They may therefore need to consider methods of assessing and evaluating the services they provide. This paper lists and discusses some of the feedback techniques used by parliamentary libraries, with a view to building up a reference resource of reports, questionnaires, feedback forms, etcetera, which could be use d by any parliamentary library to initiate or modify assessment procedures. Observation Probably every legislative library considers information obtained by observation of its users when making decisions about the development of services.
Observation can provide simple data such as the level of use of reader spaces.
Library services are conside red by the Information Committee, which is consulted about new services, changes to existing services, or any proposal to stop a service. Some Members of Parliament have always channelled their sugg estions or complaints about the Library through the chairman of the Information Committee or its predecessor, the Library Sub Committee. In other parliaments, such as the Federal Parliament in Australia, the Library conducts its own survey. The surveys are usually undertaken using questionnaires and may be conducted by a n independent agency. A high level of general satisfaction with the services of parliamentary libraries is usually revealed by these regular surveys.