LRC Evaluation

ACRL Standards
How the PAC LRC Compares to the Standards, 2000-2001

Source: College & Research Libraries NEWS vol.55 no.9 (Oct. 1994): 572-587. These standards are specifically for community colleges and are also available online at the ACRL website.

Standards 1. Objectives
2. Organization
3.a. Administration
3.b. Staff
4. Budget
5. User Services
6. Collections
7. Facilities

Meets Standard
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes

Standard One: Objectives

The LRC at PAC (Palo Alto College) meets all ACRL community college standards in the objectives area. Here is how:

Palo Alto College (PAC) has a comprehensive mission statement for the learning resources program and it is based on the nature and purpose of the institution.
The mission statement of the LRC was developed by its faculty and staff in consultation with the widest possible representation of the college community.
The mission statement of the LRC has been endorsed by the governing board.
The mission statement of the LRC is reviewed periodically.
The LRC mission statement, as the basis for the evaluation of services and the projection of future needs -- along with college and district goals and objectives, is used in the annual planning process.
All component units of the LRC are clearly defined.
The PAC learning resources program is an integral part of PAC's process for the improvement of instruction.

Standard Two: Organization

The LRC at PAC (Palo Alto College) meets all ACRL community college standards in the objectives area. Here is how:

The responsibilities and functions of the component units of the learning resources program within the institutional structure are clearly defined.
The duties and responsibilities of the chief administrator (the director) of the learning resources program are clearly defined within the institutional structure.
The comprehensive learning resources program includes a variety of services which are organized into functional units.
The administrator and professional staff are involved in all areas and at all levels of academic activities and institutional planning.
The LRC has an advisory committee which provides essential information to the staff and serves as a link with users.
Internal administration of the learning resources program is based on staff participation in decisions on policies, procedures, and personnel.
Each professional and supportive staff member is provided with a position description which clearly identifies the duties and responsibilities of the position and superior and subordinate relationships.
Performance appraisal standards are clearly defined and understood by all staff members.

Standard Three (a): Administration

The LRC at PAC (Palo Alto College) meets all ACRL community college standards in the administration area. Here is how:

The chief administrator is professionally trained and knowledgeable about all types of library and media materials and services.

Standard Three (b): Staff

The LRC at PAC (Palo Alto College) meets all ACRL community college standards in the staffing area. Here is how:

The professional staff have graduate degrees from accredited institutions and have faculty status, benefits, and obligations.
The professional staff belong to library, media, and other appropriate associations.
Professional development is encouraged through direct financial support of attendance and participation in local, state, and national organizations... although that financial support is often inadequate to cover key conferences and other events.
Technical and classified personnel have appropriate specialized training and experience. Classification, status, and salary are equivalent to those provided for other institutional employees with similar qualifications.
Student assistants are not used in place of full or part-time staff personnel. [One exception to this is the Children's Library. Lack of funding has forced us to use work studies as attendants in this area. Even this coverage is only possible 15 out of the 83 hours the LRC is open.]
Because of the changing nature of the learning resources programs and technological changes which impact such programs, regular continuing education participation by all persons, professional and staff alike, is strongly emphasized and supported.

The LRC does not, however meet the standard which is that "sufficient and qualified professional and support staff should be available to implement the services for which the program is responsible." Here is the current status of the staffing level:

The Fall enrollment for PAC (FY 2000-2001) is 5,294 FTE students. The headcount is 6,382 (Source: Institutional Research Office). Based on these numbers the ACRL standards indicate that the following should apply to this LRC:

TABLE A* Staffing Requirements for Single-Campus Services**
FTE Students	Administrators	Professionals		Technicians		Other Staff***		Total Staff
	Min.& Excel	Min.	Excel	Min	Excel	Min	Excel	Min	Excel
5,000--6,999	1	7	9	7	12	6	11	21	33

* Does not include student assistants
** Additional Staff will be needed if enrollment is 50% greater than FTE
*** Secretaries, clerks, lab aides, etc.

PAC's headcount is not twice the FTE enrollment, so the second note does not apply. However, this table does not include services in Appendix B of the criteria, which state that "If any of these extra services are assigned, additional positions will be needed... The higher the ratio the greater will be the need for additional staff beyond the formulas in Table A." The LRC supports all six of the service categories in Appendix A. The LRC also supports four of the service areas listed in Appendix B, plus the Children's library area and the A&M support component. The criteria above, therefore, will have to be increased by 83.33% according to ACRL standards. (Because our LRC supports 83.33% of the additional functions which in totality would require doubling the standards.) The standards for our LRC, and our staffing, are as follows:

Adjusted TABLE A* Staffing Requirements for Single-Campus Services**
FTE Students	Administrators	Professionals		Technicians		Other Staff***		Total Staff
	Min.& Excel	Min.	Excel	Min	Excel	Min	Excel	Min	Excel
5,000--6,999	1.8	12.8	16.5	12.8	22	11	20.2	38.5	60.5
PAC LRC	1	13		7		11		32

These numbers are based on the following list of personnel:

Administrators
Gloria Hilario

Total = 1

Professionals
Ann Bolton-Brownlee, PT
Tom Duncan, FT Camille Fiorillo, FT
Colby Glass, FT
Diana Guthrie, PT
Sandra Hood, FT
Luis Mercado, FT
Tina Mesa, FT
Mario Ramirez, FT
Irma Sanchez, FT
Irene Scharf, FT
Will Stein, PT
Charles Wu, PT

Total = 13

Technicians
Pat Broome
Steve Cortinas
Robert Jakubowski
Margaret Martinez
Michell Rodriguez
Azucena Rodriguez-Guerra
Dorothy Smith

Total = 7

Other Staff
Linda Glover, sec.
College work studies = 10 FTEs

Total = 11

Standard Four: Budget

The LRC at PAC (Palo Alto College) meets the following ACRL community college standards in the budget area. Here is how:

The mission statement forms the basis for the LRC budget and is part of the planning process. Annual objectives are developed by the learning resources staff.
The budget is stable. The requested budget is based on a percentage of educational and general budget totals for PAC as shown in ACRL Table B.
All expenditures originate within the LRC and are reviewed by the Director.
Internal accounts are maintained for evaluting the flow of expenditures, encumbrances, and the approval of payment invoices.
The LRC budget provides stable funding for contractual services, equipment and materials replacement, and for the maintenance of automated public and technical services. Three to five percent of materials are replaced each year.
All directly related revenues such as fines, payments for lost and damaged materials, sale of unneeded items, and student use fees, are used solely for the support of the PAC LRC collections, services, and activities.

In the matter of budget adequacy, however, the LRC does not meet ACRL standards. Here is how:

The following is the basic ACRL standard:

Table B* Learning Resources Budget As % of Educational & General Expenditures
Size	Min.	Excel.
All	6%	9%

The note below the table states that "Appendix B activities and services will require additional funding." Therefore, this table requires adjustment in the same proportion, and for the same reasons stated for Table A.

Adjusted Table B* Learning Resources Budget As % of Educational & General Expenditures
Size	Min.	Excel.
All	11%	16.5%
PAC LRC	6.79%

Note that the percent of E&G was 7.46% four years ago. This indicates that the LRC budget, as a percentage of E&G, is shrinking. The same table, converted to actual budget dollars, is as follows (The PAC E&G budget for 2000-2001 is $15,311,548):

Adjusted Table B* Learning Resources Budget As % of Educational & General Expenditures
Size	Min.	Excel.
Criteria	$ 1,684,270	$ 2,526,405
PAC LRC	$ 1,039,133

This indicates that the LRC is underfunded anywhere from $645,137 to $1,487,272. If Palo Alto College is underfunded as a whole, then the LRC budget as a percentage of EG&G is even more underfunded.

Standard Five: User Services

The LRC at PAC (Palo Alto College) meets all ACRL community college standards in the user services area. Here is how:

The LRC provides a variety of services that support and expand the instructional capabilities of PAC.
The LRC provides instructional as well as support services to students, faculty, and staff.
The LRC provides the best possible access to information in print, media, and electronic formats.
Access to materials is extended through cooperative borrowing (ILL), resource sharing, renting or leasing services and materials, and the use of electronic databases and other technologies.
Students have access to materials and professional assistance at all times that the facility is open.
Faculty members have access to basic instructional media production assistance.
Faculty members have access to assistance in research projects.
Priority is given to basic services in accordance with the mission statement. Special service components are provided only when staff and funding are available.
The LRC seeks to enlarge access for users through networking, resources sharing, online information services, and technological advances.
New information formats and services are brought to the attention of the faculty and administration as they emerge.
Services provided meet the instructional and informational needs of students, faculty, staff, and administration.
A minimum of information access is provided for students in off-campus locations.
An information literacy program for students is provided through a variety of techniques.
Services are provided for all levels of users: students and other members of the college community.
Necessary equipment to access information and to assist instruction is available and efficiently managed.
Instructional support production services are available.
A variety of programs are available to provide students bibliographic and information litereacy instruction through a variety of techniques.

Standard Six: Collections

The LRC at PAC (Palo Alto College) meets all of the following standards in the collections area. Here is how:

The LRC makes available an organized collection of materials and information in diversified formats including print and nonprint media, computer software, and optical storage technologies.
A collection development policy statement serves as the basis for selection and acquisition of materials.
The selection of materials is coordinated by the professional staff, working closely with other faculty in the campus community.
Final decisions on the order in which materials are purchased and what gifts will be accepted are the responsibility of professionally trained librarians and information specialists.
Librarians have access to bibliographic tools and reviewing sources for effective collection development.
The LRC's collection is of sufficient scope and currency to support the curriculum as well as meet individual information needs of students and faculty. One indicator of this is the high number of requests for interlibrary loan from other institutions.
Obsolete, worn-out, and inappropriate materials are removed based on a policy statement. Three to five percent of the collection is replaced annually.
The physical condition of the collection is reviewed regularly and repairs to materials are made as needed.
The reference collection includes a wide selection of standard works, including subject bibliographies and periodical indexes.
The collection is organized to provide users with full, efficient, and direct access.

In the matter of total collection size, the LRC falls about halfway between minimum and excellect. ACRL Table E below provides collection goals. The bottom of the same table shows PAC LRC actual holdings.

Table E Size of Collection for a Single Campus
Minimum Collection
FTE Students	Volumes	Current Serials Subs.	Video & Film	Other Items*	Total Collection
5,000 - 6,999	80,000	700	1,250	10,000	92,550
Excellent Collection
FTE Students	Volumes	Current Serials Subs.	Video & Film	Other Items*	Total Collection
5,000 - 6,999	112,000	1,000	2,250	18,000	124,240
PAC LRC Collection
FTE Students	Volumes	Current Serials Subs.	Video & Film	Other Items*	Total Collection
5,294	78,809	455	1,958	15,138	101,654

The above PAC collection numbers are based on a physical count which resulted in the following results:

Volumes
       Books 58,289
       Online full-text
leased e-books
(netLibrary) 5,000
       Bound periodicals 7,001
       Online full-text
leased periodicals 7,905*
       Maps 109
       Vertical files 453
       Software titles 15
       Cassette titles 6
       CD titles 31
Total Book Equivalents
              78,809
* Online full-text leased periodicals is a 'book equivalent' number arrived at by taking the number of full-text titles (30% of the 1,757 titles in ProQuest), and multiplying by the number of years available (1986 to present).

Video & Film
VCR tapes 1,958

Other Items
       Microfilm pending
       Microfiche 75,692
Total Other Items
              15,138*
* To convert microforms to 'book equivalents,' the standard is to divide by 5. This results in a total of 15,138.

Please note that the microforms are still in the process of being counted. Numbers given are tentative at this time...

Standard Seven: Facilities

Initial examination would appear to indicate that the LRC at PAC (Palo Alto College) does not meet ACRL community college standards in the facilities area. Here is how:

Adequate space is provided for housing the collections in all formats, for study and research, for public service activities, for staff workrooms and offices, and for basic production.

Student seating should approximate a minimum of 10% of the FTE enrollment, including:

individual carrels, 25 sq ft per student;
tables for four, 25 sq ft per student;
lounge chairs, 30 sq ft per student;
computer workstations, 40 sq ft per student;
microform reader stations, 35 sq ft per student;
small group study rooms, 25 sq ft per student

PAC headcount for the Fall semester, 2001, was 6,382. Ten percent of that is 638 times an average of 30 sq ft per student equals 19,140 sq ft.

For the collection, the facility should have a square foot for every 10 bound volumes or equivalents. PAC LRC has 67,284 book equivalents in the collection, divided by 10 equals 6,728 sq ft.

Staff space for workrooms, offices, equipment areas, etc. should be a minimum of 175 sq ft per staff member. Individual offices for professional staff and administrators should be figured at 200 square feet per person. 12 professionals and administrators times 200 sq ft equals 2,400 sq ft. 9 other staff plus 20 work studies equals 29 times 175 sq ft equals 5,075 sq ft. The total for staff, therefore, would be 7,475 sq ft.

Public services areas include space for public access catalogs, current periodicals, indexes, reference and technology delivery areas, display and exhibit space, group bibliographic instruction, group viewing, and study areas for faculty, for the needs of the physically disabled, and for both quiet individual study and conference and group study.

The total facility, therefore, should be as follows:

Student Seating	19,140 sq ft
For the Collection	6,728 sq ft
For Staff Workrooms & Offices	7,475 sq ft
For Basic Production	19,140 sq ft
For Public Svc. Activities	19,140 sq ft
TOTAL	92,963 sq ft

Please note that the above categories do not add up to 92,963 because a building requires a great deal more than assignable (usable) square footage. Elevators, staircases, closets, heating units all take up space. However, if we just consider assignable (usable) space, here is a comparison of the ACRL standard with our actual Ozuna facility:

AREA	STANDARD	PAC LRC
For the Collection	6,728 sq ft	6,116 sq ft
For Study & Research	19,140 sq ft	15,926 sq ft
For Public Svc. Activities	19,140 sq ft	15,926 sq ft
For Staff Workrooms & Offices	7,475 sq ft	6,105 sq ft
For Basic Production	19,140 sq ft	15,926 sq ft
TOTAL	71,623 sq ft	60,000 sq ft

However, all the other ACRL facilites standards are met in the following manner:

Space for user activities accomodates a wide variety of learning and study situations. The space is attractive, comfortable, and designed to encourage use.
There is adequate space for instruction, the needs of the physically handicapped, for individual study and for group study activities.
The building includes display and exhibit space, preview space, and study areas for faculty.
The building includes the latest standards in electrical connections, cables, conduits, lights, environmental control, fire protection, and security.
Future telecommunications needs are met by extensive cable linkages throughout the building, faculty offices, classrooms, and to outside locations.
The space designed for learning resources is restricted to those uses. Other campus activities are not scheduled there is they will adversely impact on the learning resources programs and services.

Additionally, PAC is a commuter campus where only 2,480 students are in classrooms at any one time (Source: Facilities Office). There are only 81 total classrooms available on campus for 6,382 students (Source: Information & Technology Office). The PAC LRC readily accommodates ten percent of the number of students on campus.

The adjusted space for basic audiovisual production takes into account the fact that minimal photography and audio recording is being done at this time as well as almost no TV studio production.

If we adjust the above table based on actual students on campus, even if we inflate the number in class by 30% to adjust for arriving and departing students, we get the following figures

ADJUSTED TABLE

AREA	STANDARD	PAC LRC
For the Collection	3,399 sq ft	6,116 sq ft
For Study & Research	9,669 sq ft	15,926 sq ft
For Public Svc. Activities	9,669 sq ft	15,926 sq ft
For Staff Workrooms & Offices	3,776 sq ft	6,105 sq ft
For Basic Production	9,669 sq ft	15,926 sq ft
TOTAL	36,182 sq ft	60,000 sq ft

A comparative survey of physical plants of similar-sized institutions would demonstrate that the PAC LRC is sized larger than most.

Appendix A: Checklist of Basic Services & Activities

SERVICE/ACTIVITY	PAC LRC
Acquisitions, cataloging, maintenance, preservation, and/or circulation of:
Audiovisual materials/programs	Yes
Books	Yes
College archives including institutional publications	Yes
Computer Programs	Yes
Government documents	Yes
CD-ROM resources	Yes
Local history materials	No
Microforms	Yes
Periodicals	Yes
Special Collections	NA
Computer systems management and maintenance:
Computer programs	Yes
Gateway and Internet access	Yes
Integrated automation systems	Yes
LANs and WANs	Yes
Public access computers	Yes
Equipment services
Equipment inentory, scheduling, and distribution	Yes
Equipment maintenance and repair	Yes
Equipment specifications and purchase	Yes
Group viewing services	Yes
Public access listening/viewing area	Yes
Instructional Services
Bibliographic instruction	Yes
Bibliographies	Yes
Computer literacy	Yes
Copyright consultation	Yes
Group orientation	Yes
Individualized instruction or self-paced learning assistance	Yes
Instructional design and development	Yes
Media orientation and instruction	Yes
Online databasses searching	Yes
Point-of-use guides, pathfinders, and study guides	Yes
Reference service	Yes
Reserve materials	Yes
Staff development	Yes
Telephone reference	Yes
Production Services
Audio duplication, editing, and recording	Yes
Copy machines	Yes
Drymounting and lamination	Yes
Graphic layout and design	Yes
Interactive video	No
Multimedia	Yes
Photography and darkroom	Yes (ltd)
Satellite communications downlink	Yes
Scripting	Yes
Teleconference services	Yes
Telecourse and distant learning distribution	Yes
Transparencies and slides	Yes
Video duplication, recording, and editing	Yes (ltd)
Resource sharing services:
Bibliographic networks	Yes
Gateway services	Yes
Interlibrary loan	Yes
Internet	Yes
Reciprocal borrowing	Yes
Rental and free-loan materials	Yes
Union catalogs of local resources	Yes

Appendix B: Additional Services & Activities

SERVICE/ACTIVITY	PAC LRC
Community services:
Community services	Yes
City Year volunteer program	Yes
Curriculum
Library technician education	No
Bibliographic instruction courses	Yes
Information Studies courses	Yes
Literacy Programs:
Public Web literacy, City Year	Yes
Children's Library
Children's library program	Yes
A&M Component
A&M component	Yes

Volumes
	Books	58,289
	Online full-text leased e-books (netLibrary)	5,000
	Bound periodicals	7,001
	Online full-text leased periodicals	7,905*
	Maps	109
	Vertical files	453
	Software titles	15
	Cassette titles	6
	CD titles	31
Total Book Equivalents
		78,809

Other Items
	Microfilm	pending
	Microfiche	75,692
Total Other Items
		15,138*