An overview of systems and tools for benchmarking and data comparison of academic libraries' performance An overview of systems and tools for benchmarking and data comparision of academic libraries performance
Abstract
This paper summarises solutions for analysis and comparison of academic libraries' data. Articles from assorted electronic sources were reviewed to identify and describe various types of systems. 24 of them were discovered that fit the main specified criteria: have the possibility to compare different libraries, which serve mainly higher education institutions.
In addition, each selected system needed to still be active. The research was geographically limited only to tools used in Europe, the USA, Australia, and New Zealand.
An overview table with general description of the systems is attached in the Appendix. Three categories were established to classify the systems: annual statistical reports, benchmarking of quantitative data, and benchmarking of user satisfaction.
A characterization of each category is provided. This paper is a result of the authors' activity in Research Seminar, a one-semester course at the Division of Information and Library Studies at the Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, Czech Republic.