Impact evaluation in school libraries: further reading

American Association of School Librarians. (2014). School Librarians Transform Learning (infographic). Retrieved from: http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/advocacy/tools/docs/AASL_Infographic_FINAL.pdf

Lance, K.C. and Kachel, D. E. (2018). Why school librarians matter: what years of research tell us. Retrieved from:

http://www.kappanonline.org/lance-kachel-school-librarians-matter-years-research/

Markless, S. and Streatfield, D. (2013). Evaluating the impact of your library. 2nd edition. London: Facet

Markless, S. (ed.). (2016). The Innovative School Librarian. 2nd edition. London: Facet

Teravainen, A. and Clark, C. (2017). School Libraries – a literature review of current provision and evidence of impact. London: National Literacy Trust

Scholastic. (2016). School libraries work! A compendium of research supporting the effectiveness of school libraries. USA: Scholastic Library Publishing.

Scottish Library and Information Council. (2018). Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools. A national strategy for school libraries in Scotland 2018 – 2023. Retrieved from:

https://scottishlibraries.org/media/2108/vibrant-libraries-thriving-schools.pdf

Key issues for

school librarians

Impact Evaluation for

School Librarians:

an Introduction Lucy Chambers, MSc, MCLIP, School Library Consulant

CILIP SCHOOL LIBRARIES GROUP 2019

Key issues series no. 1

Impact evaluation toolkits: skills, techniques, templates

CILIP Impact Toolkit (for CILIP members only): cilip.org.uk

Development Impact and You Toolkit (includes Theory Of Change templates), Nesta:

https://diytoolkit.org/tools/theory-of-change/

(This work is ©Nesta licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence)

NHS Library Services Knowledge for Health Value and Impact Toolkit:

https://kfh.libraryservices.nhs.uk/value-and-impact-toolkit/

Reading Agency Reading Outcomes Framework Toolkit:

https://readingagency.org.uk/news/blog/reading-outcomes-framework-toolkit.html

Scottish Library and Information Council How Good Is Our School Library:

https://scottishlibraries.org/advice-guidance/how-good-is-our-school-library/

Measuring success with evidence of impact

Use impact evaluation to show stakeholders how the

school librarian’s work makes a difference

What is your project trying to achieve? Consider what

evidence you need at the planning stage.

What evidence can you collect? Use questionnaires,

pupils’ work, talk to school staff, observe, collect and

analyse library use data. Keep a monitoring book. Use qualitative and quantitative

data

Evaluate pupils at the start of the project and the end so that you can

measure the difference; compare data collected over time

“Does it work? (effectiveness); does it make a difference? (impact) measured by

outcomes = evidence.” Professor Alison Brettle, 2017

Create a monitoring sheet: include project details, how you will measure impact,

impact evidence and future plans

Record changes in pupils’ skills as a result of your project.

“To be effective we must communicate and advocate what we do and

why our skills and professionalism matter. It isn’t enough just to do the

job and hope that people notice, understand and value what we do.

We must prove it with evidence.”

Jan Parry, former CILIP President, 2015

Impact definition:

“The influence of libraries and their services on

individuals and/or on society. The difference or change

in an individual or group resulting from the contact with

library services.”

British Standard ISO 16439:2014 ““Many of the

imaginative

programmes to

encourage reading

that inspectors see

are inspired by a

good librarian.”

Improving literacy

in secondary

schools: a shared

responsibility.

Ofsted, 2013

School librarians have contact with

every student and teacher and are

central to developing library programs

that raise student achievement.”

School Libraries Work!, 2016.

Impact evaluation reports

Analyse data and evidence from your monitoring book and monitoring

sheet

When writing reports, ask ‘So what?’: what impact has your work had

on pupils and the school?

Present results in written reports, tables, charts and infographics

Produce a logic model about your project showing the steps from the

original situation to the intended impact

Use the results to plan further projects

Write case studies for the Great School Libraries Campaign using

impact evaluation to show change

Great school libraries are a vital part of improving

outcomes for children. They do this in a range of

different ways and through building a library habit

which can support them throughout their education

and beyond.”

Great School Libraries Campaign, 2018