Library index

The library index ( BIX ) was initiated as a cooperation project between the German Library Association (dbv) and the Bertelsmann Foundation . The aim of the BIX is to make the performance of both public and academic libraries comparable at the national level.

history

In October 1999 the project "BIX - the library index " - a benchmarking project to measure performance in public libraries - started . After three years of successful duration, the project was extended by two years and entered a new phase in June 2002: The BIX , originally designed as a long-term, nationwide annual comparison for public libraries , was expanded to include academic libraries .

After the end of funding from the Bertelsmann Foundation, the German Library Association and the University Library Center in Cologne (hbz) have been running the BIX since July 2005 as part of the competence network for libraries (knb).

The "BIX 2015" is the last edition. The BIX is being discontinued due to financing difficulties.

construction

The assessment is made in four target dimensions , which in turn are divided into (three to six) indicators .

The target dimensions are offers, usage / customer orientation, efficiency / profitability and development. The libraries are also divided into five size categories to ensure comparability.

In the case of academic libraries, 3 categories are formed, also to enable comparability:

• Two-tier university libraries (with institute libraries )
• Single-layer university libraries (universities without institute libraries)
• University of Applied Sciences libraries .

For each of the four dimensions, the library's indicator values ​​are summarized and classified into three performance groups (top group, middle group, bottom group).

literature

• BIX - the library index. 10 questions from Bruno Bauer to Petra Klug, BIX project manager at the Bertelsmann Foundation . In: Medicine - Library - Information 2004; 4 (3): 32-5, ( PDF )
• New profile for the library index BIX . In: Forum Library and Information 2012; 64 (5): 348-349, ( PDF )

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Press release of the DBV from July 15, 2015: Nationwide performance comparison of libraries: Results of the library index 2015 . Retrieved July 15, 2015.

See also

• German library statistics
• Bibliometrics
• Same name: BIX media facade at the Grazer Kunsthaus

Web links

• BIX website with all rankings and output figures
• German Library Association (DBV)
• Competence network for libraries (KNB)
• University Library Center (hbz)
• Project description on the library portal
• German Library Statistics (DBS)
• Instructions for using the library search on eLibrary Austria
• An instrument for continuous quality development: the library index BIX