Valuing library services : case study of a New Zealand bank library

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine criteria for measuring the value of information services in corporate libraries and to assess the impact these information services have on business activity and user information needs. The study will examine various evaluation methodologies and will run pilot surveys using some of these methodologies to assess the corporate value of information provided by a New Zealand Bank Library. The study will also assess the outcomes of these pilot surveys looking at the strengths and weaknesses of the information services currently provided by the bank library and will identify areas of possible continued research on the value of information through larger scale evaluations. The bank library has been in existence for over ten years and was developed from an existing collection of resources used and maintained by the bank's economists. During this time the bank has expanded into a nationwide network of retail and commercial banking services. This has lead to a growing demand for internal information services that monitor competitor information, market developments, industry news and global trends in banking and financial services. As the bank has increased its range of financial services products and expanded in size, the library has adapted its information services and resources to meet the information needs of a diverse range of internal cliental. Assessing the value of these library services, will identify where the library contributes to business activity, and whether it is meeting the information needs of key information users within the bank.