Evaluation of digital libraries : A DEA approach

As libraries evolve from paper based to digitized collection, traditional measurement activities must change. To demonstrate the growth in library value during this transition period, libraries must be able to describe how library inputs are transformed into the services libraries render. We apply a complex tool, data envelopment analysis (DEA), to evaluate the relative efficiency of major academic research libraries that are members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). An efficient library is defined as the one which produces same output with less input or, for a given input, produces more output. We report the results of a two-year base line study using traditional measures taken from 1995-1996 ARL statistics. We observe the patterns of efficiency scores of both individual libraries and libraries in peer groups (private vs. public). In particular we study the consistency over the years of specific DEA measures. This consistency provides justification for extending DEA as libraries undergo revolutionary digital transformation. The results are also corroborated using standard statistical measures. DEA application in the new digital library environment is discussed. *This research is supported in part by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) under Grant #6607, and by the Alexandria Project Laboratory at SCILS, Rutgers University.