OUTCOMES-BASED EVALUATION IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES: FROM ONLINE INSTRUCTION TO PRACTICE.

The article discusses the engagement of public libraries in outcomes-based evaluation (OBE) approaches to manifest the value that public libraries to the community they serve and to demonstrate the impact of their services library and resources on the audience. OBE determines how library programs, services and resources change the knowledge, skills or behavior of the library customer. Public libraries are usually funded by their local sources as well as federal funds from the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). The LSTA Toolkit was developed by the Florida State Library and Archives and the Information Use Management and Policy Institute at Florida State University which offers to librarians on how to create OBE plans, strategies and methods.