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Statistics in Practice – Measuring & Managing 2002 179
Library Statistics and Standardisation: Performance Measurement
and Possibilities for Applying New Methods on Performance
Measurement and Benchmarking in Estonia
Anu Nuut
Head, Library Science and Development Department, The National Library of Estonia
Abstract
The paper will focus on the following aspects:
• Effectiveness of a library’s development activities based on collaboration between
Estonian libraries and other libraries with international co-operation
• Library performance measurement and librarianship standardisation
• Possibilities for applying performance measurement and benchmarking methods in
Estonian libraries
• Library performance measurement and benchmarking: library statistics measures as
a tool for library acquisition development
Collaboration with other libraries and
international organisations
The changes in librarianship in the
independent Estonian state are characterised
by the shift from the indoctrinated library
system to the democratic library system –
from the deeply centralised management
scheme to the decentralised responsibilities
of each library relating to its service and
acquisition profile, and performance. The
distances between libraries, between
libraries and suppliers, between libraries and
their users are vanishing.
The development of information and
communication technologies, taking place in
Estonian libraries, provides preconditions
for the co-operation and joint action of
libraries in the areas of acquisition, resource
sharing, and generating and managing
databases (Valm, 2000).
During the years in which the role of the
library in society changed, the principle
mission of the library to be an international,
educational and cultural centre was restored
in Estonia. The restoration of independence
in Estonia ten years ago challenged libraries
to make their contribution to the
development of statehood, economy, science
and culture to secure the capacity to cope
with international competitive pressure. The
transition from a controlled economy to an
open market economy, the accession to
international organisations and conventions,
the renewal of legislation in respect of
international law, democracy, human rights,
freedom of information and free
competition, changes in science
arrangements and higher education are the
major factors which have had their impact
on the development on librarianship in
Estonia during the last ten years.
The effectiveness of a library’s development
activities is closely related to the degree of
participation in international projects, and is
associated with awareness of European and
international development trends in the
library field. It also depends on the library’s
readiness to participate in the work of
international library organisations, and on its
knowledge of the basic documents of these
organisations which should form the basis
for state library policy and for planning the
library’s activities. The representation of
each research library or library institution in
international organisations depends on their
Library Statistics and Standardisation
180 Statistics in Practice – Measuring & Managing 2002
fields of activities, as well as their financial
situation regarding paying the member fees.
Every state needs national documents that
provide guidance for developing the
activities of its libraries and the sphere of
culture in general, however, their basic start
points have to mesh with European and
world library policy and development
trends. The EU member states had begun to
shape librarianship within the framework of
European Commission programmes in the
1990s, aiming to enhance library
co-operation and the initiation of national
projects. Participation in the work of
international organisations makes library
co-operation and development activities
more efficient. A major part of Estonian
research libraries participate in the work of
IFLA (International Federation of Library
Association and Institutions), CERL
(Consortium of European Research
Libraries), LIBER (Ligue des Bibliothèques
Européennes de Recherche), Bibliotheca
Baltica, IAML (International Association of
Music Libraries, Archives and
Documentation Centres), EIA (European
Information Association), ISKO
(International Society for Knowledge
Organisation) and several other international
organisations.
Estonian research libraries also are members
of different international organisations that
have relevant profiles within their library
type, such as:
• The National Library of Estonia is a
member of CDNL (Conference of
Directors of National Libraries) and
CENL (Conference of European
National Libraries); as a parliamentary
library, a member of IALL (International
Association of Law Libraries), ECPRD
(European Centre of Parliamentary
Research and Documentation) and
ICA/SPP (International Council of
Archives, Section of Archives of
Parliaments and Political Parties); IPC
(The Institute of Paper Conservation)
• Tartu University Library and the
Medical Library of Estonia are members
of EAHIL (European Association for
Health Information and Libraries)
• Tallinn Technical University Library is a
member of IATUL (International
Association of Technological University
Libraries)
• The Estonian Patent Library participates
in the work of PATLIB (Annual
Conference of Patent Libraries)
• The Department of Information Studies
of the Tallinn Pedagogical University
participates in the work of EADTU
(European Association of Distance
Teaching Universities), BOBCATSSS
and EUCLID
The participation in the work of
international organisations, and international
projects has been an encouragement to
Estonian libraries, and provided them with
expertise with which to initiate national
co-operation projects contributing to the
work organisation of libraries (Nuut, 2000).
Estonian libraries and library institutions
have an active role in several international
co-operation projects whose aim is to
develop an international library network and
performance:
• to generate a centralised search engine to
provide access to the digitised periodicals
and online databases of Europe
• to analyse and develop acquisition needs
of libraries
• to economise library work
• to develop library standardisation
• to analyse and evaluate library
performance and quality
• to develop book and library history
research
• to promote preservation of cultural
heritage
• to encourage distant education and staff
training
(International projects 2002)
Library Statistics and Standardisation
Statistics in Practice – Measuring & Managing 2002 181
Library standardisation
Library statistics are a valuable source for
library performance measurement. Library
statistics and performance measurement
studies as a part of management process and
decision-making support system have a long
history in USA, UK, Canada, Germany,
Australia, New Zealand and other countries.
The gathering of Estonian library statistics
was started in 1973 (in the beginning, only
public libraries); in the1990s it underwent
major changes (included collecting data of
all types of libraries). In the changing
environment development and
standardisation are inevitable – the EU
project LibEcon2000 provided new goals
and guidelines, new direction for data
collection of library statistics, and for the
development of performance measurement
activities on the national level. A variety of
studies on library economics, carried out
during the project offered the possibility of
comparing Estonian libraries within
European context and of applying
performance measurement and
benchmarking methods on the national level.
Libraries’ work organisation and the flexible
interaction of the library network as an
integrated system depend on library
standardisation. For years the validation of
Estonian national library standards have
been talked about; however, the last ten
years of newly independent Estonian state
have only brought along the
acknowledgement of normatives of ISO
international standards by the Estonian
libraries. During the period of restoration of
independent statehood the work of Estonian
libraries was reorganised according to the
IFLA and ISO standards; drawing up
Estonian standards was initiated only in
2000.
The National Standards Board of Estonia
(EVS) was established in newly independent
Estonia in 1991 as a governmental
institution under the administration of the
Ministry of Finance for the purpose of
directing and co-ordinating activities in the
field of standardisation, metrology and
accreditation in Estonia. Activities in the
field of standardisation in Estonia were
directed and co-ordinated by the EVS from
September 1991 up to April 2000. The
National Standards Board of Estonia was a
correspondent member of International
Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and
an affiliated member of the European
Committee for Standardisation (CEN). In
1999 the Government order on establishing
the Non-Profit Organisation Estonian Centre
for Standardisation was issued and on
30 November, the founding documents as
well as the Statutes of the Centre was
approved. In April 2000 the Government of
Estonia and the Estonian Centre for
Standardisation concluded an agreement in
which the rights and obligations in
organising standardisation activities in
Estonia were laid down more precisely and
on 1 April the Centre as the national
standards body started its operations as
provided by the Technical Regulations and
Standards Act (01.04.2000).
The Estonian Centre for Standardisation
(EVS) is a correspondent member of ISO,
associated member of IEC and an affiliated
member of CEN and CENELEC.
Membership of international standardisation
organisations offers wider opportunities to
the Centre for co-operation in the field of
standardisation on the international level and
to initiate adoption of ISO standards.
Estonian national standards issued by EVS
are voluntary documents and drawn up by
Technical Committees or by working groups
of co-operation. EVS approves and registers
Estonian Standards.
In May 2001 the Advisory Board was
established, which includes representatives
from EVS, governmental institutions,
associations, consumers and other interested
parties. The Advisory Board functions as a
voluntary organisation, approving proposals
for the review and drafting of Estonian
Library Statistics and Standardisation
182 Statistics in Practice – Measuring & Managing 2002
Standards, making proposals, concerning the
membership of technical committees and
consulting Centre members. At present there
are 12 technical committees registered and
operating in the Estonian Centre for
Standardisation, including TC 4 (EVS/TK4)
Information Technology. Technical
Committees as well as co-operation partners
have been mostly engaged in preparing the
original Estonian standards and in the
preparation of adoptions in translation
method. They give comments on drafts of
Estonian standards, and are informed by
EVS on the current work of their
corresponding European or international
technical committees.
The Working Group of Standardisation on
librarianship was established in the National
Library of Estonia (NLE) in 2001. The aim
of the working group is the adoption of
international ISO standards and IFLA
standards on librarianship. The main areas of
standardisation are library statistics, library
terminology, library acquisition,
cataloguing, description, preservation and
digitisation of library resources, and
information technology.
NLE has good co-operation with EVS/TK 4
in the field of standardisation of Library
Information Technology and was asked to
become a full member of the Committee in
autumn 2002.
The Estonian Centre for Standardisation is
registered for participation in the work
ISO/TC 46 and ISO/TC 171 as an observer
member. NLE has good relations with the
Estonian Centre for Standardisation. In
January 2002 the co-operation agreement
was concluded between NLE and the
Estonian Centre for Standardisation with the
purpose of encouraging library
standardisation, participating in seminars
and training courses held in the Centre and
having information about ISO standards,
standards drafting and approval, receiving
EVS Bulletin, and so on.
For information about Estonian Standards in
the field of librarianship, adopted by
Estonian Centre for Standardisation and the
Work Programme of the standardisation WG
of the NLE in 2002 see Annexes 1 and 2
below.
The methodology used in the library
economic surveys was based on ISO
standards ISO 2789 and ISO 11620. Some
new measures were included in the EU
project LibEcon survey, which provided
some piloting experience (Sumsion 2002).
The LibEcon2000 project made library
performance evaluation and measurement,
and the studies of library economics, library
standardisation, and the gathering and
analysis of library statistics more efficient.
The typology of Estonian libraries, and the
gathering and analysis methodologies of
Estonian library statistics were better
arranged in co-operation with the project
leaders of LibEcon2000, and thanks to the
good co-operation within the project, several
national projects for library work evaluation
and performance measurement were
initiated and an ISO standard 11620 was
adopted as an Estonian Standard.
The principles, guidelines and
recommendation of the UNESCO, ISO,
IFLA and EBLIDA have been followed in
finalising the methods of quantitative
analyses of library performance and in
establishing the basis for gathering and
analysing library statistics. In recent years,
the questionnaire forms and instructions for
collecting library statistics have been
improved according to international
recommendations for keeping statistics and
statistical definitions and the processing of
the data has been altered according to the
recommendations of the EC project
LibEcon2000.
The most valuable information is published
in the survey of the EC project LibEcon2000
Millennium Study, which makes it possible
Library Statistics and Standardisation
Statistics in Practice – Measuring & Managing 2002 183
for every included country to compare their
country data with European Library
Economy survey results, and to recommend
it to national policy makers and financing
bodies (Sumsion et al, 2001)
Possibilities for applying
performance measurement and
benchmarking methods in Estonian
libraries
Estonian libraries have started performance
measurement analysis; however, this has not
yet developed into a systematic and regular
process to support the development of
organisational activities, provide a basis for
planning activities, development policies,
state financial policy and the procurement of
state resources. The need to draw up a
library development policy and financial
basis, based on research, exists. Performance
measurement and quality appraisal are
important and useful for every library.
However, as each library has specific
objectives, goals and responsibilities, there
is a need to develop specific performance
indicators for every library type adequately
reflecting their performance, quality,
quantity and effectiveness adequately. The
results of the evaluation process should form
the basis for the library network and library
system development.
Library statistics are used as management
information in the study survey of Estonian
research libraries Library Performance
Measurement and Assessment: Study survey
of research libraries 1995-2000 (based on
collections, acquisition, librarians’
qualification, and expenditure, cost
analysis). The financing of research
institutions, universities and research
libraries is a difficult task for a small
country like Estonia. There is a need for
targeted financing from the state budget to
purchase and acquire scientific information,
and relevant financing policy. There is also a
need for elaborate acquisition policy and
development and defining of Estonian
research library acquisition areas avoiding
duplication (Nuut, 2001).
Based on funding from the Estonian Science
Foundation Grant, a project concerned with
performance measurement and the
evaluation of research libraries in Estonia
(2000-2002) was carried out by the Chair of
Librarianship at Tallinn Pedagogical
University (TPU), Estonia. This was a joint
activity of TPU, the National Library of
Estonia and Tartu University Library (Lepik,
2001). During the project an optimality
analysis of the performance of research
libraries belonging to the state system of
information dissemination was carried out
under the present economic and financial
conditions, and the econometric analysis and
model work organisations of the libraries
and benchmarking models were extended.
Tartu University Library (TUL) carried out a
study survey on the library expectation of
the university faculty – the user survey,
aimed at the faculty of the TU, including
lecturers, researchers, managers of teaching,
development and research work, specialists,
and graduate students in both Masters and
Doctoral programmes. The library definitely
has to continue submitting well-grounded
applications for acquisition sums and
financing for the building of electronic
library. From the viewpoint of authoritative
group of library users, these are the very
areas that need serious development
activities.
The National Library of Estonia analysed
Estonian Public Library statistics
1997–2001, using similar methods as those
used by LISU (staff, public library use,
lending issues per user, lending issues per
capita, visits, collections, acquisitions,
additions per user and expenditure: staff
expenditure, total expenditure per capita,
distribution of current expenditure, capital
expenditure etc (Saul, Jõgi, 2002).
Library Statistics and Standardisation
184 Statistics in Practice – Measuring & Managing 2002
Library performance measurement
and benchmarking: Library statistics
measures – as a tool for library
acquisition development
Financial resources remain an issue for
libraries in all areas. Insufficient resources,
downsizing, funding cuts, increased costs,
outsourcing, fees and co-operation between
libraries have been the main subjects for
discussion in the recent years. Libraries in
Eastern Europe have faced special
challenges because of changing political
environments. The political and economic
disruption, along with the new models which
managers had to adopt in response to the
disappearance of financial guarantees, rules,
regulations, and the government above them
all bring the need to review the efficiency of
operations. Thus needs arose to start the
modernisation of library operations and to
balance their fiscal reality and budgeting.
The hope that electronic access to
information will reduce the cost of library
materials has not been realised in libraries.
There is an increasing interest in developing
theory and applying quality management
principles and techniques to the library and
information sector. Quality, and the
associated concept of value are not new
ideas for librarians: they have always been
concerned with them. It is a valuable
concern to define value not only in terms of
the quality of service, but also of the impact
information was on its users. It shows us that
costing a service without identifying its
value to users can prove damaging, and it
concludes that the consequence of our
focusing on the cost of providing services
without being able to demonstrate their
value and quality is that we leave the
initiative to the people whose chief concern
is the cost control or profit: the founders and
vendors. This constitutes an important
reason for library managers to concentrate
on developing a quality approach to every
aspect of their financing, and to acquisition
(to develop an acquisition policy and
increase acquisition expenditure).
Performance measurement, quality
evaluation and benchmarking all play an
important part.
References
EVS-ISO 11620:2000. Informatsioon ja dokumentatsioon. Raamatukogutöö tulemuslikkuse
indikaatorid (2000) = Information and documentation. Library performance indicators.
Tallinn: Eesti Standardiamet. (Eesti standard; EVS-ISO 11620:2000).
International organisations 2002. URL: http://www.nlib.ee/rkogud/rorg.html [accessed 19.3.03]
International projects 2002. URL: http://www.nlib.ee/rkogud/rproj.html [accessed 19.3.03]
Lepik, A Measuring Library’s Value in Qualitative Terms. In: Libraries in Knowledged-based
Society. Proceedings of the 3rd Nordic-Baltic Library Meeting. October 25-26, 2001.
Tallinn, Estonia. p 187-193.
Nuut A (2000). International co-operation of Estonian Libraries. In: Yearbook of Estonian
Librarian Association No 11: Eesti Raamatukoguhoidjate Ühingu Aastaraamat nr.11.
Tallinn. p 28-43. ( in Estonian).
Nuut A (2001). Efficiency, Effectiveness and Economy of Library Performance: Research
Libraries in Estonia. In: Libraries in Knowledged-based Society. Proceedings of the 3rd
Nordic-Baltic Library Meeting. October 25-26, 2001. Tallinn, Estonia. p 49-57.
Saul, M and Jõgi, M (2002) Estonian public library statistics in 1997-2001. Booklet.
Library Statistics and Standardisation
Statistics in Practice – Measuring & Managing 2002 185
Sumsion, J (2002) “ISO 2789: What’s new in and around the revision?” Performance
Measurement and Metrics, 3 (1) 10-19.
Sumsion, J, Ramsdale, P, Fuegi, D et al (2001) Library Economics in Europe. Millennium Study.
Final Report. LibEcon2000. URL: http://www.libecon.org [23.07.2002]
Valm, T (2000) The development of Estonian Librarianship in the past decade. In: Yearbook of
Estonian Librarian Association No 11: Eesti Raamatukoguhoidjate Ühingu Aastaraamat
nr.11. Tallinn. p 7-20. (in Estonian).
Annex 1
LIS Standards Issued By ISO and Adopted as Estonian Standards
• ISO 2789:1991 Information and Documentation. International Library Statistics (Adopted as
Estonian Standard EVS-EN ISO 2789:1999)
ISO/FDIS 2789:1999 involved into working plan 2002 of the WG of standardisation of
Estonia in the National Library. Will be translated into Estonian and draft given to the WG
for comments, application for adoption as Estonian Standard to the Centre for
Standardisation.
ISO 2789:[2002] is included into State Standardisation Plan for 2002 and Work
Programme of Estonian Centre for Standardisation (EVS) for adoption as Estonian
Standard by translation method. The project leader is National Library of Estonia (NLE).
• ISO 3166-1-2000 Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries and their Subdivision
Part 1 (Adopted as Estonian standard EVS-EN ISO 3166-1:2000)
• ISO 9707:1991 Information and Documentation. Statistics on the Production and
Distribution of Books, Newspapers, Periodicals and Electronic Publications (Adopted as
Estonian Standard EVS-EN ISO 9707:1999)
• ISO 11620:1998 Information and Documentation. Library Performance Indicators. (Adopted
as Estonian Standard EVS-ISO 11620:2000)
Translated into Estonian.
The adoption of ISO standard ISO 11620 as Estonian national standard was initiated by the
Library Science and Development Department of the NLE. The aim of adaption of the ISO
11620 was to promote activities of library performance measurement and quality assessment
in Estonia. The ISO 11620 was published as an Estonian standard in April 2000 and was in
the TOP 10 of Estonian standards sold by the ECS in 2000.
• ISO 9706:1994 Information and Documentation. Paper for Documents. Requirements for
Permanence. (Adopted as Estonian Standard EVS-EN-ISO 9706 2001).
Library Statistics and Standardisation
186 Statistics in Practice – Measuring & Managing 2002
Annex 2 WORK Programme 2002
Standardisation Working Group of the National Library of Estonia
1 Drafting of Estonian standards
1.1 State Programme
ICS Group and
designation of
the draft
Name of the standard Reference document Project
leader Stage Next stage
ICS 01.140.20
prEVS-EN ISO
2789
Information and Documentation.
International Library Statistics.
EN ISO 2789:[2002] NLE 20 30 (depends
on availability
of FDIS)
ICS 01.140.20
prEVS-ISO
11620 muud 1
Information and Documentation.
Library Performance Indicators.
ISO 11620: 1998/Amd 1
Additional indicators
NLE 20 30 (depends
on availability
of FDIS)
ICS 01.140.20
prEVS-ISO 3297
Information and Documentation.
International Standard Number of
Serials. (ISSN)
ISO 3297:1998 NLE 20 30
(05.2002)
ICS 01.140.20
prEVS-ISO 2108
Information and Documentation.
International Standard Number of
Book (ISBN)
ISO 2108:1992 NLE 20 30
(05.2002)
1.2 Work Programme EVS
ICS Group and
designation of
the draft
Name of the standard Reference document Project
leader Stage Next stage
ICS 01.040.01
prEVS-ISO 5127
Information and Documentation.
Terminology
ISO 5127:2001 RR 20 30
(12.2002)
2. Drafting of NLE standards
Designation of
the draft Name of the standard Reference document Project
leader Stage Next stage
RRS Eesti kirjereeglid. Monograafiate
bibliograafiline kirjeldamine [IFLA]
ISBD (M): International
Bibliographic Standard
Description for
Monographies [IFLA]
NLE 20 30
(03.2002)
Other tasks:
1 Participation in the work of ISO/TC 46 and ISO/TC 171 and its subcommittees
2 Participation in the work of the EVS technical committee EVS/TK 4 Infotechnology