ISO/TR 28118:2009 — Information and Documentation — Performance Indicators for National Libraries

1. Introduction to Performance Measurement in National Libraries

National libraries serve as the custodians of a nation’s published cultural heritage and provide essential information services to researchers, scholars, and the general public. Unlike academic or public libraries, national libraries have unique responsibilities: legal deposit collection management, national bibliography production, preservation of cultural heritage materials, and leadership in the library sector. ISO/TR 28118:2009 addresses the challenge of measuring how effectively national libraries fulfill these diverse missions by providing a comprehensive framework of performance indicators.

Developed by ISO/TC 46/SC 8 (Quality — Statistics and performance evaluation), this Technical Report complements ISO 11620 (Performance indicators for libraries) by providing indicators specifically tailored to national libraries. It recognizes that the performance of a national library cannot be measured by the same metrics used for other library types — their unique functions require indicators that capture both traditional library services and their distinctive national responsibilities.

2. Performance Indicator Framework

2.1 Indicator Categories

The standard organizes performance indicators into four categories that reflect the multi-faceted mission of national libraries. User-oriented indicators measure how well the library meets the needs of its diverse user communities. Collection and preservation indicators assess the development, management, and conservation of the national collection. Service quality indicators evaluate the accessibility, timeliness, and effectiveness of library services. Efficiency indicators relate resource inputs to service outputs. This structured framework ensures that performance assessment is comprehensive and balanced across all aspects of the library’s mission.

2.2 Selection and Application of Indicators

The standard recognizes that not all indicators are equally relevant to every national library. The selection of indicators should reflect the library’s specific mission, the legal and cultural context in which it operates, and its strategic priorities. The standard provides guidance on indicator selection criteria including: relevance to library objectives, reliability of data sources, comparability across institutions and over time, practicality of data collection, and understandability by stakeholders including funding bodies and policymakers. The standard recommends that each library select a balanced set of 10-20 indicators that cover all four categories, with the specific mix tailored to institutional priorities.

3. Key Performance Indicators for National Libraries

3.1 Collection and Heritage Preservation Indicators

Collection completeness is a core indicator unique to national libraries — it measures the extent to which the library acquires the national published output, which is fundamental to its role as the national memory institution. The standard defines specific metrics including: the percentage of the national published output acquired through legal deposit and other means, the percentage of the collection that is cataloged and accessible, and the percentage of the collection that has been assessed for preservation needs. These indicators are critical for ensuring that the library fulfills its legal deposit mandate and preserves the national published heritage for future generations. Preservation indicators also address the condition of special collections, including rare books, manuscripts, maps, and audiovisual materials.

3.2 User Access and Service Indicators

For user services, key indicators include: opening hours per week, availability of remote access to digital collections, document delivery turnaround time, reference query response time, and user satisfaction ratings. The standard emphasizes that national libraries increasingly serve both on-site and remote users, and indicators must capture both access modes. The percentage of the collection available through online catalogs and digital repositories is a particularly important indicator for modern national libraries. User satisfaction surveys should be conducted regularly using validated instruments, with results segmented by user category (researchers, general public, government, other libraries) to identify differing needs and satisfaction levels.

4. Data Collection and Analysis Methods

4.1 Data Sources and Collection Methods

The standard provides guidance on data collection methods for each indicator. Data sources include: library management systems (circulation, cataloging, acquisitions), user registration systems, financial management systems, survey instruments (user satisfaction, staff surveys), observational studies (shelf availability checks), and external sources (national publishing statistics, benchmark data from other libraries). The standard emphasizes the importance of consistent data collection procedures to ensure reliability and comparability. For each indicator, the standard specifies: the data elements required, calculation formula, data collection frequency, and interpretation guidance.

4.2 Benchmarking and Comparative Analysis

ISO/TR 28118 facilitates benchmarking among national libraries by providing a common framework of definitions and calculation methods. The standard recommends that national libraries participate in regular benchmarking exercises, comparing their indicator values with those of peer institutions. However, the standard also cautions that direct comparison of raw indicator values must account for contextual differences: legal mandate variations, collection size and age, funding levels, and the socio-economic context of the country. Normalization and contextualization of indicators are essential for meaningful benchmarking. Despite these caveats, benchmarking is identified as one of the most valuable uses of performance indicators, enabling libraries to identify improvement opportunities by learning from better-performing peers.

5. Applying Performance Indicators for Strategic Management

The standard concludes with guidance on integrating performance indicators into library management processes. Indicators should be used for: strategic planning (identifying priority areas for improvement), resource allocation (justifying budget requests based on demonstrated performance), quality improvement (identifying underperforming areas and implementing corrective actions), and stakeholder reporting (demonstrating value to funding bodies and the public). The standard emphasizes that performance measurement is not an end in itself — the ultimate purpose is to improve library services and outcomes. Regular review of indicator results, with clear linkages to management decision-making, is essential for realizing the benefits of performance measurement.

6. Frequently Asked Questions