STEP 1.b Understanding Outcome-Based Evaluation
Introduction
Definitions and Further Reading
Other Measurement and Evaluation Resources
The sites and resources listed below will provide additional definitions and descriptions of outcome-based evaluation. Please see Defining Outcome-Based Evaluation (1.a) for definitions and examples provided on this site. While some of the sites listed below are not specific to libraries, they provide a good overview from a non-profit perspective.
The How Libraries and Librarians Help model of outcome-based evaluation emphasizes the importance of a range of contextual factors whose synergies give rise to outcomes. These factors include:
- the library service model, including the specific activities that the user interacts with as well as the essential role that staff play in shaping the program.
- the people who need to interact with a service-the clientele.
- the traditional "outputs" component that appears in most outcome models today.
- the outcomes that result from the user's interactions with the specific service activities.
The figure below shows the relationship among these factors.
The How Libraries and Librarians Help Outcome Model |
| Contextual Factors Associated with the Institution |
Contextual Factors Associated with the User |
Outputs |
Outcomes |
The library and the library service model
Strategies and approaches; specific ACTIVITIES undertaken
Professional contributions from staff
Other inputs and resources used to carry out the program
|
Needs, attitudes, and perceptions
Information behavior
Approaches, limitations, and
factors that affect interaction with program
|
The numbers of clients who are served in various ways. "How much is done for how many people?" |
The changes in people's lives. "benefits to people: specifically, achievements or changes in skill, knowledge, attitude, behavior, condition, or life status" (IMLS) |
Further review of this toolkit will help you to conduct outcome-based evaluation in the context of your library's programs and services.
- United Way of America - Measuring Program Outcomes: A Practical Approach Provides definitions of evaluation terminology.
- Durrance, J.C. and Pettigrew, K.E. "Toward Context-Centered Methods for Evaluating Public Library Networked Community Information Initiatives." First Monday Peer Reviewed Journal on the Internet. April 2, 2001. Discusses impacts of digital community information services and systems on citizens, organizations, and communities.
- Joan C. Durrance and Karen E.Fisher-Pettigrew. (Fall 2002). Toward developing measures of the impact of library and information services. Reference and User Services
Quarterly, Vol 42, no. 1, 43-53.
- Bishop, A.P., et al. "Socially grounded user studies in digital library development." First Monday Peer Reviewed Journal on the Internet. June 5, 2000. Presents a socially grounded and participative process for facilitating access to networked digital information for marginalized groups.
- Steffen, N.O., Lance, K.C, and Logan, R. (July/August 2002) Time to tell the whole story: Outcome-based evaluation and the Counting on Results project. Public Libraries.
- Introduction To Outcome-Oriented Evaluation: Selected Resources
United Way Resource Library - Provides a list of web sites and other resources for those conducting outcome-based evaluation.
Library Research Service - Describes the research design services provided by LRS and also provides statistics and reports for academic, public libraries and school library media centers.
Library Research Center. - University of Illinois. Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Provides services such as assisting library and information professionals with service design, data collection, and analysis; initiating and conducting independent investigations in the field of library and information science; and conducting research projects for external contractors.
Now that you have a better understanding of outcome-based evaluation, you are ready to begin Preparing Your Own Evaluation (1.c).
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