programs or services made available by the library, an evaluation form is filled out and returned to the librarian. These forms, which can be seen in Appendix E, are designed to be utilized for most any situation. One is filled out to evaluate a service, the other to provide feedback on the quality of a program. It is hoped that feedback from these forms will serve to inform the media specialists as to the current effectiveness of library programs and services, and the most profitable changes that might be made to them in order to further enhance the quality of library offerings.
Total Program
The library's total program is evaluated by looking at both the quantitative statistics accumulated (circulation statistics from Circulation Plus, reference materials tally sheet, record of prearranged class visits, etc.) and at the qualitative aspects indicated by the various survey questionnaires distributed and returned. (Evaluation of Library Service, Evaluation of Library Program, and the Media Center Evaluation; all three are located in Appendix E.) While all three are available in the media center to be filled out at any time, they are requested of users after completion of a program, receipt of a service beyond routine reference, and, in the case of the Media Center Evaluation, at the end of each semester by a randomly selected group, and by the faculty at the end of the second semester. It is hoped that, by looking at these two areas of feedback coupled with the objective observations of the library staff, it will be possible to determine the extent to which the library program meets the needs of the school's population, areas in which the collection needs improvement, the degree of comfort users feel in the library, and new services the library might offer to its users.
Reporting
The library/media specialists will submit a report to the principal at the end of each month in the academic year. The format and content of the report is determined by the reporting librarian. At a minimum, however, it should include all statistics indicating activity in the media center.
Informing
The library publishes a newsletter entitled BiblioNotes, an icon for which can be found on the same screen that leads to this manual. The newsletter is an opportunity to advertise the programs and services offered by the media center, publicize newly acquired materials, and disseminate information about the needs and operations of the library.