Measuring what we do

When I first joined the University Library in 2000 the Library was in the process of establishing formal agreements with many of its monograph suppliers in the form of Service Level Agreements. Our first SLAs were signed with all our major suppliers in either 2000 or 2001. The SLA's not only document the agreed terms of trade between parties but they include scope for mutual benefit between the parties by sharing of information and collaboration. The benefits of establishing SLAs and improving performance measurement information include: • Improved business relationships with suppliers; • Increased confidence by both parties; • More accurate information for comparison of suppliers; • Better understanding of trends in information, and • A basis for future developments.