Libraries articulate their value in a wide variety of ways and historically their value has been determined in broad, subjective terms using anecdotal data and "storytelling." Answers to the questions about "why libraries?" USED to be answered by:
Other historical articulation of value includes use of aggregated flat or one-dimensional data to describe both input and outputs regarding facilties, services and resources such as data on sizes, depth and breadth of print and online resources. Value of libraries has also been articulated in two or multi-dimension data that illustrate value such as the use of collections in relationship to the number and type of users; the number and type of materials in relation to the disciplines and subject areas needed by constituents or the attendance at programs or use of services by the number of potential or actual users. (How Americans Value Public Libraries in Their Communities)
While these types of data gathering and value illustration are still valid (Value: Declaration for the Right to Libraries, Library Snapshot Day) organizations and environments now have greater accountability and performance standards. Today's entities must now mirror umbrella organization's assessments and illustrations of value. That is, if educational settings measure student learning outcomes, then libraries must illustrate their value in the student success process of students achieving student learning outcomes. If communities value ecomonic development and how county departments support economic development, then libraries must illustate the role they play in economic development. (Return on Investment)
Other general library content include:
Aabo, Svanhild. “Libraries and Return on Investment (ROI): A Meta‐Analysis.” New Library World 110, no. 7/8 (2009): 311‐324.
Aaron, Bruce C. “Determining the Business Impact of Knowledge Management.” Performance Improvement 48, no. 4 (2009):35‐45.
Obviously when discussing "value," the profit world and the non-profit world differ. In determing how value is both defined and articulated to constituents, it is helpful to study overviews of both general value information (Not for Profit Valuation Overview,) as well as how value is articluated in public organizations such as value in higher education ("Spotlight" in ETS The Value of Higher Education; The True Value of Higher Education; What Does Value Look LIke in Higher Education?; What Value Really Means in Higher Education); the value of cities and community or communities (What are Cities Worth?; Value of Communities) and the value of K-12 or K-20 education (A New Perspective: The Value of K-20 Education.) Obviously identifying what general value is and generally held beliefs of perceptions of value in our umbrella organizations, assists in determining the roles library play in a variety of settings
And if you weren't influenced by the general "need for value" arguments...here are the questions library administrators need to answer today:
Do you have the data you need to answer these questions and illustrate your value? Where do you find arguments?