Slides from a workshop at the annual conference
of the American Theological Library Association,
New Orleans, June 2014
TD Lincoln
• Is informed by your (20) responses to
an online survey
• I present current information
• Will be interactive
• Written self-study texts.
• Served on ATS evaluation committees.
• I want you to write a self-study that is
more than an exercise in following
orders.
• THE VIEWPOINTS EXPRESSED HERE ARE NOT
ENDORSED BY ATS, ATLA, THE CANADIAN
LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, OR ANY OTHER
OFFICIAL BODY.
Commission on Accrediting of
ATS
• Exists as a separate
corporation from The
Association.
• Purpose: to improve the
quality of theological
education through a peerreview process
The Association
• Exists as a separate entity
from COA
• “The Association provides a
host of programs, services,
research, and other resources
to support the work of
administrators and faculty at
member schools.”
• NOT a set of trick questions
• IS a report about how your school
meets ATS expectations
• COULD BE: a tedious requirement
• OR: an opportunity to increase
self-knowledge
• For a period of 7 to 10 years (usually 10).
• LATE BREAKING NEWS: At the June 2014 meeting, the
Commission proposed that member schools would create a
NEW “midterm quality improvement report” halfway through
accreditation period.
• The stated purpose is to document quality improvement and
discuss “changes and challenges” experienced since last onsite
visit.
• This proposal was NOT approved; it was referred back to the
Commission.
• “Reports should clearly identify the recommendations that the
institution has developed as a result of the self-study. These
recommendations should inform the institution’s strategic plan
and reflect the serious intention of the school.” Handbook on
Accreditation, section two, p. 9.
• Thus: a self-study results in the school making decisions about
improvement even before the evaluation committee comes to
call.
• Your ATS staffer invites peer evaluators.
• If your committee lacks a librarian, ATS
staff consult with a librarian about
Standard 4.
• One practitioner from outside of
theological education also serves.
• PRELIMINARY: read documents &
conference phone call
• ON-SITE: interviews, checking documents,
following up on concerns
• DRAFT: a report with recommendations to
the Commission
• ACTION: by the Commission
• The evaluation committee is NOT there
primarily to offer expert advice about
your school or library. A committee may
provide suggestions or hints for
improvement.
• A school is recommended for reaffirmation
of accreditation for 10 years.
• One or more reports are required to
address weaknesses. Almost no schools
come away free of follow-up reports.
•A required report or a notation
gets the attention of a school in
the way that the library
director’s earnest pleas do not.
• 45%: no parts are hard to understand
• 30%: 4.2 and 4.3 are hard to understand
• What is unclear to you?
• What does your group think that
the unclear bits mean?
• 4.1.TEXTS
• 4.1.2 COLLECTION
DEVELOPMENT POLICY
• 4.1.3 may have special
collections
• 4.1.4 OTHER MEDIA &
ELECTRONIC
• 4.1.5 COORDINATE
• MOST COMMON
PROBLEMS:
• Policy seems out of step
with mission or available
resources
• Policy has not been
reviewed recently.
• You need to demonstrate that you
DO these things.
• Notice that 4.2 doesn’t say that
you can tell that DOING these
things impacts student learning.
• 4.3.2 “CONSULT,” “PARTICIPATE” &
“ANTICIPATE”
• TDL TRANSLATION: capture faculty
attention even if faculty are thinking
about just their own academic work.
• THE EXPECTATION DIFFERS IF YOU
ARE EMBEDDED OR FREE-STANDING
• 4.4.3 SAYS IT IS THE DIRECTOR’S JOB
TO CONDUCT ONGOING
ASSESSEMENTS
• “ADEQUATE” & “SUFFICIENT” MEETS THE
ATS STANDARD, BASED ON YOUR
MISSION
• You should use benchmark comparisons
4.5.3
• 35% analyze circulation trends over time
• 50% use data about usage of e-resources to
make decisions about subscription renewals
• 42% routinely ask students and faculty about
the usefulness of collections
• 45% used data about long-term trends to
inform decisions about improving library
services
• Contributions to teaching, learning, and
research (4.2)
• Partnership in curriculum development
(4.3)
•DATA are good, BUT
data by themselves
are not analysis.
• Part 3 consisted of exercises that
participants worked on in small
groups. A separate PDF contains
directions used for the exercises.
•Part 1: a look at the self-study
and reaffirmation process
•Part 2: standard 4
•Part 3: exercises using data
• TALK TO YOUR ATS/COA STAFF MEMBER
• VISIT THE ATS WEBSITE
• ASK LIBRARIANS WHOSE SCHOOLS RECENTLY WERE VISITED
Timothy D. Lincoln
Director, Stitt Library
Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
tlincoln@austinseminary.edu