Making the best use of this guide

This guide is designed to provide practical advice about planning, conducting, and reporting evaluations of digital libraries. This first chapter has introduced a decision-oriented perspective on evaluation and presented some important distinctions between evaluation, research, and assessment. Chapter 2 is focused on the evaluation planning process. Chapters 3-11 describe various types of evaluation methods that are feasible within the context of evaluating digital libraries. Chapter 12 is all about options for reporting evaluations so that they will have maximum influence on decision making.

This Guide is not a static document, and we fully expect to extend and enhance it based upon the feedback we receive from you and others involved in the development, implementation, and use of digital libraries. Revisions will also be informed by advancements in the area of evaluation as they evolve.