Assessing social efficiency of libraries from a dynamic perspective: The Peruvian municipal library system

Municipal libraries are one of the most important cultural institutions, especially in developing countries, where they help build social capital, improve quality of life, and reduce inequalities. As publicly funded entities, their contribution to welfare should be evaluated for them to gain accreditation, especially when technological changes have altered user interest and access to certain traditional functions. A dynamic Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model is used to evaluate performance and to estimate the productivity of a group of libraries in Peru, taking the mission of social impact as a benchmark. Starting from low efficiency values, results show substantial progress, with differences, depending on geographical areas, and a trade-off is seen between efficiency and poverty indicators. Human capital, other cultural facilities and accessibility emerge as external drivers of efficiency. Cultural policy implications are provided, and the study may serve to approach social impact evaluation for cultural institutions, especially in emerging economies. • A methodological approach is proposed to evaluate the social efficiency of a library network over time. • The effects of socioeconomic variables on library efficiency are studied. • A dynamic Data Envelopment Analysis model (DEA) and calculate the Malmquist productivity indices was applied. • Results show substantial progress in efficiency indices but are very diverse in terms of geographical areas. • Human capital, cultural facilities and accessibility appear to be the main external drivers of library performance.