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Comparison of the Assessment Systems of Public Libraries in the United States and China

ABSTRACT This work aims to compare the evaluation and rating systems of public libraries from the United States and China with a view to understand the similarities and differences and to learn from both systems. First, the main evaluation and rating systems of public libraries from the US are discussed, including Hennen’s American Public Library Ratings and Library Journal Index. Second, we discuss the Sixth National Evaluation and Rating System (SNERS) of public libraries above the county level in China. Finally, we compare and analyse the similarities and differences between the evaluation systems from the US and China. Between the two evaluation systems, there is one similarity (i.e. people-orientedness) and many differences in terms of goals, properties, subjects, processes, object classification, cycle, data sources, indicators, weights, scoring and result treatment. The public libraries of the US (a developed country) pay more attention to library services, whereas the public libraries of China (a developing country) pay more attention to a library’s basic construction and infrastructure. By comparing and analysing the evaluation and rating systems of public libraries from the US and China, this paper helps gain some insights into these different systems. We believe this will be helpful for librarians and library evaluators interested in assessing the service quality of public libraries in any country.