Chapter 4. Putting It into Practice: Quantitative Methods at CUL

Authors

  • Melissa J. Goertzen

Abstract

Chapter 4 of Library Technology Reports (vol. 53, no. 4), "Applying Quantitative Methods to E-book Collections"

Chapter 4 of Library Technology Reports (vol. 53, no. 4), “Applying Quantitative Methods to E-book Collections,” provides three examples of quantitative analysis projects conducted at Columbia University Libraries. Each demonstrates how quantitative methods can be developed and applied in order to answer questions related to fund allocations, return on investment, usage trends, and collection impact. Ultimately, the examples demonstrate how to develop a collection analysis strategy based on an understanding of local information needs, resources, and local and external data sources.

Author Biography

Melissa J. Goertzen

Melissa J. Goertzen is the Collection Development Analysis & Support Librarian at Columbia University Libraries. She has ten years of experience working as a writer, project manager, and information professional at academic institutions across Canada and the United States. In 2016, she completed the E-book Program Development Study, an ambitious assessment project that documented the e-book landscape at Columbia University over the course of two years. The results provided a series of strategic best practices for collection development initiatives. She completed a double BA program in English and History at the University of Calgary, followed by a Master of Information Management (MLIS) at Dalhousie University. To learn more, please visit http://melissagoertzen.wordpress.com.

References

Melissa J. Goertzen, “E-book Program Development Study: Results and Recommendations,” Columbia University Academic Commons, 2016, https://doi.org/10.7916/D81Z44C3.

Columbia University Libraries, “Strategic Plan, 2010–2013,” 2010, https://culis.columbia.edu/content/dam/staffweb/admin/strategicplanning/2010-2013/CULIS_Strategic_Plan_2010-20131.pdf (university login required).

Melissa Goertzen and Krystie Klahn, “The Buck Stops Here: Assessing E-book Subscriptions at Columbia University,” in The Importance of Being Earnest: Charleston Conference Proceedings, 2014, ed. Beth R. Bernhardt, Leah H. Hinds, and Katina P. Strauch (West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press, 2016), 156-161.

Tony Davies and Michelle Morgan, “E-books Down Under,” in Too Much Is Not Enough: Charleston Conference Proceedings 2013, ed. Beth R. Bernhardt, Leah H. Hinds, and Katina P. Strauch (West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press, 2014), 167-175.

“Library of Congress Classification Outline,” accessed December 30, 2016, https://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/lcco.

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Published

2017-05-24

Issue

Vol. 53 No. 4 (2017): May/June

Section

Chapters