Informing assessment training: library assessment practitioners’ perceptions of ACRL proficiencies

Purpose This study reports library assessment practitioner awareness of ACRL’s proficiencies for assessment in academic libraries, ranks each proficiency according to perceived importance and elicits opinions about expected venues for acquiring learning related to key proficiencies. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was used to elicit library practitioners’ awareness of perceptions of the importance of individual assessment proficiencies and expected venues for learning or skill acquisition. Findings The majority of participants had limited to no awareness of the proficiencies. Respondents prioritized two main foci of the assessment proficiencies: (1) data safety and (2) connection of assessment design, analysis and action-taking to user needs and community contexts. Respondents shared expectations that many important assessment proficiencies would be learned primarily in library school or through independent learning; other key learning venues included conferences, lectures, panels or webinars; hands-on workshops or on-the-job training venues. Practical implications Study results – including proficiencies that respondents prioritized for learning and preferred venues for learning – can help practitioners, library leaders and educators focus on professional development offerings, professional education and assessment-related individual learning plans. Originality/value Little research has examined librarian perceptions of the ACRL assessment proficiencies.