Real Measurements for Real Measurements for Libraries in an Internet Age: Libraries in an Internet Age: A report on the Normative A report on the Normative Data ProjectData Project

Real Measurements for Real Measurements for Libraries in an Internet Age: Libraries in an Internet Age: A report on the Normative A report on the Normative Data ProjectData Project

Stephen AbramVice President, Innovation

Bob MolyneuxChief Statistician

SirsiDynix Dec. 6, 2005

What are libraries most worried about?

1. Sustaining Relevance2. Millennial user behavioral mutations3. Balancing print, electronic and new services and

resources4. Understanding Diversity5. E-Learning and Distance Education challenges6. Justifying growth and projects – Measures not Stats7. Understanding mutating (not changing) usage

patterns – info not data8. Building community partnerships with authority9. Building for the future and not repairing the present10.Productivity and shifting staff resources11.Budgets and Fundraising

SURVIVALSURVIVAL

Big Questions

1. How do we gain insights into changes in our ecology through our usability and user behavior studies, and our trend insights as shown through our statistics and measurements?

2. Can we really know the underlying reasons for users’ interactions with library services?

3. Can we easily and cheaply compare ourselves to other libraries, other agencies, or communities?

4. Can we back up our qualitative stories with quantitative measurements and data - proofs?

5. If we had the proofs, would it help our strategies, fundraising and tactical implementations?

6. Are we happy with the present?

Acting like a business but being a library

• Knowing Customers like WalMart™

• Giving service like Nordstrom™• Being as efficient as GE™• Delivering an experience like

Amazon™• Having the budget of Google™• Living the brand

The Virtuous TriangleThe Virtuous Triangle

Usability TestsUsability Tests

Normative DataNormative Data

Usability TestsUsability Tests

Normative DataNormative Data

PersonasPersonasUsability TestsUsability Tests

Normative DataNormative Data

PersonasPersonasUsability TestsUsability Tests

The LibraryWorld

The LibraryWorld

Normative DataNormative Data

PersonasPersonasUsability TestsUsability Tests

The LibraryWorld

The LibraryWorld

TheReal

World

TheReal

World

How do you persuade??

• Data, charts and graphs – help but dry• Debate & Argument – a little confrontational• Conversation – a lot of effort, scales poorly• Narrative storytelling – captures the energy of

the population and persists

Read: The Springboard: How Storytelling Ignites

Action in Knowledge-Era Organizations. by Steve Denning

http://www.stevedenning.com/springboard_story.html

• Start with understanding the users in terms of their real:– needs, preferences, and desires– goals and aspirations– expectations and assumptions– values and their beliefs– tolerance for risk and change

Personas

24

• Personas are understood through discovery by: – Gathering data to identify possible

“anchors”– Observing behavior – Pattern emergence in narrative

Personas

19

Personas

13

16

PersonasPersonas

Personas

• Personas are hypothetical representations of a natural grouping of users that drive decision-making for development projects.– They are defined by goals. – They focus on what is valuable to the

user and subsequently on how he or she behaves.

• They are not Stereotypes or Archetypes

14

Goals: Help team build the base infrastructure for .NET products. Construct the base set of services that ship with the product and compose the core of a distributed framework for hosting distributed services. Add queuing semantics and associated locking, classification and routing of messages, subscriptions, efficient filtering, fan-out, etc., to the server. Integrate new distributed communication semantics to the existing SQL Server programming model. Demonstrate ability to communicate and work well with other teams.

Usage Scenario: Henry has been around long enough to build a solid network of resources to call when he has specific questions about products or programs. He often learns about new technologies or processes through casual conversation with his friends and coworkers in the hallway. He uses Yahoo! for general information gathering because he likes the simplicity of the site design and the breadth of information available.

The Portal is not his start page—he usually just types in the URL directly. He rarely reads the content on the first page because he doesn't want to know what's going on with general companywide PR information. He's somewhat cynical about "companywide" internal releases and dislikes company politics. However, on a personal level, he does want to know about the schedules that the applications are on so he can plan. He's frustrated that there's no place you can go to find product information all in one spot.

Info-Seeking Behavior: When Henry needs specific information, he generally e-mails or phones a friend. He is a member of about 15 different DLs that used to be manageable, but now he finds it increasingly difficult to keep up.

He typically uses the Portal to search for internal information across the companywide intranet or to find other internal sites. He comes to the portal about four-five times a week by typing in the URL and stays for less than 15 minutes at a time. He rarely, if ever, goes to there to find general information about the company or the industry as a whole. He uses internal databases to find internal information on products or code. If he's frustrated by something, he'll go there and find solutions rather than go outside to support or to a dot-com. "You used to have to drill down pretty deep to find personalized information, but now it's easier." He tends to bookmark pages in the portal because he hates having to go 5 levels down. He'll use that bookmark until it breaks, then he has to research it again. He would like to have favorites on the portal.

Henry41 Years Old, Software Design EngineerU.S.12 Years at the company. Single,MS Comput.Sci

15

PersonasPersonas

• Public Library Pilot Project– Libraries in rural, urban and suburban Northeastern

U.S. and Canada to start– March through May, 2005– Leveraging proven techniques for understanding

complex markets (Cynefin Centre)

• Follow up to cover the broader U.S.A. and global marketplace

• Follow through for Academic (ARL, ACRL, LibQual and COUNTER, etc.)

• K-12 School personas can follow later

The FutureThe Future

23

• In summary, by seeing the world through the lens of the customer, we create an:– Opportunity to increase customer satisfaction

and return visits – Opportunity for everyone in the organization

to work to achieve the same goals, efficiently, and an

– Opportunity to have a clear, and achievable direction.

• Pandora’s Box – Exciting but a little dangerous

25

The FutureThe Future

Sneak PeakSneak PeakSneak PeakSneak Peak

SirsiDynix Personas

Summary FindingsSummary Findings

Archetypes

Themes Values

Good CitizenshipPatronsLibrary StaffLibrary Services and FacilitiesMoney

•InteractionTechnologyEfficiencyMoneyOther

CommunityLearningQualityEfficiencyMoney/Risk

Emerging groups of archetypes, themes and values from the five workshops

Good Citizenship ArchetypesGood Citizenship Archetypes

Well-Rounded Citizen(13 attributes)

CollaborateCommunity brings people together

CozyDiverse activities

Encourage creativityGood use of our money

Human contactIntellectual

opportunitiesKids feel safe

NurturingOpportunities – social

SecurityWilling to chat when

time permits

Bergen County

Good Citizenship ArchetypesGood Citizenship Archetypes

Strong Community Leader(6 attributes)

Community builderConnected

Connecting with community

Gives people missionNetworking

Pulls community together

SAILS

Patron ArchetypesPatron Archetypes

Frustrated Patron(12 attributes)

AnnoyingBooks out of print

DisruptionIndifference

Lack of wirelessNo tape playerOnline services

unavailableOut of date

Physical painRipped/missing

pieces, out of date magazine

Wasted resourcesWasted space

Cleveland

Patron ArchetypesPatron Archetypes

Inquisitive Power User(12 attributes)

After hours usageBroader search results

Computer useIntroduction to new

thingsLots of preferences

No online access outside of libraryNot a free service

Open to publicOutside sourcesSearch method

Universal accessWays to get information

Cleveland

Patron ArchetypesPatron Archetypes

Disengaged Seeker(9 attributes)

Can’t get book you want (timely)Don’t listen to

reviews/bad reviews (NPR Reviews)Embarrassing

Fear of puppetsForgot card/license

Head achesInjuries

Some people consider a waste of money/space

(crafts)Too long

Cleveland

Library Staff ArchetypesLibrary Staff Archetypes

Ultimate Tour Guide(7 attributes)

Advance reserve on new materials

Abundance of itemsOne-stop shopping

Video/DVD lost in drop box

Access to materials never afford

Up to date, current materials

Diversity of materials

Buffalo-Erie

Library Services ArchetypesLibrary Services Archetypes

Out-of-Date IT(6 attributes)

Access to PC’sMessage is too long

(automated computer system)

Not enough computers

Slow re-bootStrong databaseTechnical-media

options

Hamilton Public

Library Services ArchetypesLibrary Services Archetypes

“Something for Everyone” Resources(4 attributes)

Can’t remove reference material

Extensive collectionLibrary for books, not

movie rentalsLibrary for education films, not Hollywood

movies

Hamilton Public

A perspective on developing better measurement and communication tools for

librarians

What Problem do we want or have

to Solve ?

Our Objective

• Empower our Clients to Thrive – our success is dependent on their success

• Get the Measurement Tools into the Right Hands– Directors and Management– Supervisors– Collection Developers– Librarians– Library boards and trustees

– and also the regular folks in Finance / IT

•Follow the BAM (Business Activity Monitoring) model

• Present a more holistic view of the enterprise

• Focus on underlying message in the data

• Incorporate a “dashboards” format for quick access

• Create a metrics monitoring tool for decision support

• what-if analysis

• Alert threshold triggers

• Shift the dynamic from static reporting to fluid analytics

• Create a “Discovery” Environment

Our Design Goals

• Results:• Improved support for “Customer” Understanding

• Encourages informed, data-driven decisions

• Provides data to support the Stories

• Closer alignment of library services to the customer

• “Board Ready” output for effective presentations (the power of persuasion!)

• Finger-tip access to management level data for deep collection use analysis

•Supports strategic development of your institution’s mission

Director’s StationDirector’s Station

Quick PeakQuick Peak

Dr. Data and the NDP

Normative Data ProjectNormative Data ProjectNormative Data ProjectNormative Data Project

http://www.libraryndp.info

http://www.libraryndp.infohttp://www.libraryndp.info

Normative Data ProjectNormative Data Project

• Potential:– 300+ library systems– 2,500 library service outlets and branches– Over 1 billion annual circ transactions for

up to three years

• Today– Already 30,000,000 items– Already 52 systems– Already almost 500 libraries

– And more…

Normative Data ProjectNormative Data Project

• Includes:• Harvested, privacy-safe data on almost

everything that is tracked in a library:– Circulation– Backroom: Technical services, cataloguing– Acquisitions and budgets– Web site traffic– Licensed content usage– Currently Unicorn and Horizon datasets but

more will be considered

• Harvested semi-annually, reported quarterly

Normative Data ProjectNormative Data Project

• Includes:• Amazing extra features

– NCES statistics– Budget and expenditure data– U.S. Census data– Detailed GIS Maps from FSU partnership

• All FULLY integrated• Current focused on Public Libraries.• Future Projects include Academic,

College and Schools.

Change in Circulation by Format

% Change from 2002Q1

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

2002Q1 2002Q2 2002Q3 2002Q4 2003Q1 2003Q2 2003Q3 2003Q4 2004Q1 2004Q2

%

DVD

Magazine

Book on CD

Paperback

Music on CD

Book

Kids will be kids

• For example:

• 3 Branches in Fairfax County– Great Falls Community Library

52% college grads +, 2% no high school

87% white

– Woodrow Wilson Community Library27% college grads+, 18% no high

school53% white

– Thomas Jefferson Community Library29% college grads +, 13% no high

school62% white

Study Usage by Call Number Range

Over-used books by Dewey Class

Dewey call number rangesCheckout and

RenewalsTurnover Rank

(of 100)% of Titles Rank (of

100) Difference in ranks

(450) Italian, Romanian, Rhaeto-Romantic 19,196 13 91 -78

(440) Romance languages French 44,996 9 84 -75

(460) Spanish & Portuguese languages 124,313 3 73 -70

(470) Italic Latin 6,454 32 97 -65

(410) Linguistics 61,037 14 77 -63

(560) Paleontology Paleozoology 284,004 4 61 -57

(710) Civic & landscape art 175,370 8 64 -56

(210) Natural theology 13,459 41 92 -51

(430) Germanic languages German 24,341 35 85 -50

(480) Hellenic languages Classical Greek 3,994 51 98 -47

Under-used books by Dewey Class

Dewey call number rangesCheckout and

RenewalsTurnover Rank

(of 100)% of Titles Rank (of

100) Difference in ranks

(700) The arts 175,914 75 31 44

(010) Bibliography 18,924 99 54 45

(020) Library & information sciences 70,638 96 48 48

(360) Social services; association 875,808 62 12 50

(300) Social sciences 764,617 64 13 51

(320) Political science 307,733 77 23 54

(800) Literature & rhetoric 423,057 78 24 54

(340) Law 335,182 81 26 55

(970) General history of North America 1,901,948 83 3 80

(920) Biography, genealogy, insignia 234,234 98 15 83

Collections by Language

Examples

• Computer book circulation by publication year.• Spanish language book circulation by region.• Can I get data to support this grant I am writing?• Journal titles comparison – electronic title to print

title usage for rationalization project.• What is our usage by branch by zip code?• How am I faring in my cohort (geography or

domain)?• Are other libraries successful with graphic novels?

How many would I need?• What is the best opening day collection for this

one?• If I spent $10,000 on collections, where should I

spend it?• Is my consumer health collection too old?• More, more, more.

• Christie Koontz, Ph.D.Director, GeoLib ProgramFlorida State University

Normative Data Project PartnershipNormative Data Project Partnership

Geographic Segmentation Plotting Customer Addresses of Circulation Records

SirsiDynix Library Schools Program

• Normative Data Project Offers Charter Memberships to ALA-Accredited Library Schools

• June 25, 2005 Press Release

• http://www.libraryndp.info/release_20050625schools.html

Stephen Abram, MLSVP Innovation, SirsiDynix

416-669-4855Stephen.abram@sirsidynix.com

http://www.sirsidynix.comStephen’s Lighthouse

http://stephenslighthouse.sirsi.com

ThanksSirsiDynix FSU Normative Data Project

http://www.libraryndp.com

SirsiDynix Director’s Stationhttp://www.sirsi.com/Solutions/Prodserv/Products/directorsstation.html

Stephen’s Lighthouse and the Library NDP Blogs

Dr. Robert (Bob) MolyneuxChief Statistician, SirsiDynix

800-917-4774bob.molyneux@sirsidynix.com

http://www.sirsidynix.comNDP Blog

http://www.libraryndp.info/blog/