Paper – Stop the Madness: The Insanity of ROI and the Need for New Qualitative Measures of Academic Library Success

Stop the Madness: The Insanity of ROI and the Need for New Qualitative Measures of Academic Library Success, by James G. Neal – Vice President for Information Services and University Librarian at Columbia University.

  • “This paper is not a scientific study or a literature review or a reasoned analysis of the assessment literature on academic libraries. It is a polemic and a call to action. It is an appeal for the academic library to step away from inappropriate, unsophisticated and exploitable ROI research as a miscalculated, defensive and risky strategy. Certainly, academic libraries must embrace and advance rigorous assessment programs. We need effective and honest ways to explore issues like user satisfaction, the usability of systems and services, market penetration, cost-effectiveness, productivity, impact, and success in advancing institutional priorities. A focus on outcomes can link the academic library to more effective qualitative measures which help us to understand library contribution to successful graduates, productive faculty, and institutional advancement.”
    • LinkedIn
    Posted in: Knowledge Management, Libraries
    ➤