This tip sheet has been developed to assist libraries with the Minimum Standards for Rhode Island Public Libraries.

Standard 26: At least every three years, the library conducts a community study or uses other needs assessment techniques to determine awareness of library services and to ensure community participation in their design and delivery.

The following outline is based on information taken from The NEW Planning for Results: A Streamlined Approach published by ALA in 2001.

The Question: How to collect data as quickly and easily as possible.

Methods:

• Questionnaires
• Individual Interviews
• Focus Groups
• Observations
• Expert Opinions
• Number Gathering
• Compilations of Existing Data about the Community and the Library

Criteria for Selecting a Data Collection Method

• Meaningfulness (usefulness of data collected)
• Practicality (affordability of the data collection process in terms of intrusiveness, ease, and cost).

If we apply these criteria to the case of stakeholder groups, it is likely that a focus group composed of representatives from that stakeholder group will provide the most meaningful information in the most affordable way.

Needs are based on the library’s vision statements compared with current conditions. Once a potential need has been identified then two questions must be asked:

1. How well suited the library is to meet a given need
2. How many other organizations are working on the need under review (See attachment #1 - needs decision tree)

Workforms: see pages 281-307 in The New Planning for Results

Resources

Focus Groups for Libraries and Librarians (Forbes, 1998)

The New Planning for Results: A Streamlined Approach (ALA, 2001)

All titles are available from the OLIS Professional Collection.