LIBRARY METRICS AND MEASUREMENT: COUNTING WHAT COUNTS & MAKING IT MATTER

Emily Clasper

Wild Wisconsin Winter Web Conference 2014

Today’s Big Question

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5478/11442225495_0ff925eda3_o.jpg

Library Statistics

Circulation Transactions

Door Count Reference Questions Web site visits Program Attendance Collection Inventory Staff Actions

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6074/6033655868_6b53ef4ebb_b.jpg

The Panicked Call…

We’ve been doing so well! How can our stats all be

down?

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8006/7706143020_e533940f18_b.jpg

Depending on Our Numbers

Securing Funds Justifying expenses Complying with mandates Gaining support from

stakeholders Demonstrating the value of

services, ROI Data-driven decision

making Allocation of our internal

resources Service development

decisionshttp://farm3.staticflickr.com/2602/3678747186_b63d82fe2c_o.jpg

Moving Beyond Circ Stats

http://connecttocrlibrary.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/graph.jpg

Asking The Right Questions

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2318/2201907500_6f0741be40_o.jpg

The Wrong Question

http://static.flickr.com/7062/6845000770_ebd5fb87d5.jpg

We bought a 3-D printer and it seems to

get a lot of use, but circulation down!

The Wrong Question

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4141/4817786416_282faf5324_o.jpg

That long jumper seems like a really

strong athlete, but she doesn’t run very fast!

Asking New Questions

Is this a question that we can

Will the answer lead to new

Does this knowledge help us assess our

Can this assessment be used to suggest

Will the actions help lead us closer to our

Go Back to Your Goals

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2773/4318924726_85eae8b991_o.jpg

Outputs vs. Outcomes

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4040/5143354092_e15831241a_b.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/2565/3810230521_35410d4b38.jpg

Outcomes Measurement

Inputs Activities Output

Interim Outcom

es

Outcomes Goals

Process Results of Process

Library Perspective: What Library Does/Provides

User Perspective: Results of the User’s

Experience

Adapted from: Rubin, Rhea Joyce. 2006. Demonstrating Results: Using Outcome Measurement in Your Library. PLA Results Series. Chicago: American Library Association.

What Defines Success?

What is it that we’re actually trying to DO?

How will we know if we’ve accomplished that goal?

Data Collection

http://static.flickr.com/2423/3971932491_27e5acf65b.jpg

What Data Do We Need?

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8514/8450658347_06c56211f9_b.jpg

Key Performance Indicators

Measureable Indicates progress towards goals Actionable Measured frequently and consistently May be objective or subjective

Library KPIs Can Take Many Forms

http://www.bu.edu/library/files/2013/03/Faculty-Satisfaction-Services.bmp

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

KPIs as Strategic Goals

By 2015, 80% of users surveyed will indicate that they waited no longer than three minutes for staff assistance at a public service desk.

By 2015, at least 85% of all purchased items will be invoiced, cataloged, processed, ad sent for shelving within two weeks of receipt.

By 2016, the number of children aged 6-11 with library cards will increase from X to Y.

Each year, a minimum of 80% of adults and teens who attend a training session on how to use technology to create content will indicate that the training session was very good or excellent.

Qualitative Measures

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/5d/d2/f8/5dd2f8b2dae90faaf22a99548bf11da2.jpg

Standards

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6049/6372676915_b651c4614d_o.jpg

Open Data

http://static.flickr.com/5002/5265955179_4a33d2f2cb.jpg

Available Tools

http://www.ronmartin.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/door-counter.jpghttp://smallbiztrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/rfid-large.jpg

Available Tools

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303332904579230401030827722

Questions for Data Collection Are we counting effectively? What structures do libraries have in

place for gathering performance data? What kind of models can we emulate for

improving our data collection strategies? How do we get closer to gathering

qualitative measures as well?

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2197/2200500024_33038620af_o.jpg

Use of Tools

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3119/3132662146_b305c1c058_b.jpg

Accessing and Storing Data

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3245/2294144289_3102e0de26_o.jpg

Analysis and Interpretation

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2173/2121472112_8ac5d673ff_b.jpg

Now That We Have The Data…

http://static.flickr.com/6017/5961260280_f38d3cbee9.jpg

Drawing Conclusions

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8389/8597760704_70f681d096_k.jpg

What Does This Really Mean?

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2891/9354301543_30e405da0a_b.jpg

Using Data for Good, Not Evil

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3674/10868394285_6a10dc9e99_b.jpg

Making it Matter

http://static.flickr.com/5213/5397741531_84b940fea1.jpg

Using and Presenting Data

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8330/8436405977_d0613c3cac_b.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5144/5659510216_657431c231_b.jpg

Making Data Easy to Understand

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2842/10950781743_5ffecf486c_o.png

Making Data Relatable

Making Decisions

http://www.nytimes.com/newsgraphics/2014/01/05/poverty-map/

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7018/6785112263_1bdc801df8_o.png

Making Connections

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8192/8112404383_669f0c715a_h.jpg

Making a Point

http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1128/585861831_c3647f199d_b.jpg

Making an Impression

Telling a Story

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/43/80/84/438084e70887229c890b9deae32a0db1.jpg

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/9f/c2/aa/9fc2aa3f178ff11634dfe236bd68b96c.jpg

Promoting a Brand

http://obieosobalu.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/history-of-microsoft-final.jpghttp://www.coca-colacompany.com/our-company/infographic-coca-cola-at-a-glance

http://www.heroicpixels.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/school_library_impact_blog13.jpg

http://www.thisblogrules.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/lib-550x317.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1229853_10151835031660743_782695969_n.jpg

Turning Outcomes Into Impact

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/6d/23/29/6d232935bd4317fdf3547144ebad6dba.jpg

Moving Forward

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4062/4529934744_98a8f4bcc7_o.png

Questions for Libraries

What areas of measurement might we get into in response to changing organizational goals?

How can we present the data we gather and the conclusions we draw from it to more effectively demonstrate success, promote the library and its goals, boost productivity, make more informed decisions, tell the library’s story to stakeholders?

What skills do we, as Information Pros, Managers, and Advocates need to develop in order to effectively make analytics the powerful tool we need it to be?

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7171/6632168217_bdc32df214_b.jpg

Do We Have the Skills?

http://farm1.staticflickr.com/113/286709039_105881e4b9_o.jpg

Do We Have The Tools?

Can We Make it Matter?

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/6d/23/29/6d232935bd4317fdf3547144ebad6dba.jpg

Recommended Reading

• Brophy, Peter. 2006. Measuring Library Performance: Principles and Techniques. London: Facet.

• Hernon, Peter, Robert E. Dugan, and Joseph R. Matthews. 2014. Getting Started with Evaluation. Chicago: American Library Association.

• Ishak, Das. 2014. “Discovering the Right Key Performance Indicators in Libraries: A Review of Literatures.” Accessed January 14. http://www.academia.edu/1805631/Discovering_the_right_key_performance_indicators_in_libraries_a_review_of_literatures.

• Larkin, Richard. 2013. “Using Outcomes to Measure Nonprofit Success.” NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly. July 2. http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org/management/22549-using-outcomes-to-measure-nonprofit-success.html.

• Matthews, Joseph R. 2007. The Evaluation and Measurement of Library Services. Westport, Conn: Libraries Unlimited.

• Rubin, Rhea Joyce. 2006. Demonstrating Results: Using Outcome Measurement in Your Library. PLA Results Series. Chicago: American Library Association.

• Webbmedia Group. 20:12:02 UTC. “Key Performance Indicators For Libraries”. Education. http://www.slideshare.net/webbmedia/key-performance-indicators-for-libraries.

• Wolf, Lesile. 2010. “What Gets Measured Gets Done: Key Performance Indicators.” California Digital Library. http://www.cdlib.org/cdlinfo/2010/09/15/what-gets-measured-gets-done-key-performance-indicators/.

• Zappone, Marisa. 2013. “Why It Makes Sense for Nonprofits To Focus on Contribution, Not Causation.” Greenlights for Nonprofit Success. http://www.greenlights.org/blog/2013/09/16/why-it-makes-sense-for-nonprofits-to-focus-on-contribution-not-causation/#more-7572.

EMILY CLASPERHTTP://BIT.LY/CLASPERWWWC14

http://eclasper.com

@eclasper