Library Assessment and Quality Assurance - Creating a Staff-Driven and User-Focused Development Process

Library assessment and external intelligence is important for tracking and improving library activities. Quality assurance and strategic planning are intricate parts in sustainably developing better and more effective services. Gothenburg University Library has implemented a process with the goal to join these activities. The process has both bottom-up and top-down features designed to generate strong staff involvement and long-term strategic stability. In 2008, the library started implementing a system where each library team should state a number of improvement activities for the upcoming year. In order to focus the efforts, the system has gradually been improved by closely coupling a number of assessment activities, such as surveys and statistics. The results have generated increased understanding within the different staff groups for changing demands from the surroundings and the need for continuous change to our activities. To further focus the outcome, the process is now also closely guided by the long-term strategic plan of the library.