Main Policy Content
Contents:
- Policy
- Scope
- Background
- Procedure
- Additional Resources
POLICY:
Those who complete official surveys or prepare reports about the Pennsylvania State University Libraries, for use by internal and external individuals and groups, are required to deposit a copy of the completed documents with the Library Assessment office and the Penn State University Archives.
SCOPE:
This policy includes, but is not limited to, documents that provide an official report on library activities and/or resources to the broader University community or to external agencies such as accrediting bodies, government agencies, legal proceedings, or higher education/library associations. Polls, surveys, or requests for information such as those requested by professional colleagues, students, and researchers seeking information of a general nature are not covered by this policy.
BACKGROUND:
With 38 libraries on 24 campuses, the University Libraries is responsible for providing official information to a wide audience. As a result, faculty and staff are often called upon to complete surveys or to provide data, documentation, legal briefs, and other information about the services and resources of the University Libraries to external agencies, to University committees that report to external agencies, to accrediting bodies, to legislative agencies, to associations and others. Such reports constitute an official response and are therefore considered a part of the permanent record of University Libraries. In an effort to ensure consistent and accurate reporting it is expected that those providing such information will deposit a copy of any such documents with the Library Assessment, where they will be made available for review by others drafting such reports, and the Penn State University Archives for permanent retention and access for research purposes.
PROCEDURE:
Provide a copy, preferably digital, of final documentation to the Library Assessment office, and the Penn State University Archives, within four weeks of submission. Include background information on the original request that describes the purpose for which the data was collected or how it will be used. Questions regarding the applicability of this policy should be addressed to the Head of Library Assessment.
Examples of items covered by this policy include, but are not limited to, accreditation reports requested by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), information for the Directory of Pennsylvania Libraries, or ARL statistics surveys.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Library Assessment Data Repository
Effective Date: June 7, 2010
Date Approved: June 7, 2010 (Dean's Library Council)
Revision History (and effective dates):
- April 2022 - Revised
- June 10, 2010 – New policy
Last Review Date: April 2022