Challenge and opportunity: early considerations about the value and impact of research and historical libraries

Abstract

Despite the attention given in national and international professional literature to the measurement of the value and impact of public and academic libraries, there’s a growing need for evaluating special libraries too (e.g. research or historical libraries). The lack of a systematic approach in this field is due to the difficulty in measuring the profusion of libraries’ informative, cultural and creative activities and events, as well as the correspondent library services, and the benefits experienced by those who use the library (educational development, career opportunities, social relations, cultural interests, etc.). The aim of this paper is to stress the strategic value of this type of libraries, introducing a new perspective in the Italian evaluating framework.