The stakeholder approach to the construction of performance measures: some implications

A large questionnaire survey in 1995-96 covered ten stakeholder groups in fifteen UK higher education libraries to examine their views on 91 library performance measures. Those considered most important are discussed and the entire set is listed. Library management issues seemed much less important to users and to academics than to library staff. A hierarchical 'looking upwards' to groups above was noted. Results supported the findings of earlier Stakeholder research overseas. lt is suggested these results require conventional peformance measures to be reviewed and extended. ln particular The Effective Academic Library requires a broader perspective. These findings in the library world have subsequently been overtaken by a broad political 'Stakeholderism'.