Literature review:
Assessment of Cataloging Services in an Academic Library
Rebecca Welch
Catalog Management Librarian
University of North Texas Libraries
The importance of assessment is becoming increasingly evident for cataloging and metadata
departments facing the need to measure their value in the midst of budget cuts and other changes. A
survey of academic libraries in Pennsylvania found that the units most likely to have undergone
assessment were cataloging, metadata, and acquisitions (Mugridge, 2014).
Our study is based on one by Herrera, Cheng, Leslie, and Harry (2006), in which technical
services librarians sought feedback from public services regarding cataloging and database maintenance
activities at the University of Mississippi Libraries. They administered two identical surveys—one to public
services and one to technical services—to explore a disconnect between the two groups and to
determine if there were differences of opinion. This was the only study we could find in which librarians
performed a cross-examination of cataloging activities by asking for input from public services and
technical services.
Technical services librarians have used questionnaires or surveys to gain other information about
their internal and external users. El-Sherbini and Chen (2011) used a questionnaire to learn about
librarian and patron behaviors and preferences when performing subject searches for non-Roman script
materials. Yue and Kurt (2011) used an internal survey followed by staff interviews to determine staff
satisfaction with periodical management practices nine years after a decision to cease print periodical
check-in.
Assessment studies have been used to increase efficiency and improve technical services
workflows. Herrera, Leslie, Harry, and Cheng (2006) reused their survey instrument to pinpoint some
problems with their serials and monographic ordering operations. Dragon and Barricella (2006) performed
a time and path study of the workflow in their technical services department. Chase and Krug (2007)
participated in a grant-funded project to improve acquisitions, cataloging, and processing procedures of
Appalachian College Association libraries. Godbout (2007) performed an assessment project at Wells
College in order to streamline the workflow between acquisitions and cataloging. Loring (2007) assessed
Smith College Libraries’ purchasing, cataloging, and materials flow processes. Medeiros (2007) assessed
the management of licensing and affiliated administrative metadata for electronic resources. Andreadis,
Barth, Cochrane, and Greever (2007) discussed the merging of the technical services departments at
Kenyon College and Denison University in order to improve operations.
Assessment studies have also been performed to evaluate the cost or value of certain processes.
Schroeder and Howland (2011) studied whether outsourcing certain processing activities would be more
time and cost effective than not outsourcing. Stouthuysen, Swiggers, Reheul, & Roodhooft (2010)
performed a case study that demonstrated time driven activity based costing focused on the acquisition
process. A task force created by the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services Heads of
Technical Services in Large Research Libraries Interest Group developed metrics that could be used to
evaluate certain cataloging activities’ cost and value (Stalberg & Cronin, 2011). Mitchell (2013) looked at
various methods of measuring value in libraries in an effort to answer the question of how to measure
metadata value.
Finally, assessments of technical services websites have been made to determine if
improvements to the sites were needed. Using a template to gather data from ARL member libraries’
catalog department websites, Mundle, Huie, and Bangalore (2006) looked at the websites to assess their
functionality. Groves (2005) performed an assessment of technical services, cataloging, serials, and
acquisitions online worktools. Webber (2004) created an electronic resources management program to
improve delivery of a library’s digital resources, and developed strategies for program assessment.
References
Andreadis, D. K., Barth, C. D., Cochrane, L. S., & Greever, K. E. (2007). Cooperative work redesign in
library technical services at Denison University and Kenyon College. In M. Mitchell (Ed.), Library
workflow redesign: Six case studies (39–49). Washington, DC: Council on Library and Information
Resources.
Chase, A., & Krug, T. (2007). New techniques in library technical services at the Appalachian College
Association. In M. Mitchell (Ed.), Library workflow redesign: Six case studies (8-20). Washington,
DC: Council on Library and Information Resources.
Dragon, P., & Barricella, L. S. (2006). Assessment of technical services workflow in an academic library:
A time-and-path study. Technical Services Quarterly, 23(4), 1–16.
El-Sherbini, M., & Chen, S. (2011). An assessment of the need to provide non-Roman subject access to
the library online catalog. Cataloging & Classification Quarterly, 49(6), 457–483.
Godbout, M. (2007). Preparing an item for circulation while streamlining the workflow between the
acquisitions and cataloging offices. Indiana Libraries 26(4), 59–67.
Groves, D. (2005). Online work tools: A look at 20 academic libraries technical services Web pages.
Library Collections, Acquisitions & Technical Services, 29(4), 395–402.
Herrera, G., Cheng, D. T., Leslie, J., & Harry, T. (2006). Technical services cataloging and database
maintenance assessment. Technical Services Quarterly, 23(3), 51–72.
Herrera, G., Leslie, J., Harry, T., & Cheng, D. T. (2006). Technical services serials and monographic
ordering assessment. Technical Services Quarterly, 24(1), 45–62.
Loring, C. B. (2007). Increasing productivity through workflow redesign at Smith College. In M. Mitchell
(Ed.), Library workflow redesign: Six case studies (50-59). Washington, DC: Council on Library
and Information Resources.
Medeiros, N. (2007). Managing electronic resources in the Tri-College Consortium. In M. Mitchell (Ed.),
Library workflow redesign: Six case studies (60-72). Washington, DC: Council on Library and
Information Resources.
Mitchell, E. (2013). Assessing the value of metadata in information services. Technical Services
Quarterly, 30(2), 187-200.
Mugridge, R. L. (2014). Technical services assessment: A survey of Pennsylvania academic libraries.
Library Resources and Technical Services, 58(2), 100-110
Mundle, K., Huie, H., & Bangalore, N. S. (2006). ARL library catalog department Web sites: An evaluative
survey. Library Resources & Technical Services, 50(3), 173–185.
Schroeder, R., & Howland, J. L. (2011). Shelf-ready: A cost-benefit analysis. Library Collections,
Acquisitions & Technical Services, 35(4), 129–134.
Stalberg, E., & Cronin, C. (2011). Assessing the cost and value of bibliographic control. Library
Resources & Technical Services, 55(3), 124–137.
Stouthuysen, K., Swiggers, M., Reheul, A., & Roodhooft, F. (2010). Time-driven activity-based costing for
a library acquisition process: A case study in a Belgian university. Library Collections,
Acquisitions & Technical Services, 34(2), 83–91.
Webber, S. (2004). Applying program assessment techniques to electronic resources management.
Technical Services Quarterly, 22(1), 9-20.
Yue, P. W., & Kurt, L. (2011). Nine years after implementing the unthinkable: The cessation of periodical
check-in at the University of Nevada, Reno. Serials Librarian, 61(2), 231–252.