Valuing Ourselves and Our Work in the Information Age

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Valuing Ourselves and Our Work in the Information
Age

• Joanne Gard Marshall
• Dean and Professor
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• marshall_at_ils.unc.edu

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Challenges of gathering evidence

• Defining our terms
• Measuring abstract concepts
• Creating a culture of evidence-based practice

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Defining our own value proposition

• Traditional financial models
• Measuring intangibles

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Components of our own value proposition

• the information user
• the processes used to provide info access
• research and discovery
• technology as a tool
• the human and financial resources required

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Figure 1. Integrated Resources for Value Creation
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Measures that matter(Ernst Young, 1997)

• Credibility
• Quality of product and processes
• Innovation
• Research leadership
• Brand identity
• Market share
• Ability to attract and retain employees

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Requirements for measuring intangibles(SLA,
Portugal 2000)

• User focus
• Process focus
• Renewal and development focus
• Human resources focus
• Financial focus

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Possible measures

• Standards
• Inputs
• Outputs
• Customer satisfaction
• Outcomes

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Sample reference output measures(Van House and
others)

• ratio of reference transactions to attendance
• reference transactions per circulation
• online searches per year
• professional FTE per person in user population

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Principles of benchmarking

• client focused
• service based
• demonstrate value added by library staff
• reflect expanded roles
• easily compared across different settings
• easily and accurately counted
• open to change as required

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SERVQUAL variables

• Tangibles
• Reliability
• Responsiveness
• Assurance
• Empathy

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Examples of measuring library impact
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The McMaster clinical librarian program

• Frequency of library use
• Ease of obtaining information
• Extent to which info needs met
• Use of library for pt care
• Value placed on the library

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The Rochester study

• Diagnosis
• Choice of tests
• Choice of treatment
• Reduced length of stay
• Avoidance of adverse events

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The long-term care study

• Improved pain management
• Choice of rehab
• Site of care
• Level of care
• Quality of life (pt and family)

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The corporate study

• Ability to proceed
• Make a decision
• Create new opportunity
• Save time
• Save money

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The government study

• Meet a deadline
• Deal with an emergency
• Improve a policy, procedure or plan
• Lessen conflict
• Save time and resources

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What has been learned

• Use a variety of measures
• Understand the user
• Understand the goals of the organization
• Understand how information is used
• Include outcomes measurement

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Types of value

• Social value
• Personal value
• Organizational value

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Personal value
The greatest enabler of all
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Stress Model
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Hardy Personality Characteristics

• see change as a challenge
• build commitment to goals
• be persistent
• be flexible
• look for the big picture

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Hardy Personality Characteristics

• keep things in perspective
• think positively
• find joy in small things
• one step at a time
• laugh a lot

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References

• Association of Research Libraries. Symposium on
  measuring service quality.
• Oct 20-21, 2000.
• http//www.arl.org/stats/newmeas/msqsymp.html
• Marshall, Joanne G., Inglis, Judy, co-chairs.
  Benchmarking tool kit. Toronto Canadian
• Health Libraries Association/Association de
  bibliotheques de la sante du Canada, 1998.
• Marshall, Joanne G. Determining our worth,
  communicating our value. Library
• Journal 125(19) 28-30, Nov 15, 2000.
• Marshall, Joanne G. The impact of hospital
  libraries on clinical decision-
• making the Rochester study. Bulletin of the
  Medical Library Association
• 80(2) 169-78, 1992.
• Marshall, Joanne G. The impact of the special
  library on corporate
• decision-making. Washington, DC Special
  Libraries Association, 1993.

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References (contd.)

• Marshall, Joanne G. Health Canada libraries
  past, present and future. In Orna, Elizabeth.
• Practical information policies. Aldershot
  Gower, 1999 251-65.
• Measures that matter. Ernst Young, 1997.
• http//www.cbi.cgey.com/pub/docs/Measures_That_Mat
  ter.pdf
• Portugal, Frank H. Valuating information
  intangibles. Washington, DC Special Libraries
• Association, 2000.
• Stewart, Thomas A. Intellectual capital the new
  wealth of organizations. New York
• Doubleday, 1997.