Shaping the Campus Conversation on Student Learning and Experience: Activating the Results of Assessment in Action. Edited by Karen Brown, Debra Gilchrist, Sara Goek, Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe, Kara Malenfant, Chase Ollis, and Allison Payne. Chicago: ACRL, 2018. 378 p. Paper $70.00 (ISBN 0-8389-8994-4).

From 2013–2016, over 200 campuses participated in ACRL’s Assessment in Action (AiA) program. Shaping the Campus Conversation is a compilation of AiA resources, including reports, reflections, and published articles. For individuals at academic institutions who are (or beginning to be) immersed in assessment efforts, this could be a valuable resource. This includes assessment leaders outside the library, as all of the AiA participants were required to have multiple partners on campus. In addition, most of the projects concerned information literacy instruction, so they could apply in a broader university environment.

The descriptions of hundreds of assessment projects in varied contexts can supply ideas for those beginning their own projects. The honest reflections from some of the leaders of those projects provides wisdom that would be difficult to conveniently find elsewhere. The reflections include discussions on the lessons learned from completing an in-depth assessment project for the first time and working with several partners on campus. They also discuss how their AiA project had a lasting effect on their library, which could be highly motivating to someone considering beginning an assessment project.

For individuals looking for information on how to do assessment, this is not a recommended resource. The chapters stand alone, and there is no synthesis of the material presented. Some may find this beneficial, as it is similar to working with primary sources and allows the reader to form their own knowledge without influence from someone else’s lens. Others who are looking for a quick read to improve their assessment knowledge may be disappointed. I would compare the book to attending a conference and having many conversations with librarians about assessment. In comparison, this book is a convenient collection of wisdom for those willing to dive deeply into the collective knowledge of their assessment-focused colleagues.—Marla Lobley, Public Services Librarian, East Central University, Ada, Oklahoma