(via Megan Griffin, Association of College and Research Libraries)
The ACRL Board of Directors recently approved the development of a national survey management tool for academic libraries based on PLA’s Project Outcome, and the establishment of a division-level Project Outcome for Academic Libraries Task Force. Volunteers are sought from all types of academic libraries for this Task Force. If you wish to be considered for an appointment, please review the information below and complete the web form on the ACRL website by 5 p.m. Central time on November 21, 2017.
Charge
The Task Force is established to adapt the Project Outcome measures, developed by the Public Library Association, to an academic library context. Collecting consistent outcomes data will allow academic libraries to benchmark at the national and state level and will help ACRL better support its members and mission.
With staff support and guidance from outside consultant(s) with expertise in educational outcomes assessment, it will: (1) engage the academic library community regularly to seek input and feedback; (2) determine the scope and clearly topic areas, field testing new measures in the development process; (3) ensure ancillary resources (including explanatory text, ready-made reports, and visually interactive data dashboards) and training support are translated appropriately for an academic and research librarian audience; (4) raise awareness of project, being sure to articulate the value of this tool specifically and to differentiate it from other survey tools; (5) develop use cases that highlight ways Project Outcome can be used by libraries in all Carnegie classifications; and (6) promote the new outcomes measures and toolkit and incentivize participation.
Timeline
- Date interim reports are due: ALA Annual Conference 2018 and ALA Midwinter Meeting 2019
- Date Academic Library Project Outcome launches: ACRL 2019 Conference
- Date final report is due: ALA Annual Conference 2019
Composition
- Chair
- Representative from Value of Academic Libraries Committee
- Representative from Student Learning and Information Literacy Committee
- Representative from Academic Library Trends and Statistics Survey Editorial Board
- At least one accomplished expert on academic library outcomes assessment
- At least one accomplished expert on post-secondary education outcomes assessment
- 4-6 additional appointments, ensuring task force members represent community colleges, college libraries, and university libraries
- 2 ACRL staff liaisons
- Board Liaison
The deadline to volunteer for the ACRL Project Outcome for Academic Libraries Task Force is November 21! If you wish to be considered for appointment, complete the web form (ALA website log-in required).