Includes indexes.

Changes in library evaluation : responding to external pressures in the institution of museum and library services' measuring success initiative / Matthew Birnbaum, Kim Okahara, Mallory Warner -- The New York State Library's outcome-based evaluation training initiative : using training, online support, and integration to measure impact / Amanda R. Latreille, Mary Ann Stiefvater, Mary Linda Todd -- Documenting the results of good intentions : applying outcomes evaluation to library services for children / Virginia A. Walter -- Assessment in a medium-sized academic library : a success story / Carolyn Gutierrez, Jianrong Wang -- Using needs assessment to develop research and grant support services / Ricardo R. Andrade, Christine E. Kollen -- The relationship between collection strength and student achievement / Rachel Wexelbaum, Mark A. Kille -- Learning outcomes assessment via electronic portfolios / Rachel Applegate, Marilyn M. Irwin -- Evaluating teaching in online programs : comparing faculty self-assessment and student opinion / Gail M. Munde.

Assessment and outcomes evaluation have become increasingly important in librarianship. Although initially used in educational contexts to measure student learning, the strategy has migrated to other contexts such as hiring, employee development, overall organizational and institutional successes, measuring the outcomes of projects and operational changes, and self assessment at the personal level. This growing emphasis is partly due to increasingly stringent requirements that funds are used effectively to improve services and operations. The current economic climate and retrenchments in non-profit agencies, have raised the need for assessment and outcomes evaluation to a critical level. 'Contexts for Assessment and Outcome Evaluation in Librarianship' focuses not on the how of undertaking assessment and outcomes evaluation, but rather on their successes and failures in various contexts in which these tools have been and will be used.

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