WSU Libraries Mission Statement
The Wayne State University Libraries advance scholarship, student learning and faculty innovation through continuous development of a library that serves as a national model for a research University with an urban teaching and service mission.
Upon completion of their first-year at the University, undergraduate students will be able to locate books and journal articles on a given topic through tools (e.g., catalog, Quick Search, databases) on the Libraries’ website. Means of measurement and criteria for success to be identified. [Keywords: Locate Information Sources]
Upon completion of their first-year at the University, undergraduate students will be able to evaluate the books and articles they identify in library searches for reliability and relevance. Means of measurement and criteria for success to be identified. [Keywords: Evaluate Information Sources]
Provide first-year undergraduate students with the instruction necessary to locate and evaluate information for their assignments and studies. Information literacy instruction will be provided to 25% of the members of each cohort of entering first year students within three semesters of their entering the University. [Keywords: Undergraduate Instruction]
Provide instructors with the assistance necessary to compose “library assignments” that will encourage students to explore information resources and develop library research skills. The subject specialist/liaison librarians will document at least 100 collaborations with faculty members on assignments each academic year. [Keywords: Provide Instructor Assistance]
Provide reference services and research consultations to assist students with their projects and research needs. 30% of undergraduate and graduate students surveyed will report that they have “Consulted with or asked a question of a Library staff member” at least once a semester. [Keywords: Reference Services]
Provide students with print books that contribute to learning and growth. 60% of students surveyed will rate their satisfaction with our print books above 3 on a 5-point Likert scale. Use of print resources will exceed 22,000 circulation per fiscal year. [Keywords: Print Books]
Provide students with ebooks that contribute to learning and growth. 60% of students surveyed will rate their satisfaction with ebooks above 3 on a 5-point Likert scale. The use of ebooks will exceed 1,400,000 uses per fiscal year. [Keywords: Ebooks]
Provide students with the digital journals/articles that contribute to learning and growth. 60% of students surveyed will rate their satisfaction with digital journals above 3 on a 5-point Likert scale. Use of digital journals will exceed 1,800,000 downloads/uses per fiscal year. [Keywords: Print Journals]
Provide students with the digital journals/articles that contribute to learning and growth. 60% of students surveyed will rate their satisfaction with digital journals above 3 on a 5-point Likert scale. Use of digital journals will exceed 1,800,000 downloads/uses per fiscal year. [Keywords: Digital Journals]
Provide students with circulation and reserve services that contribute to learning and growth. 50% of students will report satisfaction with circulation and reserve services above 3 on a 5-point Likert scale. [Keywords: Circulation of Resources]
Provide interlibrary loan/document delivery services that contribute to learning and growth. 60% of students will report satisfaction with interlibrary loan and document delivery services above 3 on a 5-point Likert scale. [Keywords: Interlibrary Loan]
Provide a website that students use easily and efficiently to meet their study and research needs. 60% of students surveyed will report that they use the library’s website at least once a semester. 60% of surveyed students will report satisfaction with the Libraries’ website above 3 on a 5-point Likert scale. [Keywords: Library Website]
Provide individual study space that students find conducive to study and academic work. 70% of students surveyed will rate their satisfaction with individual study space at 3 or higher on a 5-point Likert scale. [Keywords: Individual Study Space]
Provide the group study space that students will find conducive to study and academic work. 70% of students will rate their satisfaction with group study space at 3 or higher on a 5-point Likert scale. [Keywords: Group Study Space]
A survey on library resources and services to be administered to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in February 2019. This survey will provide the Likert scale data associated with a number of our outcomes.
This method will supply data for Outcomes 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14.
See “Draft WSU Library Resources and Services Student Survey” below
Outcome # 5, “Provide reference services and research consultations to assist students with their projects and research needs”: the criterion was “30% of undergraduate and graduate students surveyed will report that they have ‘Consulted with or asked a question of a Library staff member’ at least once a semester.” 46.05% reported such use. The Libraries met the criterion.
Outcome # 6, “Provide students with print books that contribute to learning and growth”: the criterion was “60% of students surveyed will rate their satisfaction with our print books above 3 on a 5-point Likert scale.” 68.95% such satisfaction. The Libraries met the criterion.
Outcome # 7, “Provide students with ebooks that contribute to learning and growth”: the criterion was “60% of students surveyed will rate their satisfaction with ebooks above 3 on a 5-point Likert scale.” 76.28% reported such satisfaction. The Libraries met the criterion.
Outcome # 8, “Provide students with the print journals/articles that contribute to learning and growth”: the criterion was “60% of students surveyed will rate their satisfaction with print journals above 3 on a 5-point Likert scale.” 79.26% reported such satisfaction. The Libraries met the criterion.
Outcome # 9, “Provide students with the digital journals/articles that contribute to learning and growth”: the criterion was “60% of students surveyed will rate their satisfaction with digital journals above 3 on a 5-point Likert scale.” 87.42% reported such satisfaction. The Libraries met the criterion.
Outcome # 10, “Provide students with circulation and reserve services that contribute to learning and growth”: the criterion was “50% of students will report satisfaction with circulation and reserve services above 3 on a 5-point Likert scale.” 79.82% reported such satisfaction. The Libraries met the criterion.
Outcome # 11, “Provide interlibrary loan/document delivery services that contribute to learning and growth”: the criterion was “60% of students will report satisfaction with interlibrary loan and document delivery services above 3 on a 5-point Likert scale.” 86.74% reported such satisfaction. The Libraries met the criterion.
Outcome #12 A, “Provide a website that students use easily and efficiently to meet their study and research needs”: the criterion was “60% of students surveyed will report that they use the library’s website at least once a semester.” 87.21% reported such use. The Libraries met the criterion.
Outcome # 12 B, “Provide a website that students use easily and efficiently to meet their study and research needs”: the criterion was “60% of surveyed students will report satisfaction with the Libraries’ website above 3 on a 5-point Likert scale.” 82.64% reported such satisfaction. The Libraries met the criterion.
Outcome # 13, “Provide individual study space that students find conducive to study and academic work”: the criterion was “70% of students surveyed will rate their satisfaction with individual study space at 3 or higher on a 5-point Likert scale.” 82.03% reported such satisfaction. The Libraries met the criterion
Outcomes # 14, “Provide the group study space that students will find conducive to study and academic work”: the criterion was “70% of students will rate their satisfaction with group study space at 3 or higher on a 5-point Likert scale.” 86.82% reported such satisfaction. The Libraries met the criterion.
The Libraries met all 11 criteria. We might conclude from this that nothing in these areas need be improved. It has, however, led to the conclusion that either better methods or more stringent criteria are needed to assess Library services and collections and identify improvements that merit action. The core Assessment Team (Paul Beavers and Rachael Clark) will be working with the University Libraries’ newly formed Assessment Team to analyze and rework this part of the assessment plan for the 2019-2020 cycle. The best step we can make toward improving our services and resources is to make sure we carry out more stringent assessment next time.
Because this action plan is focused on performing more stringent assessment in the 2019-2020 cycle--an assessment that will allow us to identify readily aspects of our services and collections that do need improvement--our actions necessarily overlap with the next assessment cycle. The University Libraries Assessment Team and Assessment Committee will be working in July and August 2019 to create a draft of the 2019-2020 assessment plan that can then be thoroughly vetted with the stakeholders among library staff. Our assessment plan will be entered into Compliance Assist well ahead of schedule and preparations for the gathering of data well underway in anticipation of the Winter 2020 semester.
The results of the entire Library Resources and Services Student Survey and the Measurement of the Use of Library Resources as well as our analysis of the results and action plans will be made publicly available through a Library Research Guide (https://library.wayne.edu/resources/guides/index.php) by the end of August 2019. These guides allow the Library Assessment Team and Committee to make the results available without relying on third parties. The availability of this report will be publicized to stakeholders through the University Libraries' news blog and through their Facebook and Twitter feeds.
We will use data gathered for the Association of Research Libraries, Association of College and Research Libraries, IPEDS, and other professional/governmental entities to determine whether the use of physical and digital resources reach expected levels. In the early years of this assessment, the data will also be reviewed to determine reasonable targets for use. Usage data is compiled for completed fiscal years; for the 2018-2019 assessment, we will be reviewing data for FY 2018 (i.e., October 2017 through September 2018).
This method will supply data for Outcomes 6, 7, 8, and 9.
Outcome # 6, "Provide students with print books that contribute to learning and growth": the criterion was "Use of print resources will exceed 22,000 circulation per fiscal year." The Libraries had only 18,726 circulation in FY 2018 and failed to meet the criterion.
Outcome # 7, "Provide students with ebooks that contribute to learning and growth": the criterion was "The use of ebooks will exceed 1,400,000 uses per fiscal year." The Libraries had 1,402,994 uses in FY 2018 and met the criterion.
Outcome # 8, "Provide students with the print journals/articles that contribute to learning and growth": the criterion was "Use of print resources will exceed 16,000 circulation per fiscal year." The Libraries had only 14,079 uses in FY 2018 and failed to meet the criterion.
Outcome # 9, "Provide students with the digital journals/articles that contribute to learning and growth": the criterion was "Use of digital journals will exceed 1,800,000 downloads/uses per fiscal year." The Libraries had 3,492,391 uses in FY 2018 and met the criterion.
The Libraries met the criteria set for the two outcomes addressing digital books and journals/articles and failed to meet the criteria for the two outcomes addressing print books and journals/articles. Though we believe that the outcomes for digital materials accurately reflect the success of those collections, we also believe that their assessment can be improved to provide a more probing analysis of their success and shortcomings. The Libraries Assessment Team (Paul Beavers and Rachael Clark) will be working with the Libraries' newly formed Assessment Committee to make such improvements for the 2019-2020 cycle.
The failure to meet the criteria for print books and journals/articles has been interpreted as inconclusive. It has become apparent that these aspects of the collections are now of a reduced importance relative to the digital collection.
The circulation of print books has been falling steadily for more than 15 years (see attached Excel workbook) and the Libraries' now treat digital editions as the default format for new books. The trend in reduced print circulation is evident in academic libraries across North America. Attempts to reverse this trend or even to slow it seem unlikely to succeed in the WSU Libraries.
The use of the print journals has be decreasing in a similar pattern for the last twenty years. Our default format for acquiring journals is now digital. The Libraries have also been acquiring digital backfiles that reduce use of the older print journals. In fact, use of the print journals are now measured using student and faculty requests for PDF scans of articles as a proxy for direct print use. Once again, attempts to reverse this trend or even slow it seem unlikely to succeed in the WSU Libraries.
Because we have decided to take no action on the failure of the outcomes for print books and journals/articles to meet their criteria, we have no action plan to cover those aspects of the assessment.
Our action planning stemming from the measurement of the use of resources focuses instead on the necessity of performing more stringent assessment on the use and value of our digital collections. In the 2019-2020 cycle, the University Libraries' assessment needs to probe more deeply the aspects of these collections that meet and fail to meet the needs of WSU faculty and students. Our actions, therefore, necessarily overlap with the next assessment cycle. The University Libraries Assessment Team and Assessment Committee will be working in July and August 2019 to create a draft of the 2019-2020 assessment plan that can then be thoroughly vetted with the stakeholders among library staff. Our assessment plan will be entered into Compliance Assist well ahead of schedule and preparations for the gathering of data will be well underway in anticipation of the Winter 2020 semester.
The results of the entire Library Resources and Services Student Survey and the Measurement of the Use of Library Resources as well as our analysis of the results and action plans will be made publicly available through a Library Research Guide (https://library.wayne.edu/resources/guides/index.php) by the end of August 2019. These guides allow the Library Assessment Team and Committee to make the results available without relying on third parties. The availability of this report will be publicized to stakeholders through the University Libraries' news blog and through their Facebook and Twitter feeds.