Evaluation tools and materials

These evaluation tools and materials are designed for you to use with Evaluating the Impact of Your Library by Sharon Markless and David Streatfield. We focus on tools that are useful for evaluating impact. As a result, you won’t find the usual questionnaires that are much better for checking on service efficiency and there is not much about user satisfaction with current services.

We have listed the evaluation tools under the following headings:

1. Checklists for analysing written material
1A Bibliography analysis checklist
1B Enquiry analysis matrix  
1C Written work checklist

2. Focus group tools/methods  
2A Card sort topics
2B Structured group output

3. Interview questions and schedules  
3A Critical incident interview schedule
3B Semi-structured interview schedule
3C Structured interview schedule: evaluation of innovation

4. Observation checklists
4A Observation of pupils in the library
4B Observation of library staff in teaching/training role

5. Questionnaires  
5A The impact of the library on information seeking and learning
5B Intranet evaluation questionnaire
5C Importance of services linked to frequency of use  
5D Impact of library staff development programmes

Click on the links above to download the evaluation tools. Before each evaluation tool we indicate the intended target group (e.g. public library users) and method (e.g. analysing bibliographies produced as part of student assignments). 

We have listed other useful websites in section 9.10 of the book.