Self Assessment Review and other strategic challenges

Last week we had our annual validation meeting with Governors and Principalship / SMT.
The outcome was a successful one although at times it was quite difficult to convince and persuade them that the Learning Resources Dept is an outstanding dept - not because it isn't but because it is very difficult to justify.  In fact the outcome of the meeting is that I have the challenge of ensuring that the department is outstandingly effective and that I can find ways of proving it to be so.
The difficulties arise because, in my opinion, a learning resources dept i.e. library services and e-learning can not be treated nor judged in the same way as either a business support department nor a curriculum department.  We are providing a service, we are interacting with customers, we haven't got exam results to use as a success measure yet we are involved in teaching and learning and it is our aim and indeed mission to ensure that learners have the virtual and physical resources available in order that they can achieve.  We aim to teach them how to use the resources so that they can achieve the qualifications that they want and need.  Not only the qualifications but also the life skills and study skills , and sometimes social skills, that they need in order to succeed in life.