Abstract:

A 2002 ARL survey on reference statistics & assessments gives supporting evidence that many academic institutions are not completely satisfied with the usefulness of statistics gathered for reference services. The study revealed a situation in flux:

"The study reveals a lack of confidence in current data collection techniques. Some dissatisfaction may be due to the fact that 77% of responding libraries report that the number of reference transactions has decreased in the past three years. With many librarians feeling as busy as ever, some have concluded that the reference data collected does not accurately reflect librarian's level of activity". (ARL/SPEC/Kit268)

It was with this sentiment that the READ Scale was developed. The READ Scale (Reference Effort Assessment Data)© is a six-point scale tool for recording vital supplemental qualitative statistics gathered when reference staff assist users with their inquiries or research-related activities by placing an emphasis on recording the effort / knowledge / skills / teaching etc utilized by library staff during a reference transaction.

Institutional research grants enabled the authors to conduct a national study of the READ Scale at (14) diverse academic libraries and test its use as a tool for recording reference statistics. The study represents data collected from 179 individuals and 24 service points with over 22,000 transactions analyzed. There was a 52% return rate of an online survey of participants, with over 80% of respondents indicating they would recommend / adopt the Scale. The READ Scale has the potential to transform how reference statistics are gathered, interpreted and valued.

The paper proposed will introduce the READ Scale U.S. study in an international forum. Audience members will be invited to test the READ Scale at their own institutions, expanding the study of the Scale and reference assessment globally / culturally.

Research Objective
Current methodologies for data gathering of statistics do not adequately reflect the effort / knowledge / experience / skill / value-added service of reference staff. The READ Scale (Reference Effort Assessment Data) was developed as a tool in an attempt to gather unrecorded qualitative ‘value-added’ data associated with the reference transaction. The U.S. national study was conducted to test the viability of the READ Scale as an adaptable / adoptable tool at diverse institutions and determine its effectiveness and practical applications in reference librarianship, and acquire data to support or disprove to its use in the modern context of the statistics / assessment / measures / recognition of value-added service related to reference work.

Methodology
Study components (abbreviated):
• Identify / recruitment of 14 diverse (size, location, mission, affiliation) academic institutions
• Satisfy IRB protocols
• Establish site coordinators
• Coordination of unilateral pre-testing / normalization of the READ Scale across libraries
• Timeline
• Procedures for disseminating instructions / integration of Scale into existing data gathering processes
• Online anonymous survey conducted of individuals at termination of study
• Analysis

Results & discussion:
• Viability: locally, nationally, internationally
• Normalization of reference transactions across institutions
• Problems encountered
• Comparative data analysis
• Practical use

Examples from institutions currently using the READ Scale with also be shared.

Keywords:

innovation, research projects, reference, academic libraries, statistics, qualitative.