Evidence-based practice decision making toolkit for libraries: a prototype

Decision making in library acquisition is amongst the crucial process in libraries. The economical challenge environment has enforced librarians to prudentially spend their library financial allocation. Acquisition of library materials is the first to be affected in this situation. Acknowledging this critical issues, the evidence-based practice toolkit is seen as a most practical solution in providing transparent and justified decision making practice. The aim of this toolkit is to provide a 360-degree decision making solution with emphasize on evidence-based librarianship (EBL) practice. The Evidence-Based Toolkit generally promoting the EBL practice in library decision making, aid librarians in justifying the acquisition needs and determining the quality of resources to be acquired. The toolkit is applicable for the acquisition of printed and electronic resources. An assessment percentage method in used in the toolkit where it will assess the acquisition needs and quality of resources in a score value. The assessment criteria are based on EBL practice which includes 3 major evidences in library daily practice. This toolkit will benefits libraries in acquiring quality resources according to the set criteria. This toolkit is also unique in terms of the principle practice which applying EBP in library and information science decision making. In conclusion, the toolkit will subsequently enhance the professional image of librarians, as they making more reliable and justifiable decision in their daily routine work. This toolkit is the first decision making tools in the library and information science using Evidence-based practice. It is tailored specially for decision making in the acquisition of library materials.