Library assessment and user surveys in academic librarianship in the United States

Abstract

Academic libraries in the United States are facing increasing demands for accountability and quality assurance. In addition to facing external pressures, academic librarians are also committed to providing high quality services that meet user needs. Library assessment enables and empowers libraries and librarians to respond to external accountability pressures while also monitoring and improving service quality. This essay provides a general overview of current library assessment initiatives in academic and research librarianship in the United States with a particular focus on user surveys as a mechanism for gathering useful data for library decision-making and service development.