Public Library Evaluation: A Retrospective on the Evolution of Measurement Systems

Abstract

This article aims to provide a historical and contemporary perspective on how public libraries establish indicators for measuring success, using the Free Library of Philadelphia as a focus of analysis. From the 1970s though the late 1980s, libraries focused on measuring internal statistics, such as bibliographic resources, to communicate the strength of their collection. Within the past twenty years, libraries have shifted their measurement structures toward outward performance in the communities they serve. The challenge today for libraries such as the Free Library is to establish structured formats for guiding community plans for their particular library and establishing agreed-on measures. Simultaneously, these structures need to incorporate ongoing evaluation methods.

KEYWORDS:

• library evaluation
• strategic planning
• civic librarianship
• library greatness

Notes

1. These examples are pulled from the Strategic Plan provided by the Free Library, located in Appendix A.

2. The Free Library is divided among the public city agency, the Free Library of Philadelphia, and the private foundation, the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation. The city entity is overseen by a Board of Trustees, whose members are appointed by the Mayor of the City of Philadelphia. The private foundation is overseen by a Board of Directors, whose members are voted in by the foundation leadership.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Matthew Closter

Matthew Closter is currently working on his PhD in public affairs with a focus on community development at Rutgers University in Camden. He is also a graduate assistant and student fellow at the Rutgers–Camden Community Leadership Center. His research interests include the roles of urban public institutions in revitalizing distressed communities, the intersection of philanthropy and government, and collaborations between civic organizations and governing bodies. He has extensive experience in community development, project management, fundraising, and nonprofit administration. He has worked for the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation, City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America, AFS Intercultural Programs, and Amigos de las Américas. He received a Master’s degree in public administration at the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and sociology from Brandeis University.