Oviatt Library Assessment Planning Guide
July 10, 2006 Update
Katherine Dabbour
Library Assessment Coordinator
kathy.dabbour@csun.edu
(818) 677-4706
Oviatt Library Assessment Planning Guide
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July 10, 2006 update
Table of Contents
Our Vision
I. Student Learning, Library Collections, and Library Services Outcomes
A. Student Learning Outcomes for Information Competence
B. Outcomes for collections that support student learning, and faculty teaching and
research
C. Outcomes for services that support student learning, and faculty teaching and research
II. Library Assessment Plan
 Measurable Outcomes
 Methodology
 Responsible parties
 Timeline
III. Disseminate assessment data to Library faculty and staff
IV. Disseminate assessment report to campus administration
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Our Vision
The vision for our Library includes a collection superbly tailored to our student and faculty
needs, exemplary service to all our users, skillful and engaging instruction on information
research skills, strong and continuous support from our users and friends, and a national
reputation for excellence in librarianship and library service. See also the Library’s Strategic
Plan at http://library.csun.edu/About_the_Library/stratplan.html
I. Student Learning, Library Collections, and Library Services Outcomes
In support of our vision, and in recognition of the Library’s unique role as both a provider of
information and services, as well as an instructional support unit, the library faculty identified
three areas for assessment:
A. Student information competence skills
B. Collections that support student learning, and faculty teaching and research
C. Services that support student learning, and faculty teaching and research
A. Student Learning Outcomes for Information Competence
Information competence, also known as information literacy, is a set of skills that require the
individual to recognize when information is needed and be able to locate, evaluate, and use
effectively the needed information.1 The following outcomes detail Oviatt Library faculty
expectations for student learning that demonstrate information competence acquisition. The
adopted student learning outcomes are based on the Association of College and Research
Libraries’ Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, 2 which mirror the
California State University Information Competence Core Competencies.3 To ensure that student
learning for information competence occurs through activities completed within class as well as
outside of class, library and teaching faculty collaborate to develop assignments, library
instruction sessions, and assessment tools.
The information competent student will be able to . . .
1. Determine the nature and extent of the information needed, for example:
 Identify key concepts and terms that describe the information need;
 Differentiate between popular vs. scholarly, primary vs. secondary, specific vs.
background sources of information;
 Define or modify the information need to achieve a manageable focus.
2. Access needed information effectively and efficiently, for example:
1
American Library Association. Presidential Committee on Information Literacy, Final Report (Chicago: American Library
Association, 1989.) http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/whitepapers/ presidential.htm
2 American Library Association, Association of College & Research Libraries. Information Literacy Competency Standards for
Higher Education. (Chicago: American Library Association, 2000.)
http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/informationliteracycompetency.htm
3 California State University. Work Group on Information Competence. Information Competence in the CSU: A Report Submitted
to Commission on Learning Resources and Instructional Technology. (Long Beach: California State University, 1995.)
http://www.calstate.edu/LS/Archive/info_comp_report.shtml
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
Recognize the type of information source needed and know how to access it in the
library, online, or via inter-library loan/document delivery;
 Construct a search strategy using appropriate commands and/or controlled vocabulary
for the information retrieval system, including Boolean logic, truncation, and limiters;
 Recognize when search strategies have to be refined;
 Retrieve information online or in person using a variety of methods, such as online
catalogs, periodical databases, classification schemes, and inter-library loan/document
delivery.
3. Evaluate information and its sources critically and incorporate selected information into his
or her knowledge base and value system, for example:
 Examine and compare information from various sources to evaluate authority,
accuracy, reliability, timeliness, and bias;
 Recognize when search strategies and/or information sources have to be refined.
4. Individually or as a member of a group, use information effectively to accomplish a specific
purpose, for example:
 Develop a product or performance to communicate the results of research (annotated
bibliography, research paper, class presentation, portfolio, etc.)
5. Demonstrate understanding of the many economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the
use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally, for example:
 Recognize plagiarism;
 Recognize the need for and how to authenticate into the library’s online resources;
 Cites sources using a consistent documentation style.
B. Outcomes for collections that support student learning, and faculty teaching and research
The Library’s collection contains approximately 1.3 million books and periodical volumes, 2,500
print subscriptions, and more than 3 million microforms. We have over 10,000 music CDs, 6,000
videos and DVDs, and nearly 60,000 pictures and other graphic materials. Our manuscript and
archive collections exceed 1,300 linear feet of materials. Supplementing our physical collection,
especially for periodicals, but increasingly for books as well, is an array of over 100 online
subscription databases providing access to indexing and in many cases full-text for over 13,000
online periodicals, available on a 24/7 basis from on or off campus. Subject specialist librarians,
working in teams as both bibilographers and librarian instructors, develop collection
development policies and select materials that support the curricular and research needs of
CSUN students and faculty.
The aim of the Library’s collection development program is threefold:
 To provide materials in direct support of the academic programs of the University;
 To provide materials that support the research interests of faculty and students;
 Where feasible, to provide materials related to scholarly subjects not necessarily offered
at the University to support independent, lifelong learning, and a love of reading and
scholarship.
The Oviatt Library . . .
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1. Collects and provides access to a variety of primary and secondary print, manuscript,
media, and electronic resources to support the curricular information needs of students
and faculty.
2. Collects and provides access to a variety of primary and secondary print, manuscript,
media, and electronic resources to support the research needs of students and faculty.
3. Actively engages in outreach to collaborate with faculty on the development of library
collections to support curricular and research needs.
C. Outcomes for services that support student learning, and faculty teaching and research
Overarching its instructional mission and collection development program is the Library’s strong
service commitment, which connects CSUN faculty, staff, and students, as well as members of
the greater community, to information resources.
The Oviatt Library . . .
1. Provides courteous, capable, and responsive service that demonstrates professionalism
and pride in our work.
2. Creates a physical environment conducive to study and research.
3. Provides open hours that takes into consideration both the schedules of our students and
faculty and the realities of budgetary constraints.
4. Provides skillful and engaging individualized point-of-use instruction, both in-person and
virtual, that helps students develop their information competence skills.
5. Actively engages in outreach to collaborate with faculty to develop assignments and
instructional experiences that develop students’ information competence skills.
6. Provides skillful and engaging classroom instruction, which helps students develop their
information competence skills.
7. Facilitates searches for needed information by maintaining the efficient organization of
and timely access to the Library’s print and manuscript collections, including course
reserves.
8. Facilitates searches for needed information by maintaining the efficient organization of
and timely access to electronic resources via its Web pages, including course reserves.
9. Facilitates use of audio/video resources by maintaining the efficient organization of and
timely access to media resources, including collections, equipment, and the University
Video Network.
10. Facilitates effective use of information by providing equipment (i.e., computers, printers,
copiers, etc) and software to extract needed information from either online or print
formats.
11. Provides timely access to resources of other libraries via inter-library loan and/or
document delivery, as appropriate, to supplement Library collections.
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II. Library Assessment Plan
The Library faculty has selected the following outcomes to assess, and the methodology,
responsible parties (see “Library Acronyms” at the end of the document), and timeline for their
assessment:
A. Student information competence skills
Information
Competence
Outcomes
Determine the nature
and extent of the
needed information
Access needed
information
effectively and
efficiently
Critically evaluate
information sources
Use information
effectively to
accomplish a specific
purpose.
Demonstrate
understanding of how
to access and use
information ethically
and legally
Assessment Method
Responsible Library
Dept./Individual
Timeline*
Survey/test
RIS/LIC
Annual
Survey/test
RIS/LIC
Annual
Survey/test
RIS/LIC
Annual
Survey/test
RIS/LIC
Annual
Survey/test
RIS/LIC
Annual
*Tied to academic program review when feasible, but focusing on library instruction for
departments that RIS determines to be most critical, as well as student services such as EOP,
New Student Orientation, Student Athletes, First Year Experience, etc.
B. Collections that support student learning, and faculty teaching and research
Library Collections
Outcomes
Collections support
the curricular
information needs of
students and faculty
Collections support
the research
information needs of
students and faculty.
Librarians actively
engage in outreach to
collaborate with
faculty on collection
development to
support curricular
and research needs.
Assessment Method
Responsible Library
Dept./Individual
TS/CD
Timeline
Survey;
Environmental scan
TS/CD
Annual
Survey
TS/CD
Annual
Survey;
Environmental scan
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Annual
July 10, 2006 update
C. Services that support student learning, and faculty teaching and research
Library Services
Outcomes
Provide courteous,
capable, and
responsive service.
Assessment Method
Responsible Library
Dept./Individual
Circulation, Reference,
Information Desk, TCC, ILL,
Music & Media; RP&M,
Special Collections/Archives,
Collaboratory
Library Facilities
Timeline
Creates a physical
environment
conducive to study
and research.
Provides open hours
that are responsive to
the needs of students
and faculty, within
budgetary
constraints.
Provides skillful and
engaging
individualized pointof-use instruction,
both in-person and
virtual, that helps
students develop
their information
competence skills.
Actively engages in
outreach to
collaborate with
faculty to develop
assignments and
instructional
experiences that
develop students’
information
competence skills.
Provides skillful and
engaging classroom
instruction, which
helps students
develop their
information
competence skills.
Survey
Survey;
Environmental scan
Library Administration
2 over 5 years
Survey
Circulation, Reference,
Information Desk, TCC, ILL,
Music & Media; RP&M,
Special Collections/Archives,
Collaboratory
2 over 5 years
Survey
RIS/LIC
2 over 5 years
Survey
RIS/LIC
2 over 5 years
Survey
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2 over 5 years
2 over 5 years
July 10, 2006 update
C. Services that support student learning, and faculty teaching and research (cont.)
Library Services
Outcomes
Maintain the efficient
organization of and
timely access to the
Library’s print and
electronic
collections, including
reserves.
Maintain the efficient
organization of and
timely access to
media resources,
including the
University Video
Network.
Provide equipment
and software to
effectively extract
needed information
from either online or
print formats.
Provide timely access
to resources of other
libraries via
ILL/document
delivery services
Assessment Method
Responsible Library
Dept./Individual
Circulation, ELCOM, RIS,
Music & Media; RP&M,
Special Collections/Archives,
TCC, Library Systems,
Technical Services
Timeline
Survey;
Environmental scan
Music & Media; RP&M; TCC,
Technical Services
2 over 5 years
Survey;
Environmental scan
Library Finance (via West
Coast Copy), Library Systems
2 over 5 years
Survey;
Environmental scan
ILL
2 over 5 years
Survey;
Environmental scan
2 over 5 years
III. Disseminate assessment data to Library faculty and staff
A. Method of dissemination
1. Send written report via email to appropriate Library administrators, faculty, and staff
2. Discuss at Library department, faculty and advisory board meetings
B. Frequency of dissemination
1. TBA, based on when the data is collected and analyzed, as well as the frequency of
library meetings and events.
C. Use of results for decision-making
1. Strategic planning
2. Annual Library goal setting
3. Department goals
4. Policy and/or procedural changes
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IV. Disseminate assessment report to campus
A. Annual report to campus assessment coordinator
1. Report contents
 What did we assess?
 What did we learn?
 What changes did we make?
2. Frequency of dissemination: May of each year
B. Discuss at Faculty Senate Library Committee meetings, as appropriate
C. Disseminate to campus in the form of emails, reports, meetings, and events, as appropriate.
Library Acronyms
CD – Collection Development
ELCOM – Electronic Library Committee
ILL – Inter-Library Loan
LIC – Library Instruction Committee
RIS – Reference and Instructional Services Dept.
RP&M – Reserves, Periodicals & Microform
TCC – Teacher Curriculum Center
TS – Technical Services Dept.
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