Performance Measures of Academic Digital Library Services: A Delphy Study at the University of Camerino

Abstract

Since the emergence of digital libraries, research and practical developments have grown exponentially, while evaluation activities have been lagging far behind. It is widely acknowledged that when getting at the issue of assessment in a digital library environment, much has yet to be investigated (Saracevic, 2000; Shearer, 2002; Chowdhury & Chowdhury, 2003; Cullen, 2003; Bertot, 2004). As an iterative multistage approach based on consensus, the Delphi research method is suitable for investigating performance measurement processes and their requirement of a stable set of indicators, thought to reflect and assess digital library services and commendable for significantly contributing to broad knowledge within the topic. A Delphi study, aimed at identifying performance measurement indicators of digital library services, will be carried out. On the one hand, it will be deeply rooted in an international perspective of existent researches, projects and standards, which will work as starting points and in due course as terms of comparison. On the other hand, it will have an exclusively Italian setting, drawing together the expertise of a panel of Italian library professionals and researchers, called to think out and reflect on a taxonomy of measures and indicators. The field of application of findings will be the University of Camerino, focus being on the appropriateness of the resulting classification model for this organisation needs and its prospective applicability.