P-15 Evaluation of the Library Collection of Andrews Academy and its Use by Faculty and Students

Buller Hallway

Evaluation of library collections helps determine how the library fulfills it mission. This study is an analysis of the collection at the Andrews Academy Instructional Media Center. The researcher looked at the growth and funding of the library collection from 1969 to 2012. Its present holdings of 11,204 items (9,901 print and 1,303 media materials) gives a ratio of 50 items per student based on the current enrollment of 223 students. These figures show that the holdings are quantitatively strong. As of press time, survey questionnaires on the use of the library collection have been distributed to Andrews Academy faculty and students. The survey data will help identify the strengths and weaknesses as well as the opportunities and threats. However, the challenges appear to be along the lines of digital technology. The eight computers in the Instructional Media Center are long overdue for replacement. The strong print and media collection should be complemented by academic databases and online resources. Recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the library collection will be made to the Andrews Academy administration.