The document proposes updating the 2010 PAARL Library Standards. It notes that standards should provide guidance towards an ideal rather than just represent averages. It reviews key areas to assess libraries, including their collections, organization, staff, and services. The presentation discusses why standards need updating given changes in technology, roles of libraries, and information environments. It outlines the process for revising standards, including gathering input through surveys and discussions. Significant changes proposed include recognizing multiple formats for collections, emphasizing access over ownership, incorporating library 2.0 concepts, and expanding services for distance learning.

1. 2010 PAARL Library Standards
Final Proposal
presented by Fe Angela M. Verzosa

2. Why create standards?
“Standards are not a celebration of
mediocrity nor intended to provide a
level of comfort by showing activities
or statistics that represent a
hypothetical average. Rather, the
standards provide a path, sometimes
difficult, to an ideal.”
– Illinois Library Association

3. How to assess a “good” library
• - size and collection of the library
• - adequacy and accuracy of the organization of
its materials
• - usefulness of its catalogs and finding tools in
providing access to its collection
• - ability and cooperation of the library staff in
bringing these materials (or information on
these materials) to the attention of the users
• - and in maximizing the exposure of the users to
these resources and to other library services.

4. Areas of standard assessment
• Library’s Mission and Objectives
• Administration
• Human Resources
• Financial Resources
• Collections
• Services
• Facilities
• Networking and Linkages

5. Standards for
Academic Libraries
PAARL Standards
formulated as “policies which
describe shared values and
principles of performance for a
library” (like ALA standards)
adopted in the context of
collections of “best practices” or
model documents for academic
libraries to use as helpful toolkits
and reference sources for
assessment

6. •1975-6 Study of the library resources initiated by BHE
•1976 FAPE conducted the survey
•1977 Tentative Library Standards for Private Higher Education
presented at PLA Convention in June
•1988 PAARL took initiative of revising it with Ms. M.G. Dayrit
as Chair and presented for public hearings in October in
Iloilo and later in Manila
Final document was submitted to DECS
and became known as –
DECS Library Standards for Tertiary Education
– issued as Inclosure no. 3 to DECS Bulletin no. 1 s1988
Standards for
Academic Libraries

7. 1995 – 1998 PAARL conducted seminars to review
1988 Library Standards
1999 –2000 PAARL created a Task Force to revise
the 1988 Standards headed by Mrs. Loreto
Serina, and in 2000, replaced by Ms. Lolita
Gonzales
2000 Public hearings were conducted (3 in NCR,
and last in Cebu City)
Final document was submitted to BFL
at PAARL’s General Assembly in Jan 2001
and to CHED’s Office of Programs and Standards
in March 2001
Standards for
Academic Libraries

8. Standards for
Academic Libraries
PAARL Standards
going 10:
is there a need to update?

9. Standards for
Academic Libraries
 rapid changes in ICT – consideration of multiple
formats and changing information environment
 changing roles of academic and research libraries
 issue of ownership vs. access
 application of information literacy and library 2.0
 revolutionizing user education practices
 evolving and new roles of librarians as agents of
change
Context of Change

10. Standards for
Academic Libraries
• Should PAARL Standards apply to all types of
academic libraries – small college and
university libraries, technical institute
libraries, large academic libraries, research
universities?
• If yes, should it be prescriptive
• or comprehensive?
Scope

11. Standards for
Academic Libraries
• qualitative or quantitative?
• incorporating measurable inputs (money,
space, collection, equipment, staff size)
• quantifying outputs or work done (books
circulated, reference queries answered,
formulating guidelines on technical standards for
bibliographic and other services rendered)
• qualifying desired outcomes (formulating
best practices)
Approach

12. Standards for
Academic Libraries
• stick to the old format?
• or adopt new format outlining guidelines for specific
areas:
- Mission, Goals and Objectives
- Administration
- Human Resources
- Financial Resources
- Collections
- Services
- Facilities
- Linkages and Networking
Format

13. Standards for
Academic Libraries
• Create a subcommittee or task force
• Conduct public hearings, consultative
meetings, roundtable discussions, etc.
• Conduct surveys (traditional, online)
• Utilize blogsites for opinions, comments,
suggestions, etc.
• Get endorsements
• Publish and disseminate
Methodologies

14. Standards for
Academic Libraries
Area: Vision, Mission, Goals
• to provide information
services in support of
the teaching, research,
and public service
missions of the parent
institution.
• to select, collect,
organize, and provide
access to all varieties of
information for users.
• Overall mission
• Primary library goals
• Library programs and
objectives in consultation
with appropriate represen-
tatives from:
• Administration officials
• Faculty
• Library Staff
• Students
• Trustees or regents
• Advisory Boards
• State or other governmental units
associated with institution

15. Poll survey shows…
32% “The Vision, Mission, Goals and
Objectives of the library are acknowledged,
and understood by the administration, faculty
and students.”
28% “The vision, mission, goals and objectives
of the library should be clearly reflected and
implemented in the annual plans of the
library.”
25% “The vision, mission, goals and objectives
of the school are implemented and achieved
through the services and activities of the
library.”

16. Standards for
Academic Libraries
• The library, under its head or director, should
be responsible for managing its own affairs.
• This autonomy, however, only reinforces the
library’s responsibility to maintain effective
relationships with administration and faculty
to achieve its purposes. The library should
also adhere to institutional protocols,
procedures, and practices as they are stated
by the appropriate agencies within the
institution.
Area:
Administration
•Autonomy of the library
•Academic qualifications of head librarian
• Collaboration with faculty
•Strategic planning/creation of
Development plan
• College/University
librarian shall have a
master’s degree
• and the desirable
managerial skills and
experience

17. Poll survey shows…
 41% “The college/university librarian shall have faculty
or academic status, and shall participate actively, and
interact with the faculty, on curricular and
instructional matters, and research activities.”
 31% “The annual report is used as a tool for planning
for the library and the institution as well.”
 29% “The library, under its head or director, should be
responsible for managing its own affairs. This
autonomy, however, only reinforces the library’s
responsibility to maintain effective relationships with
administration and faculty to achieve its purposes. The
library should also adhere to institutional protocols,
procedures, and practices as they are stated by the
appropriate agencies within the institution.”

18. 29% “Through formal planning procedures and
methods, such as strategic planning, the
library shall formulate a development plan
which shall include a program for a continued
development and improvement of library
resources and services. Corollary to this, it
shall maintain a systematic and continuous
program for evaluating its performance,
identifying and applying performance measures
that will reveal the extent to which it has
been successful in fulfilling its mission.”
Poll survey shows…

19. Standards for
Academic Libraries
Required Elements/provisions:
- Librarians should be licensed/registered
- Sufficient number and variety of personnel
- Ratio of Librarians vis-à-vis support staff
- Continuing education
- Compensation, retirement, fringe benefits
Area:
Human Resources
•Responsibilities should match
Educational competencies and experience
•Focus on career positions/salary schedules
•Written personnel policy
•Annual performance evaluation
•Mandatory staff development
Added provisions

20. Standards for
Academic Libraries
• The changing complexity of
library work and ongoing
changes in technology
mandate regular staff
participation in continuing
formal and informal education
• Librarians participating
actively in library and other
professional associations, as
well as those engaging in
other appropriate
professional activities, should
be encouraged.
Significant Changes –
Human Resources
The library environment is
often fragmented by the type
of positions held by its
personnel. To avoid possible
friction within library staff,
such as from the derogatory
connotation of titles like
"semiprofessionals" and
"paraprofessionals," care
needs to be taken to maintain
good relations between the
different categories of
personnel.

21. 33% “Librarians and other professional staff
should possess, in addition to the educational
qualifications, the needed skills and academic
training to meet the academic needs of the
institution, and to provide management
support. They should be given responsibilities
matched to their educational competencies
and work experiences.”
36% “Salary schedules should be created and
should provide for regular increases, with
provisions for merit increases for superior
performance and continuing education
recognition.”
Poll survey shows…

22. Poll survey shows…
 31% “All positions in the library should be established
and organized as part of a career service. Every
library should have a written personnel policy with
position descriptions, as well as the educational
requirements for each position.”
 34% “The library staff should be covered by a
written policy that clearly establishes their status,
rights and responsibilities, consistent with sound
personnel management. Such a policy should cover the
areas of recruitment, hiring, appointment, contract
renewal, promotion, tenure, dismissal, and appeal, in
addition to working conditions, benefits, and other
incentives.”
 26% “The staff are able to echo the seminars and
training that they attend, and should demonstrate
improvement in their competencies as a result of
their seminar participation and/or training.”

23. Standards for
Academic Libraries
• - Separate budget for the Library (5-10%
• of institutional total operating budget
- Library fees exclusive for collections
- Income generated by library should be
retained
- Library budget for media/computer access
Area:
Financial Resources
Added provisions
“In addition, adequate funds shall be
allocated by the institution for
maintenance, replacement, repairs,
renovation and for investment in new
and improved means of information
access and delivery.”

24. Standards for
Academic Libraries
The college/university
librarian shall
prepare, justify, and
administer a library
budget that meets the
library’s objectives
and the reasonable
expectations of
library users when
balanced against
other institutional
needs.
4.2The operating budget of the library must
be appropriate to the mission of the
library, and sufficient to sustain all
operations, including maintenance of
automated systems. If it is impossible to
meet all expectations or fund specific
new programs, this should be made
clear, and a means for setting priorities
established.
4.8 The library director/head should
have authority to apportion funds
and initiate expenditures within
the library budget
4.9 The library budget should reflect
the library's responsibility for
acquiring, processing, servicing,
and providing access to media
and computer resources.
Significant Changes –
Financial Resources

25. Standards for
Academic Libraries
Significant Changes –
Area: Collections
Collection management
not only involves the
selection and acquisition
process, but also the
organization and use of
all materials in all
formats to the level
required to support
academic programs in
research, teaching, and
public service.
Collection management also includes
leasing, renting, deselection, providing
access to other collections, planned
resource-sharing and cooperative storage,
and electronic access to databases.
25%
Collection management
recognizes the importance of
access to resources rather
on ownership.
Adequate funding should be provided
to ensure the successful implementation of
the library’s collection management programs.

26. Standards for
Academic Libraries
31% “The collection management programs of the
library should be developed jointly by the library
and the college/university, indicating the depth and
breadth of the collections, as set out in an
appropriate taxonomy to determine collection levels.
The following levels are generally recommended:
0 Out of scope
1 Minimal information
2 Basic information
3 Study or instructional support
4 Research
5 Comprehensive
The policies setting out this program should be in
written form, and regularly reviewed.”

27. Standards for
Academic Libraries
Significant Changes –
Collections: Holdings
5.3.2. “Resources may be in a
variety of formats, including print or
hard copy, online electronic text or
images, and other media.
Particular consideration shall be
given to the availability of Internet
services to supplement the library’s
collection of information
resources.”
37% “In keeping with progress in information and
communication technology, the availability of e-resources
may be considered as substantial compliance in lieu of
books and other required print materials, provided that the
required minimum collection of five (5) professional titles
per student shall still be maintained.”

28. Standards for
Academic Libraries
Significant Changes –
Collections: Holdings
21% “Recognition should be given to
changes in curricular offerings, and
new academic programs. Equally,
recognition should be given to library
contributions to consortial or other
resource-sharing programs.”
26%
As far as budget permits,
the recommended ratio of
volumes to combined total
student population and
teaching faculty
should be 10:1.
annual growth rate of the collection
shall be maintained at five percent
28% “At least twenty-five
percent (25%) of the
book collection should
have been published
within the last 5 years.”

29. Poll survey shows…
 37% “In keeping with progress in information and
communication technology, the availability of e-resources
may be considered as substantial compliance in lieu of
books and other required print materials, provided that
the required minimum collection of five (5) professional
titles per student shall still be maintained.”
 32% “Collection currency and vitality should be
maintained through judicious weeding. A regular
deselection program shall be undertaken to keep the
collection relevant and up-to-date, particularly in the
fields of science and technology. A three (3) to five (5)
percent replacement of older materials each year is
recommended.”
 25% “There should be an increased research activity
among the faculty and students as an outcome of the use
of the print and non-print collection of the library.”

30. Standards for
Academic Libraries
Significant Changes –
Collections: Holdings
22% “Recognition is given to cooperative or consortial
arrangements, with respect to periodical
subscriptions to professional / technical journals.
Jointly planned purchases and/or sharing of
periodical resources among libraries within a
given locality, if feasible, through document-
delivery, or pay-on-demand, or pay-per-view, and
other options are encouraged.”
5.3.15 “The library should have a
continuing and effective program
to evaluate its collections,
resources, and online databases,
both quantitatively and
qualitatively .”

31. Standards for
Academic Libraries
• 5.4.4 To reduce loss and damage, the
library should exercise appropriate
control over use and borrowing.
• 5.4.5 The library should have a
counter-disaster plan to cover minor
and major disasters to include both
damage prevention and damage
recovery. 28%
Significant Changes –
Collections: Care

32. Standards for
Academic Libraries
Under Collections – Organization
and Care:
5.4.1 Collections shall be
organized to insure efficient
identification and retrieval, and
to provide maximum intellectual
and physical accessibility to the
library and its resources
Area: Services
Included provisions:
- Flexibility in service hours
- Orientations expanded
- Variety of Services
- Open-Shelf system (see 5.4.1)
- Written lending policies
- Academic community served
6.10
The library should
participate in programs
for the sharing of
bibliographic data.

33. Standards for
Academic Libraries
Significant Changes –
Services
• User instruction
• Life-long learning
• Access to its own collection
and elsewhere
• Bibliographic-sharing
• Information access through
networking,
online information services,
interlibrary loan activities,
document-delivery services
• Distance-learning programs
33% “ User instruction shall be provided as
specialized and in-depth assistance to
all levels of users from freshmen to
faculty on the use of the library’s
resources…(more)
6.5
Librarians should collaborate
frequently with classroom faculty;
participate in curriculum planning,
as well as in information literacy
instruction
6.12Distance learning programs should be
promoted by means of remote electronic
access to collections, the provision of
reliable network connections, and through
electronic transmission or courier delivery
of library materials to remote users.

34. Standards for
Academic Libraries
• In cooperation with the library's partner agencies,
the library shall conduct outreach activities for its
adopted communities based on actual needs.
• In view of the advent of new technologies in library
services, Library 2.0 initiatives, which call for
libraries to encourage user participation and
feedback in the development and maintenance of
library services, shall be implemented.
• The library shall conduct a periodic study or
research on customer satisfaction and needs
analysis, inclusive of all library functions / services
as basis for further improvement of its services..”
Significant Changes –
Area: Services

35. Standards for
Academic Libraries
Include:
- Site, Location and Design
- Space requirements
- Furniture and equipment
- Physical provisions for reading comfort
- Security/control system
Area:
Physical Facilities
Essential provisions:
• Accessibility of library/director’s office and strategic location
• Space requirement allows rearrangement/future expansion
• Separate spaces for quiet study and group discussion
• Space provision for special services such as exhibits, displays
and photocopying facilities
• Provisions for equipment to access information/assist instruction
• Control and security measures in place; disaster preparedness

36. Standards for
Academic Libraries
Significant Changes –
Facilities
“The library shall provide well-
planned, secure, and sufficient
space to meet the perceived
needs of staff and users and to
meet the housing requirements of
its collections including space
for automated services in a
properly controlled environment.
In addition, provision for future
expansion should be made.”
.
Note:
The technical specifications and details of
space requirements and enumeration of
specific furniture and equipment have
been removed.
To fulfill its service missions,
the library should be close to the
center of campus activity.
Note: library must be air-conditioned

37. Standards for
Academic Libraries
7.3.5 The library shall have facilities for information
technology and communication services. It shall
provide sufficient numbers of appropriately capable
computer workstations for access to electronic
resources. In addition, it should provide appropriate
equipment in adequate quantities and in good working
order for the convenient, efficient consultation, retrieval
or dissemination of local and remote information
resources by the library staff and its patrons. This
includes such IT and communications equipment as
computers with Internet connectivity, printers,
scanners, webcams, fax machines, and other electronic
communications equipment.
Significant Changes –
Facilities

38. Standards for
Academic Libraries
Significant Changes –
Area: Linkages and Networking
8.1 The Library exists within a
network of relationships
extending beyond the
institution. In cooperation with
other libraries, consortia,
networks, vendors, and other
agencies, the library should
participate in programs that will
assist it in meeting its goals
and are consistent with the
mission of the university.
31%
The library should strive,
as far as possible, to enhance
information access through
networking and linkages, and
online information services.
Interlibrary loan activities and document-delivery services shall
be encouraged for the purpose of increasing resources, providing
access to materials not owned by the library, and extending
cooperation with other libraries.

39. participation in exchange programs and consortia or cooperative projects
(under Financial Support)
providing access to other collections, planned resource-sharing and
cooperative storage, and electronic access to databases (under
Collection Management)
Equally, recognition should be given to library contributions to consortial
or other resource-sharing programs. (under Collections - Holdings)
The library should participate in programs for the sharing of bibliographic
data. (under Services)
library should strive to enhance information access through networking,
resource sharing, online information services, and use of
technological advances; interlibrary loan activities and document-
delivery services shall be encouraged for the purpose of increasing
resources and extending cooperation with other libraries (under
Services)
Significant Changes –
Linkages and Networking
Standards for
Academic Libraries

40. Contact fe.verzosa@dlsu.edu.ph
Or famverzosa@yahoo.com
Questions?

41. Thank you for listening!
For comments, contact me at famverzos@gmail.com