ISO 21248:2019

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 21248
First edition
2019-03
Information and documentation —
Quality assessment for national
libraries
Information et documentation — Evaluation de qualité pour les
bibliothèques nationales
Reference number
©
ISO 2019
© ISO 2019
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting
on the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address
below or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: +41 22 749 01 11
Fax: +41 22 749 09 47
Email: copyright@iso.org
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .v
Introduction .vi
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Quality assessment in national libraries .17
4.1 Mission and functions of national libraries .17
4.1.1 General.17
4.1.2 Mission statement for national libraries .18
4.1.3 Core functions of national libraries .18
4.1.4 Additional functions of national libraries .19
4.2 Target groups of national libraries .20
4.3 Quality criteria in national libraries .21
4.3.1 Quality criteria that apply to all types of libraries .21
4.3.2 Specific quality criteria for national libraries .21
4.4 Methods for quality assessment in national libraries .21
5 Performance indicators for national libraries .22
5.1 General .22
5.2 Use of performance indicators .22
5.2.1 General.22
5.2.2 Selection of performance indicators .22
5.2.3 Limitations of performance measurement .23
5.3 Criteria for performance indicators .23
5.4 Descriptive framework .24
5.4.1 General.24
5.4.2 Name .24
5.4.3 Background.24
5.4.4 Objective of the performance indicator .24
5.4.5 Definition of the performance indicator .24
5.4.6 Method(s).24
5.4.7 Interpretation and use of results .25
5.4.8 Source(s) .25
5.4.9 Examples and further reading (optional).25
5.5 List of performance indicators for national libraries .25
6 Impact assessment in national libraries .27
6.1 Overview .27
6.2 Definition and description of library impact .27
6.2.1 General.27
6.2.2 Definition of library impact .27
6.2.3 Effects of library impact .27
6.2.4 Challenges in assessing impact .30
6.2.5 Use of impact assessment results . .30
6.3 Methods for assessing impact of national libraries .31
6.3.1 General.31
6.3.2 Inferred evidence .31
6.3.3 Observed evidence .33
6.3.4 Solicited evidence .34
6.3.5 Combined methods .36
6.4 Assessing the economic value of national libraries .37
6.4.1 General.37
6.4.2 Calculating the value of library benefits to users .37
6.4.3 Economic impact analysis .40
6.5 Assessing impact on a specified target population .40
6.5.1 General.40
6.5.2 Assessing impact on researchers .40
6.5.3 Assessing impact on educators and learners .41
6.5.4 Assessing impact on the general public .43
6.5.5 Assessing impact on the library and information network .44
6.5.6 Assessing impact on publishers and authors .45
6.5.7 Assessing impact on public administration .46
6.5.8 Assessing impact on business .47
Annex A (normative) Description of performance indicators .50
Annex B (informative) Examples of impact surveys .123
Annex C (informative) Performance indicators in the structure of the balanced scorecard .133
Bibliography .135
iv © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www .iso .org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www .iso .org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see www .iso
.org/iso/foreword .html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 46, Information and documentation,
Subcommittee SC 8, Quality — Statistics and performance evaluation.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www .iso .org/members .html.
Introduction
This document is concerned with the evaluation of national libraries.
It provides guidance on the use of performance indica
...

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 21248
First edition
2019-03
Information and documentation —
Quality assessment for national
libraries
Information et documentation — Evaluation de qualité pour les
bibliothèques nationales
Reference number
©
ISO 2019
© ISO 2019
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting
on the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address
below or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: +41 22 749 01 11
Fax: +41 22 749 09 47
Email: copyright@iso.org
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .v
Introduction .vi
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Quality assessment in national libraries .17
4.1 Mission and functions of national libraries .17
4.1.1 General.17
4.1.2 Mission statement for national libraries .18
4.1.3 Core functions of national libraries .18
4.1.4 Additional functions of national libraries .19
4.2 Target groups of national libraries .20
4.3 Quality criteria in national libraries .21
4.3.1 Quality criteria that apply to all types of libraries .21
4.3.2 Specific quality criteria for national libraries .21
4.4 Methods for quality assessment in national libraries .21
5 Performance indicators for national libraries .22
5.1 General .22
5.2 Use of performance indicators .22
5.2.1 General.22
5.2.2 Selection of performance indicators .22
5.2.3 Limitations of performance measurement .23
5.3 Criteria for performance indicators .23
5.4 Descriptive framework .24
5.4.1 General.24
5.4.2 Name .24
5.4.3 Background.24
5.4.4 Objective of the performance indicator .24
5.4.5 Definition of the performance indicator .24
5.4.6 Method(s).24
5.4.7 Interpretation and use of results .25
5.4.8 Source(s) .25
5.4.9 Examples and further reading (optional).25
5.5 List of performance indicators for national libraries .25
6 Impact assessment in national libraries .27
6.1 Overview .27
6.2 Definition and description of library impact .27
6.2.1 General.27
6.2.2 Definition of library impact .27
6.2.3 Effects of library impact .27
6.2.4 Challenges in assessing impact .30
6.2.5 Use of impact assessment results . .30
6.3 Methods for assessing impact of national libraries .31
6.3.1 General.31
6.3.2 Inferred evidence .31
6.3.3 Observed evidence .33
6.3.4 Solicited evidence .34
6.3.5 Combined methods .36
6.4 Assessing the economic value of national libraries .37
6.4.1 General.37
6.4.2 Calculating the value of library benefits to users .37
6.4.3 Economic impact analysis .40
6.5 Assessing impact on a specified target population .40
6.5.1 General.40
6.5.2 Assessing impact on researchers .40
6.5.3 Assessing impact on educators and learners .41
6.5.4 Assessing impact on the general public .43
6.5.5 Assessing impact on the library and information network .44
6.5.6 Assessing impact on publishers and authors .45
6.5.7 Assessing impact on public administration .46
6.5.8 Assessing impact on business .47
Annex A (normative) Description of performance indicators .50
Annex B (informative) Examples of impact surveys .123
Annex C (informative) Performance indicators in the structure of the balanced scorecard .133
Bibliography .135
iv © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www .iso .org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www .iso .org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see www .iso
.org/iso/foreword .html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 46, Information and documentation,
Subcommittee SC 8, Quality — Statistics and performance evaluation.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www .iso .org/members .html.
Introduction
This document is concerned with the evaluation of national libraries.
It provides guidance on the use of performance indica
...