Does your data deliver for decision making? New directions for resource sharing assessment

Abstract

Purpose – This paper aims to describe how data were used to design and evaluate new services at Notre Dame and how data were used to evaluate changes in user behavior at Emory University. Design/methodology/approach – Each library (Emory, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Notre Dame) describe sources, methods and applications of data, gathered through a variety of sources to plan and evaluate new services and user satisfaction. Findings – There is no one perfect approach to data-informed decision making; every approach has advantages, costs and disadvantages. What is important is that resource sharing practitioners become comfortable with a variety of assessment tools. Originality/value – The user experience is increasingly recognized as a critical part of any service or library product but most resource sharing practitioners have little to no background in assessment and statistics. This article provides an introduction to methods, sources and applications of data specifically applied to interlibrary loans.