Evidence Based Librarianship: A Reflection

Note: It's one of our requirements in our MLIS subject, Seminar on Philippine Librarianship

In the field of library and information science, evidence-based librarianship is a practice wherein a librarian aims to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the library resources and services based on the available evidence. Evaluating the efficacy or usefulness of a resource or service is really necessary in order to find out if a specific library is really giving and doing its best for the welfare and satisfaction of its clients.

There is a lot of approaches under this evidence-based librarianship. We, librarians, can conduct researches or use various tools and instruments to assess our library if it’s really performing well. This kind of librarianship definitely seeks improvement and augmentation for the library. We can’t just rely on the undocumented or unrecorded facts and details, of course, we need concrete evidence for us to identify the strengths and weakness of our libraries. It is really significant to know everything that we have and we do in the library so that we can decide what are the possible actions to commence if the library lacks something that is relevant.

Since I am a Readers' Services Librarian, I really need to monitor the circulation, periodical, and reference services of the library. In order for me to identify or assess the effectiveness and fruitfulness of our library services, I need to monitor them by providing log sheets, services forms, and other tools that can generate data so that I can analyze them when I have to formulate statistical or progress reports. I also follow what are the mandates and given standards or requirements of the accrediting agencies and important institutions like CHED, PACUCOA, and ISO.

I strongly believe that, as a librarian, you should not rely on one type of evidence only. These shreds of evidence are very relevant because if we can have multiple pieces of evidence, we can easily compare and contrast our results. Furthermore, I think that having only one evidence sometimes promotes one-sidedness. In decision-making, it is better to have different options or choices so that we can select and decide for what is right.

I would like to cite an example or scenario that we librarians deal differently. when it comes to underutilized resources, maybe, other librarians will just disregard or eliminate these resources but for me, I always make efforts so that our users can at least, know the existence of these materials. Honestly, I am a fan of Roving reference. I always assist my patrons especially if they have queries or concerns regarding the library services and resources. I tell the users to avail our services in the library. I go directly, table to table, just to ask if what they really want to accomplish in the library or what are the resources they want to access or utilize.

Furthermore, I always discuss in the library orientation each material or resource in the library and I always try my best to explain the relevance and the uses of these materials in order for them to understand why we collect such resources in the library. I never fail to enlighten them about the different services of the library because it is very important to augment their awareness on these services so that possibly, the next time, they will start availing these services. I think that we just need to educate and empower them.

I think that it is a best practice that we, librarians should really apply in our designated areas because it seeks to gather evidence. Gathering data and facts is really important especially we continuously aim for progress for our beloved libraries. We can’t achieve every goal that we have if we can’t generate progress results. We can’t understand the capacity of our libraries, particularly on the services and resources if we never document or record every relevant detail that we need to determine if our libraries are really serving excellently the information, research, and educational needs of our 21st-century library patrons.

I strongly believe that as librarians, we aim for the best and we want only the best for our treasured clients. I am so grateful because we librarians have this kind of approach to embellish and uplift our libraries and information centers. Librarians are known to be information professionals and we are expected to be disseminators of accurate, relevant, and valid information.