Measuring the efficiency of library activities: foreign experience

Abstract

The article discusses various criteria for evaluation the efficiency of library activities. Foreign experts have developed various methods for measuring the efficiency of libraries: ServQUAL, LibQUAL, method of Data Enveloped Analysis, method of Total Quality Management, Best Value. Particular attention is paid to documents prepared with the assistance of IFLA. R. Poll and P. Bockhorst made a significant contribution to the development of indicators that allow a multidimensional assessment of the activities of libraries. The Balanced scorecard was used to develop indicators for assessing the efficiency of libraries in the Republic of Belarus. The use of benchmarking based on a comparative analysis of results of library activities for certain parameters or of the same type of libraries is of interest. It is important to assess the activities of libraries by the population. The decisive role is played by the «social effect» – the satisfaction of cultural, social, educational, information needs of the population with the assistance of libraries. Russian specialists I. Pilko and S. Mukhamedieva proposed a composite index of the efficiency of library activities – a set of indicators of social, economic, organizational, technological efficiency. The experience of foreign specialists in the field of librarianship was useful in conducting the scientific research «To develop qualitative indicators of the efficiency of the activities of cultural organizations of the Republic of Belarus, taking into account international experience».