THE RANGE AND VALUE OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY
LIBRARIES AT COLLEGES OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE
Frank Ritchel Ames, MALS, PhD, Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine; Elaine Powers, MSLS, Edward Via College of
Osteopathic Medicine–Virginia Campus; and Lisa Travis, MS, EdS, Lincoln Memorial University–DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine
ACADEMIC CLIMATE
LIBRARY RESPONSES
FINDINGS
CONCLUSIONS
Colleges prize their libraries but find it
Libraries are responding by analyzing
The results varied widely: CBA ranged
CBA and ROI can highlight the value of
increasingly difficult and important to
costs and benefits and evaluating return
from 1.43 to 9.38 to 13.21; ROI ranged
library services in compelling ways.
declare the value of library services.
on investment. They are learning to speak
from 43.47% to 838% to 1221%. The
Gathering adequate data is time consuming
the language of accountancy.
formulas are simple: CBA = total benefit/
and requires clear definitions of usage.
total cost, and ROI = ((total benefit – total
Dollar value calculations show efficiencies
cost)/total cost) * 100. The library with
but not the outcomes of information access.
1 Libraries now offer and compete with
digital information portals that are
1 The National Network of Libraries of
ubiquitous, convenient, and increasingly
Medicine MidContinental Region (NN/
the lowest score received $1.43 worth of
CBA and ROI may not reveal the social
powerful.
LM MCR) has contributed to the national
benefit for every dollar spent; the highest
return on investment. They may not show
conversation by providing continuing
received $13.21. The latter seems
the vital impact.
education workshops on evaluation and
unrealistic, but a similar analysis at the
developing online analytical tools.
University of Maryland Health Sciences/
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Human Services Library showed a cost/
Del Baglivo, Megan, Aphrodite Bodycomb, and Kristen Young.
2010. ROI task force final report. University of Maryland
Health Sciences / Human Services Library.
Dunn, Kathel, Karen Brewer, Joanne Gard Marshall, and Julia
Sollenberger. 2009. Measuring the value and impact of
health sciences libraries: planning an update and replication
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Jemison, Karen, E. D. Poletti, Janet Schneider, Nancy Clark, and
Ron Drew Stone. 2009. Measuring return on investment in
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Jones, Barb, and Betsy Kelly. 2010. Measuring your impact:
using evaluation for library advocacy. Workshop sponsored
by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine
MidContinental Region and the Colorado Council of
Medical Librarians. Denver.Madaus, J. Richard. 2005. The
language of ROI. Library Journal 130 (8):12-12.
Marshall, Joanne Gard. 2007. Measuring the value and impact
of health library and information services: past reflections,
future possibilities. Health Information & Libraries Journal
24:4-17.
National Network of Libraries of Medicine. 2011. About the
MidContinental Region 2011 [cited April 13 2011]. Available
from http://nnlm.gov/mcr/about/about.html.
Oakleaf, Megan. 2010. The value of academic libraries: a
comprehensive research review and report. Chicago:
Association of College and Research Libraries.
Urquhart, C. J., and J. B. Hepworth. 1996. Comparing and using
assessments of the value of information to clinical decisionmaking. Bulletin of the Medical Library Association 84 (4):
482-489.
Weightman, Alison L., and Jane Williamson. 2005. The value
and impact of information provided through library services
for patient care: a systematic review. Health Information &
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2 Budgets constrain colleges, and
decision makers have been migrating from
collegial to managerial models attuned to
economic realities and measurable
2 Three members of the Council of
outcomes.
Osteopathic Librarians explored the NN/
not necessarily indicate smaller or greater
NM MCR Library Value Calculator.
efficiencies, though there will be
Library data is entered into an online form
economies of scale. It reflects different
diffuse and often intangible and
or downloadable spreadsheet to calculate
definitions of usage and the ambiguities of
unattributable.
cost/benefit ratio (CBA) and return on
available data. What, for example,
investment (ROI). See the form at
constitutes one use of a book? Checking
nnlm.gov/mcr/evaluation/roi.html
the book out at the circulation desk and
3 The vital impacts of library services are
The price of medical information affects
benefit return of $21.20. The range does
availability but does not correspond to
reading it in its entirety; pulling it off the
vital impact, which is considerable. For
shelf, browsing the contents and leaving it
example, over 95% of mediated literature
on a library table, or clicking once on its
searches at selected Veterans Affairs
electronic counterpart? Definitions must
hospital libraries yielded pertinent
be refined for comparisons to be useful,
information, 49% altered treatment, 30%
but the approach can underscore the value
affected drug choice, and 8% averted
of library services. When a library spends
patient mortality (Jemison et al. 2009).
$1,000 for unfettered access to a digital
Consulting the literature has a significant
version of a $50 textbook, and 150
impact on clinical decisions 79% of the
students use the book online, the cost/
time (Urquhart & Hepworth 1996;
benefit ratio is ($50 * 150)/$1,000: the
Weightman & Williamson 2005).
college community received $7.50 of
benefit for every $1.00 spent.