Beyond Numbers: Advancing Human-Centered Library Assessment Through Qualitative Understanding

Abstract

Assessment is a fundamental practice across professional domains, providing the basis for understanding effectiveness, identifying areas for improvement, and guiding evidence-based decision-making. Within libraries, assessment is often dominated by quantitative measures such as surveys and usage statistics, which, while valuable, offer only a partial view of user experience. This paper advocates for a shift toward qualitative approaches that capture the deeper, human dimensions of library engagement—emotions, belonging, confidence, and meaning. Drawing on current literature and recent case studies from academic libraries, this article demonstrates that qualitative assessment, though sometimes perceived as time- and labor-intensive, can be feasibly integrated into existing workflows, even with limited resources. Methods such as interviews, reflections, observations, and artifact analyses yield richer insights into how library services influence learning and community. By emphasizing understanding over measurement, qualitative assessment fosters empathy, inclusion, and continuous improvement. Ultimately, this human-centered approach repositions assessment as a process of learning rather than evaluation, aligning evidence with the lived experiences of library users.