ISO 21248-2019 PDF

Full title and description

Information and documentation — Quality assessment for national libraries (ISO 21248:2019). This International Standard defines terms and provides methods and performance indicators to assess the quality, performance and impact of national libraries across their core functions (collections, national bibliography, services, events and outreach).

Abstract

ISO 21248:2019 specifies terminology and two complementary assessment approaches for national libraries: performance measurement (a set of standardized performance indicators) and impact assessment (methods and questionnaires for evaluating influence on stakeholders). The document presents 34 performance indicators, notes applicability limits for individual methods, and clarifies that not all methods apply to every national library; it also explicitly excludes web‑archiving from its scope while referencing ISO/TR 14873 for web‑archiving statistics and quality issues.

General information

• Status: Published (International Standard; reviewed/confirmed at review stage).
• Publication date: March 2019 (publication entry: 2019‑03; registered/published 4 March 2019 in some catalogs).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 01.140.20 — Information sciences.
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2019).
• Number of pages: 139 pages (English edition).

Scope

Provides a framework for assessing the quality of national libraries by combining measurable performance indicators and qualitative/quantitative methods for impact assessment. The scope covers the broad range of national‑library activities — national collections and preservation, national bibliographies, reference and research services, cultural and educational programming, outreach and partnerships — and supplies instruments (including user‑group questionnaires) to evaluate outputs and outcomes. The standard notes applicability limitations for individual indicators and methods and does not itself standardize web‑archiving practices (it refers readers to ISO/TR 14873 for web‑archiving statistics and quality issues).

Key topics and requirements

• Defined terminology for quality assessment of national libraries.
• A set of 34 standardized performance indicators covering collections, services, access and outreach.
• Methods for performance measurement (data collection, indicator calculation, longitudinal comparison).
• Impact assessment approaches and sample questionnaires for key stakeholder groups (researchers, educators, libraries, publishers, public administration, general public).
• Guidance on the applicability and limitations of indicators; advice on comparing results over time and (with caution) between institutions.
• Explicit note excluding web‑archiving from its technical coverage while pointing to ISO/TR 14873 for web‑archiving statistics and quality topics.

Typical use and users

Intended for national library managers and staff, library evaluators and statisticians, national cultural policy makers, funders and oversight bodies, researchers assessing library performance and consultants who design evaluation frameworks for national‑level information institutions. The standard is used to design internal performance measurement systems, create impact studies, and support evidence‑based reporting and strategic planning.

Related standards

Key related documents include ISO 16439 (Information and documentation — Methods and procedures for assessing the impact of libraries), which offers methods for library impact assessment, and ISO/TR 14873 (Information and documentation — Statistics and quality issues for web archiving), referenced for web‑archiving statistics and quality matters. ISO 11620 (Library performance indicators) and more recent editions of library metrics standards are also relevant for complementary performance indicators.

Keywords

national library; quality assessment; performance indicators; impact assessment; library statistics; national collection; national bibliography; evaluation; library metrics; ISO 21248.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 21248:2019 is an International Standard titled "Information and documentation — Quality assessment for national libraries" that defines terminology and provides methods and indicators to assess the quality, performance and impact of national libraries.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers performance measurement (34 performance indicators) and impact assessment methods (including stakeholder questionnaires and guidance on applicability), addressing the full spectrum of national‑library tasks such as collections, national bibliographies, services, events and educational activities; web‑archiving is explicitly excluded and handled via ISO/TR 14873.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: National library leadership and staff, evaluation teams, statisticians, policy makers and funding bodies, researchers and external consultants who need a standardized framework and indicators for reporting, benchmarking and planning.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 21248:2019 was published in March 2019 (Edition 1). According to ISO lifecycle information the standard has been subject to review (ISO standards are normally reviewed every five years) and is listed as published/confirmed in ISO records; users should check the national ISO member or ISO catalog for the latest confirmation/revision status before relying on compliance claims.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It sits within ISO/TC 46/SC 8 (Information and documentation — Quality, statistics and performance evaluation) and is related to other ISO documents on library performance and impact (for example ISO 11620 and ISO 16439) and to technical reports such as ISO/TR 14873 on web‑archiving.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: National library, performance indicator, impact assessment, quality assessment, library metrics, national collection, national bibliography.