Assessing the Enduring Impact of Library Instruction Programs

In order to improve library instruction and to produce data that shed light on the value of this core library service, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Library conducted a formal assessment on its instruction program in 2004. A group of 688 users from 25 one-shot sessions was surveyed by a questionnaire four to eight weeks after the sessions were conducted. Results showed that the majority of attendees remained positive about the usefulness of the library sessions; they retained and used the skills learned; the overall rating of the library sessions and the instructors were comparable to those of the university's credit course ratings.