EBSM® Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Before describing the EBSM Tools and the methodology in some detail, it is important to understand what EBSM aims to measure, and why these measures are deemed to carry such a high degree of importance.

The Introduction to this guide briefly mentioned that EBSM is based around six KPIs for library stock performance.

These EBSM KPIs span both fiction and non fiction, with the Overstocked and Understocked Subject Areas catering solely for non fiction. Taken as a whole, these KPIs address the key demands of stock provision that customers expect when visiting a library.

The EBSM KPIs are as follows:

EBSM KPI KPI Rationale
Grubby Stock Users should not be expected to borrow items which are physically unattractive. This is a major cause of user dissatisfaction.
Dead Stock Users should not be expected to wade through hundreds of dormant items of stock in the search for useful or desirable choices. This is a major cause of user dissatisfaction.
Popular Author Provision Users have an expectation of finding a good selection of works by favourite authors or on popular subjects on shelves at all times. Lack of such provision is a major cause of customer desertion.
Popular Subject Provision A good range of material in the most popular subjects areas at a branch is a key borrower requirement.
Overstock Subject Areas Large quantities of unused and unwanted non fiction stock in any subject area, is counter productive to user satisfaction and convenience. It is also a sign of wasteful provision in the past, based on assumptions about demand rather than analytical evidence.
Understocked Subject Areas Supply should always try to match demand in non fiction subject provision. Failure to provide for this is a major cause of customer desertion.

All of the EBSM Tools discussed elsewhere in this guide are ultimately geared towards improving library stock performance against each of these KPIs.

The EBSM KPIs clearly do not address all of the metrics around book provision that could be recorded and measured within a Library Service. Whilst other stock related metrics are important (and the EBSM methodology would never suggest that they aren't), their relative importance to a Library Service can be very subjective.

These KPIs are not subjective - they universally describe what a customer expects of a high performing library when it comes to stock provision. They are also simple to understand, relatively straightforward to measure, and taken as a whole, enable a methodology that is targeted, relevant and practical.