Project background

eVALUEd is a HEFCE funded project, based at the University of Central England. It has been set-up to develop a transferable model for e-library evaluation in Higher Education and to provide dissemination and training in e-library evaluation. The project commenced in September 2001 and will complete in February 2004.

Digital Library questionnaire for HEIs

The project will examine good practice in electronic library evaluation. At this stage, we are conducting a questionnaire This will be sent to all HEIs to find out what Digital Library developments are being made. We are particularly concerned with the issue of evaluation, e.g.:

• what techniques are being employed
• who uses the data collected
• how evaluation can inform decisions
• what evaluation could be conducted given more time, resources, staffing etc.

This data will enable us to gain an accurate picture of digital library evaluation and to inform our subsequent recommendations as to how evaluation can be effectively organised and implemented. We are also hoping that institutions will be prepared to be involved in a follow-up study which will allow us to focus on examples of good practice in more depth.

The printed version of the questionnaire will be available from the end of March and will also be available from this date to fill out online. The URL will be http://www.cie.uce.ac.uk/evalued/questionnaire.htm It will be sent to HE Library /LRC Managers in printed form.

Project outcomes

We intend to provide resources to support library managers and other senior strategic managers in the higher education sector with evaluation and planning of electronic library initiatives and to provide training and awareness in evaluation of electronic library developments.

The project is expected to produce practical initiatives such as:

• a transferable model for evaluation of digital library initiatives
• training workshops in aspects of evaluation (aimed at library managers in the higher education sector)
• a website for project dissemination and resource publication
• a final project report outlining the model of evaluation and other aspects of good practice in digital library evaluation

Further information about eVALUEd can be found on the project website and a public mailing list has been set-up.

eVALUEd website - http://www.cie.uce.ac.uk/evalued

Public Mailing List - http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/digi-eval.html

Author Details

Becky Hartland-Fox , Research Assistant and Pete Dalton, CIRT Research Development Manager Centre for Information Research (CIRT), University of Central EnglandBirmingham, B42 2SU, UK Contact: Rebecca.Hartland-Fox@uce.ac.uk