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Assessment

Our mission statement

The mission of University Libraries Assessment is to identify patron needs through assessment and collaborate with as well as serve local, state, and national communities by maintaining, improving, and creating beneficial programs and services. This ongoing assessment helps all library staff take action, monitor and improve our services, identify changing patterns in users’ needs and information usage, and help market and promote library collections and services.

Virginia Tech Office of Academic Assessment

The Virginia Tech University Libraries works closely with the Virginia Tech Office of Assessment and Evaluation. In addition, Virginia Tech utilizes the WEAVE assessment tool for Administrative Quality and Improvement.  As such, the library is working diligently to develop goals, outcomes, and measures to achieve the library and university's missions.

For the current fiscal year, the libraries have the following stated goals with measurable objectives:

G 1: Increase the discovery of resources provided by the University Libraries.

The University Libraries would like to enhance the use of expensive electronic resources as well as unique local collections. By increasing discovery of library resources the University Libraries will assist all patrons in meeting their library needs.

G 2: Library assessment

Actively pursue user feedback on library services and collections from the Virginia Tech community so that the University Libraries can respond to the needs of faculty, staff, and students.

G 3: Enhance library services

Provide more and/or better library services to Patrons to help enhance their experience in the Newman Library.

The Virginia Tech Libraries are a member of the Association of Research Libraries.

Facts and numbers (2011-2012)

From the 2011-2012 Association of Research Libraries statistical report:

Collections

  • Total volumes (print and electronic): 2,687,062
  • Audio recordings: 13,701
  • Current serials/journals received: 45326
  • Electronic books: 372,750
  • Film & videos: 14,004
  • Government documents: 399,525

Expenditures

  • One time purchases: $2,243,153
  • Ongoing purchases: $5,938,992
  • Collections support: $514,225
  • Total library materials: $8,696,370
  • Salaries, professional staff: $2,983,694
  • Salaries, support staff: $3,062,391
  • Salaries, wage and student: $407,359
  • Total salaries: $6,453,444
  • Other operating expenses: $1,524,585
  • Total library expenditures: $16,674,399

Collection use

  • Initial circulations: 169,793
  • Full-text article requests: 2,236,231
  • Number of database searches: 2,611,523
  • Number of federated searches: 2,582,091
  • Total items loaned (ILL): 14,042
  • Total items borrowed (ILL):16,822
  • Total ILL transactions: 30,864

Services

  • Library presentations to groups: 808
  • Participation in group presentations: 16,319
  • Reference transactions: 18,712

Personnel

  • Professional staff: 53
  • Support staff: 90
  • Student assistants (FTE): 22

LibQual is a survey program used to gather information from our patrons. More information about the 2011 LibQual survey program is available here.

University Libraries use many sources to assess services and needs of the Virginia Tech community. We work with the resources below to better help fulfill the University Libraries Assessment mission.


Contacts

Email Access Services
Fax 540-231-3762

University Libraries, P.O. Box 90001
Blacksburg, VA 24062-9001
Campus Mail Code (0434)

Newman Library summer hours

Sun: 9:00am - 10:00pm
Mon-Thu, 7:30am - 10:00pm
Fri: 7:30am - 8:00pm
Sat: 9:00am - 8:00pm

Current semester hours