APO is thrilled to launch the new Commonwealth Evaluation Library on APO, a landmark collection commissioned by the Australian Centre for Evaluation (the ACE). In this guest blog, Managing Director of the ACE, Eleanor Williams, explains how to get the most out of this powerful new resource.
What is the ACE Evaluation Library?
The Library is a comprehensive, open-access collection of evaluation reports from across the Australian Government. For the first time, evidence on the effectiveness and efficiency of government programs is available in one place. The Library will continue to be updated with the latest evaluations and evidence to inform your work.
Who is it for?
While it’s designed for public servants, it’s a valuable tool for anyone interested in public policy, including researchers, consultants, and the non-profit sector.
How to get started
Discover and explore: Browse the entire Library – home to over 95 evaluations and counting – or start with a curated Topic in Focus. Interested in a specific evaluation approach? Explore categories like Process, Economic, Indigenous, Multi-agency or Randomised Trials.
Refine your search: Quickly zero in on what matters most. Are you looking for a specific type of evaluation? Or work from a particular department? Filter by year, policy area, subject, agency or location.
Analyse and Learn: Go beyond the surface. Dive into the reports to understand methodologies, key findings, and lessons learned. Use this knowledge to avoid duplication, strengthen your approach and apply proven best practices.
Stay Informed: Never miss a new evaluation. APO offers several ways to keep you in the loop as the Library grows. Anyone can subscribe to APO’s newsletters. For tailored updates – like the latest evaluations delivered straight to your inbox – simply sign up for a free APOgov account or become a My APO+ member. This ensures you always have the latest evidence at your fingertips.
Contribute: We welcome the addition of all government evaluations and are planning to keep building the collection every month. Send your policy and program evaluations to evaluation@treasury.gov.au.
This library is more than a database; it’s a community resource.
We encourage you to explore it, share it with your colleagues, and use it to build a stronger foundation of evidence for your work.
Eleanor Williams is the Managing Director of the Australian Centre for Evaluation in the Commonwealth Department of Treasury. With over 20 years’ experience working with the Australian and Victorian public service, Eleanor has held senior executive roles in evaluation, research and strategic policy. She is the current Chair of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Evaluation Experts Group and founded the Australian Public Sector Evaluation Network in 2019.
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