(via Joanne Hélouvry, Johns Hopkins University)
Telling the story of one’s library through assessment has always been an essential aspect of library administration and management, but doing this work effectively can be challenging. Even for experienced library leaders, sustaining awareness of varying audiences and changing priorities, as well as keeping up with best practices for assessment and reporting, require ongoing consideration and adaptation. This is particularly true if the goal is to enhance perception and build support among stakeholders while securing essential funding and resources.
We seek chapter submissions for a volume entitled Figuring It Out: The Search for Meaningful Metrics. This volume, No. 45 in the Advances in Library Administration and Organization (ALAO) series, will examine the concepts, challenges, and successes of assessment and storytelling in libraries. Proposals that emphasize research-based and methodologically strong projects will be prioritized and proposals in the following areas would be of particular interest:
- Knowing your audience and what to assess
- Using data to tell effective stories
- Learning from approaches that proved less effective
- Approaches that demonstrate impact rather than just outcomes
- Challenges and issues
- Deciding to use qualitative vs. quantitative metrics
- Success stories
ALAO publishes long-form research and content, theoretical and philosophical discussions, and in-depth accounts of practice related to library administration and organization. The series helps answer the questions, “How have libraries been managed and how could they be managed better?”. Through this series, readers explore library-related challenges and solutions and glean new approaches to library administration and organization.
How to Submit
We are currently seeking proposals for the 2026 volume, Figuring It Out: The Search for Meaningful Metrics. If you are interested in contributing to this volume, please complete this form–including a brief author bio. and chapter proposal–no later than Monday, September 30. Chapters with multiple authors are welcome! Contact David Ketchum, the Series Editor/Volume Co-Editor, at dketchum@uoregon.edu if you have any questions.
Deadlines
- Submission deadline for chapter proposals: Monday, September 30, 2024
- Notification of acceptance: Thursday, October 31, 2024
- Submission deadline for full chapters: January 31, 2025
- Comments returned to authors: March 31, 2025
- Submission deadline for chapter revisions: May 15, 2025