Performance Measurement Task Force Final Report
Summary of Final Report
[11/10/98]
The Performance Measurement Task Force’s report is available on the staff web at pmtf-report-top.html please give it a look. We welcome your feedback, now or at the town meetings next month. The work of every Task Force has been an intensive learning experience for its members, and our group was no exception. To fulfill our charge* on schedule meant collecting and analyzing a lot of information QUICKLY. What data is gathered currently in the Libraries? How is it used? What other types of data would staff like to see, and how would they use it? What are other academic libraries doing in the area of data-gathering and assessment of public services? (Although this has been mentioned before, it probably doesn’t hurt to restate it here: the task force was NOT concerned with performance evaluation of individual staff, but rather with assessing the effectiveness of our services and our organization.)
Our recommendations fall into three categories: CUSTOMER SERVICE FOCUS: The subgroup looking at practices and trends in other academic libraries found this to be the single most prominent theme in discussions of performance measurement. The goal of customer satisfaction and success establishes the framework and context -- the reason -- for performance measurement. STAFF RELATED: Performance measurement requires training, an understanding of tools and techniques, staff time, and an organized approach. Our recommendations in this area represent a model for organizing our performance measurement activities and getting the resources we need. DATA: This part is critical, in the Task Force’s view. Are we meeting users’ needs? Are there new services we should consider offering? Are there areas for improvement? Do we need to shift resources from one area to another? Service-related decisions often require data. Take a look at "Reference B", the table of data gathered currently in the Libraries. Lots of data is being compiled, to be sure; however our group sees a need for more systematic and organized data-gathering, more access to data, and a better understanding of what data we have and how to use it effectively.
We look forward to hearing your comments and questions and hope this report will generate lots of discussion. We hope to see you at the meetings in December.
-Performance Measurement Task Force
Current Performance Measurements at the MIT Libraries
-PMTF Subgroup 11/17/98
This is
a PDF file.
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Glossary of Performance Measurement Terms
Bibliography
of readings on Performance Measurement in Libraries
The Archived PMTF web form
The Archived earlier version of
Current Performance Measurements at the MIT Libraries
-PMTF Subgroup 9/30/98
PMTF is: