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October 26, 2012
On Library Annual Reports (ALAO 2012)
Presenting today at the Academic Library Association of Ohio's Annual Conference on Library Annual Reports.
Here is the presentation abstract: The library annual report can be a powerful tool in showcasing its impact on campus. Even modest annual reports can be an important element in a library’s marketing program. This presentation will show how we have grown the Kresge Business Administration Library’s annual report over the past five years and how it demonstrates ROI (Return on Investment) for the library to our Deans and Provosts.
Here are some resources that I will use today:
- PowerPoint slides are available online at Deep Blue.
- Kresge Library's Annual Reports from the Kresge Library Wiki.
Please note that the 2012 Annual Report (which will cover the 2011-2012 academic year) will not come out until later this year. We want to match with the release of the Ross School of Business Strategic Plan.
Some of the key takeaways from the presentation are:
- Creating a library annual report is easier than you think.
- Most libraries already compile most of the data you need to produce a great report.
- Creating a library annual report can be much less expensive than you might think (does not need to be printed).
- A library annual report allows you to share stories (especially outcomes) with your community.
- I am not a huge fan of benchmarking or dashboards. I do not think that they provide a compelling reason why a school or a community should invest more in the library.
I also presented on this topic at the 2011 Charleston Conference. I hope to start working on a written version of this article within then next year or so. If you have any thoughts or comments - please write me at cseeman@umich.edu
Posted by cseeman at October 26, 2012 06:47 AM