Improving library efficiency to meet patron´s needs: A data envelopment analysis benchmarking model

Technological innovation and the information age have increased patrons´ expectations of the services and resources that academic libraries provide. Libraries are responding to patrons´ needs by providing digital resources and services, and collaborative spaces that invite communication and knowledge sharing. In order to effectively meet patrons´ needs, libraries are striving to efficiently manage their human, materials, and fiscal resources. Libraries have traditionally measured efficiency by developing single factor productivity indexes. However, these qualitative methods do not adequately address the efficiency aspect which measures the transformation of resources (inputs) into services (outputs). Data envelopment analysis (DEA) measures the relative efficiencies of a decision making unit with multiple inputs and outputs. The DEA methodology has been applied to libraries over the past twenty years. This paper proposes a DEA evaluation model that faculty, in their advisory and advocacy shared governance roles, can employ to strengthen their libraries. The model is demonstrated by analyzing the efficiency of the Portland State University Branford Price Millar Library to its peer institution libraries for the academic year 2011-2012.