Lluís Ma. Anglada i de Ferrer
Sharing tools, sharing experiences: Library Evaluation in Catalan Academic Libraries
Consorci de Biblioteques Universitaries de Catalunya. Director
Presentation
Plan
- Background;
- Preliminary works;
- The Guide and the evaluation;
- Evaluating the evaluation.
Spain
- A lot of political changes after 1975;
- From a centralised university system to an autonomous one;
- A process of renewal of the universities in the last 15 years.
Catalonia
- an autonomous region of Spain;
- with 6,000,000 inhabitants;
- own language (Catalan);
- a university system of 8 public universities and 3 private ones;
- a university community of 200.000 students;
- 15.000 lecturers and 7.000 administrative staff.
CBUC mission
- Improve library services through cooperation.
CBUC members
The AQSUC
- AQSUC (Catalan Agency for the Quality of the University System);
- Began in 1996;
- Members: 7 public universities and the Catalan autonomous government;
- Objectives:
- Improve quality;
- Promote evaluation;
- Inform society about universities performance.
Mid 90s': a new context for universities
- Accountability requested to universities;
- End of the "resource increase" age (1986-94);
Searching for quality by exploiting and improving existing resources;
- Start of evaluation testing plans.
Background: Spanish level
- Spanish national plan for the evaluation of universities:
- Teaching
- Research
- Services and management
- Libraries evaluation:
- U. Salamanca;
- U. Politecnica de Valencia;
- U. Valladolid.
Background: Catalan level
- Participation in experimental plans at European level;
- TQM at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona;
- Evaluation at the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya.
"Weak points" in testing plans
- Based on FQM models without previous experience;
- Lack of empirical evidence;
- Lack of a library-oriented guide.
Plan
- Background;
- Preliminary works;
- The Guide and the evaluation;
- Evaluating the evaluation.
1st decision: working together
- CBUC - Catalan Quality Agency;
- 7 public universities of Catalonia;
- Librarians + Quality experts.
Objectives
- To promote evaluation as an improvement tool;
- To have a detailed methodology in order to make evaluation easier, and to train library staff about quality improvement;
- To compare local indicators with those in other countries, and then evaluate the results.
Working plan
- Agreement on objectives and terms;
- Big commission (17 people);
- Working sub-commission (2 people);
- Guide approval;
- Internal evaluation;
- External evaluation.
Previous decisions
- English model - Spanish model;
- Unity to evaluate;
- Committee composition;
- Empirical data role;
- Improvement orientation.
Plan
- Background;
- Preliminary works;
- The Guide and the evaluation;
- Evaluating the evaluation.
CBUC Guide. Methodology
- Pluriestamental internal commission;
- Subjective and quantitative analysis combination;
- Training of the commission members;
- External commission;
- United publication of data.
Evaluation steps
- Internal commission;
- Internal report;
- Report publicity;
- External commission:
- Interviews;
- Visits;
- Report;
- Final report and publication of the results.
Internal commission
- University commission:
- Library responsibles (Vice-chancellor and library director);
- 3-4 library staff (librarians and non librarians);
- 3 professors;
- 3 students;
- Sub-commission (optional):
- 1 for each service point.
External commission
- Vice-chancelor of university libraries;
- Director of the university libraries;
- One internal professor with no implications in the university boards of decision;
- Two external professors;
- One external librarian.
CBUC Guide. Structure
- Integration in the university;
- Processes and communication;
- Resources;
- Outputs;
- Empirical data;
- "Weak points" and "Strong points";
- Improvement suggestions.
Integration in the university
- Strategic plan for the University Library;
- Library relations with the learning process;
- Library relations with research;
- Library relations with the users.
Integration in the university
- Strategic plan for the University Library;
- Library relations with the learning process;
- Library relations with research;
- Library relations with the users.
Processes and communication
- Library organization;
- Processes;
- Distance learning offer.
Resources
- Staff;
- Buildings and facilities;
- Library holdings.
Outputs
- User satisfaction;
- Effectiveness;
- Efficiency.
Empirical data
- Statistical data 1995-2000;
- 25 indicators;
- User satisfaction survey.
Working schedule
- 1998: basic agreements;
- 1998-99: guide writing and approval, training;
- 1999: internal evaluation starts;
- 2000: main core of evaluation works;
- 2001: end of last external evaluation;
- 2001-02: synthesis report.
Plan
- Background;
- Preliminary works;
- The Guide and the evaluation;
- Evaluating the evaluation.
Facts
- 7 internal commissions and 13 Sub-commissions;
- More than 150 people involved directly;
- 38 cm of reports;
- Basicly, there is a coincidence between internal and external reports.
Positive elements
- The fearsome repulse from library staff didn't show up;
- Evaluation itself generates spontaneous improvement mechanisms;
- The process emphasizes the improvements in services during the last few years.
Negative elements
- Low participation from university community, in spite of the reports diffusion;
- Some key trends run away (here FQM is more valuable);
- Big problems detected were already known.
Learning experiences
- Statistical data must be improved and unified;
- Quality improvement is a daily process, evaluation is only a tool;
- Evaluation implies change, the major changes are in the university hands (not in libraries).
Keys to success
- Staff implication;
- Complicity from library directors;
- University involvement;
- Professional support;
- Subsequent improvement plans.
More information:
- Consorci de Biblioteques Universitaries de Catalunya (CBUC)
- Gran Capite 2-4, Edifici Nexus 08034 Barcelona
- Tel. 93 205 64 64. Fax 93 205 69 79
- E-mail: langlada@cbuc.es
- http://www.cbuc.es
Evaluation reports
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