Measure, Change, Measure: Assessing Changes to a Traditional Approval Plan

Abstract

This article details the impact and outcomes of a case study designed to improve the book approval
plan at a Carnegie R1 academic library, with implications for assessment of approval plans at large.
The project analyzes data from two different time periods: 2019 and 2023. Between these periods,
a large update was made to the parameters that control the approval plan as a way to improve the
performance of the plan. The authors report on the compilation of purchase and use data and detail
their assessment. Findings indicate that using these types of data to guide changes can positively
impact the quantity and use of titles arriving on approval