Transcript Knowing Me, Knowing You: - Society of American Archivists

KNOWING ME,
KNOWING YOU:
Assessment and the Archivists Toolkit at the RBML
COSA – NAGARA – SAA Joint Annual Meeting
Friday August 15, 2014
About the RBML
WHY DO ASSESSMENT?
Brainstorming Worksheet
Goals
• To understand users’ needs and experiences using the
RBML
• To evaluate service at the RBML
• To collect data in a more strategic way
• To establish a long term, iterative, sustainable
assessment strategy for the RBML
In-house
Database
Reading
Room
Stats
LibQual
Lots of
Data- No
Big
Picture
Archival Metrics Toolkit
Archival Metrics Toolkit Surveys
• Onsite Users
• Students who have attended an orientation
session
• Instructors who use the archives for
teaching
• Online users of the website
• Online users of finding aids
ARCHIVALMETRICS.ORG
HOW DID WE DO IT?
Survey Form and Collection Box
WHAT DID WE LEARN?
Are you affiliated with Columbia University?
Yes
37%
No
63%
What best describes your position?
Undergrad.
15%
Other
23%
Students
53%
Faculty member
or post-doc
24%
Master's
16%
Doctoral
22%
TYPE OF PROJECT
Which best characterizes the project that motivated this visit to
the Rare Book and Manuscript Library?
Publication (e.g. article, book)
198 (35%)
Dissertation or thesis
134 (24%)
Class assignment
117 (21%)
Other
49 (9%)
Gathering information, but don't have a final
project in mind
42 (7%)
Administrative or work-related product
29 (5%)
Family history project
10 (2%)
Curriculum development/teaching preparation
9 (2%)
Film or video
7 (1%)
RESPONSE COUNT (RESPONSE %)
How many times have you used the Rare Book and
Manuscript Library?
4%
7%
16%
74%
First time
2-5 times
6-10 times
> 10 times
How long have you been using archival materials?
31%
32%
11%
26%
First time
< one year
1-5 years
> 5 years
Please indicate your level of satisfaction with the facilities, services and staff of the RBML.
Questionnaire items
1 (completely dissatisfied)
5 (completely satisfied)
No
Response
opinion
count
8%
495
0%
502
2%
498
7%
489
0%
504
Study areas
Noise level
Furniture
Physical Access to the building
Lighting
0%
0%
1%
0%
1%
0%
2%
1%
1%
3%
4%
6%
7%
4%
8%
16%
21%
18%
18%
21%
72%
71%
71%
70%
67%
Informational/ navigational signs
Temperature
Internet access
Hours of service
Website
Catalogs/ indexes/ findings aids
Exhibits
0%
2%
0%
1%
0%
0%
0%
2%
5%
1%
5%
1%
2%
0%
8%
12%
1%
16%
6%
5%
1%
20%
20%
7%
26%
21%
20%
10%
60%
60%
57%
51%
50%
43%
41%
9%
0%
34%
1%
22%
30%
47%
491
502
479
499
477
467
466
Reference books
Photocopying / duplication services
0%
1%
0%
0%
2%
1%
2%
2%
1%
5%
5%
3%
28%
24%
19%
65%
67%
76%
465
455
466
Microfilm and fiche viewing facilities
What else did we learn?
• Planning is key
• Get “buy-in” from your entire staff
• Paper and immediacy
• Be prepared to make change and build on what you’ve
learned
• A culture of assessment
Questions?
Carrie Hintz
[email protected]
Jocelyn Wilk
[email protected]