Five Steps of Outcome-Based Planning and Evaluation for Public Libraries. By Melissa Gross, Cindy Mediavilla, and Virginia A. Walter. Chicago: ALA, 2016. 120 p. Paper $38.00 (ISBN: 978-0-8389-1404-5).
Most public librarians have pondered how to better report our library’s worth and value to our varied constituents, ranging from patrons to library boards to municipal councils, and many of us have wondered how effective some of our programming endeavors actually are. Librarians are good storytellers, and this new book—Five Steps of Outcome-Based Planning and Evaluation for Public Libraries—affirms our collective talent while nudging public librarians to “step up our game.”
Going beyond the “how we did it well at our library” approach, the authors provide a framework for planning and assessment in clear and concise chapters. To move beyond thinking solely in outputs, the authors outline a five-step approach. They clearly convey that “no matter how many books, computers or chairs a library owns, they have little value unless they are used to effect positive change in the community” (32).
The authors organize their process around the following five phases of outcome-based planning: (1) gathering information, (2) determining outcomes, (3) developing programs and services, (4) conducting evaluations, and (5) leveraging the library’s role. The process is accessible and applicable to public libraries of any size. Four appendices provide ready charts and questions to assist a novice through the process.
The primary example used throughout the book is a program to help remedial students comprehend their math homework better. This case might not reflect many public libraries’ experiences, but it does illustrate the authors’ approach of engaging the community in ongoing conversations and recognizing the importance of intentional initiatives that create value, enhance existing services, and aid in the development of new ones. They emphasize that outcome statements must be well focused and must address a specific target population.
The authors acknowledge that library staff are “brilliant” at creating library programs but usually not as astute in measuring the impact of their programs. How can a library determine whether a program is a success? It is essential to plan evaluation methods concurrently with planning the program itself. The book emphasizes that a variety of evaluation methods should be triangulated to validate the conclusion. Effective evaluation will lead libraries to modify less effective programs or to shutter a program entirely to transfer resources to more responsive programs and services.
In sum, the authors note that “outcome-based planning and evaluation is a way for library heroes to be more effective advocates for their communities” (81)—and that is the bottom line. Public librarians who use the methods outlined in this book are likely to generate an enhanced bottom line to continue their “heroic work,” removing the veil from the “best kept secret” in a community (80). Highly recommended for all public libraries.—Lisa Powell Williams, Adult and Young Adult Services Coordinator, Moline Public Library, Moline, Illinois