Assessment of Cataloging and Metadata Services: Introduction

• Published in: Cataloging & classification quarterly 2017-11, Vol.55 (7-8), p.435-437
• Main Author: Mugridge, Rebecca L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic libraries; Library cataloging; Metadata
• ISSN: 0163-9374; 1544-4554
• DOI: 10.1080/01639374.2017.1362913

Assessment is a topic of great interest to the cataloging and metadata community. In the last decade it has gotten significantly more attention, partly as a response to movements in the academic library community and its focus on the value of libraries and what we do. I have long felt that cataloging and metadata departments regularly conduct a variety of forms of assessment, but that we are not good at sharing those assessment activities or communicating the results of our efforts. We carry out assessments of productivity, workflows, cataloging and metadata quality, vendor services, training needs, documentation, and more. Methods of conducting assessment can include focus groups, surveys, benchmarking, observational analyses, interviews, and methodologies that we borrow from other disciplines such as business. Interest in assessment continues to grow as evidenced by the number of conference programs, webinars, and other continuing education offerings that attract many attendees. There is clearly a need for practical ideas on how to conduct assessment and communicate the results of that assessment to administrators and other stakeholders.