Big Talk From Small Libraries 2018: Small Data Can Still Be Smart Data: How Outcomes Can Help Your Library

Big Talk from Small Libraries
February 23, 2018
Small Data Can Still Be Smart Data:
How Outcomes Can Help Your Library

Today’s Speakers
Samantha Lopez
Program Officer
Public Library Association
Pamela Bonney
Library Director
Winslow Public Library, ME

What We’ll Cover Today
Winslow Public Library’s
Experience
Why
Measure
Outcomes
What
Project
Outcome is &
its benefits
How
Libraries are
Using
Outcomes

Why
Measure
Outcomes
Samantha Lopez
Program Officer

Why Measure Outcomes
 Times have changed
 Intuition is not enough
 Attendance counts are not enough
 Anecdotes are not enough

Why Measure Outcomes
Libraries need more data & evidence to
demonstrate their value in the community.
Image: https://alcalde.texasexes.org/2014/04/what-gets-measured-gets-done/

Demonstrating Library Value
Needs Assessment Patron Satisfaction
Outputs Outcomes

Measuring the Good We Do
Specific benefit from a library program/service
Can be quantitative or qualitative
Expressed as changes that individuals perceive

Measuring the Good We Do
Learning what changes/effects/impacts your
programs are having in/on…
Knowledge
Skills
Attitudes
Opinions
Behaviors
Actions
Status

What’s a problem you need to solve?
How could measuring outcomes help?
What are people seeking
when they attend adult
learning programs? What
do they want us to offer?
Are patrons finding value
in our programs?
How can we better demonstrate to grantors
that our programs are effective?
Are we actually helping
people get jobs?
Programs for adults & children with
special needs – making sure what
we’re offering is a good fit

But, How?
https://makeameme.org/meme/yeah-rj36x1

But, How?
PLA’s got your back!

What
Project
Outcome is &
its benefits
Samantha Lopez
Program Officer

What is Project Outcome?
www.ProjectOutcome.org
It’s FREE!

Project Outcome
Goals:
 Outcome measurement “business as usual” for
public libraries
 Supply standardized outcome measures that any
library can use and learn from
 Provide user-friendly tools that can be used at any
capacity
It’s FREE!

Project Outcome Toolkit
Access to:
 Quick & simple surveys
 Easy-to-use survey tool
 Custom data reports
 Interactive data dashboards
 Resources & training
It’s FREE!

Survey Questions
What did patrons like most?
What can the library do to improve?
Knowledge
Confidence
Behavior Change
Awareness

Survey Types
Immediate
Survey
Patron-
Reported
Learning
Follow-Up
Survey
Patron-
Reported
Behavior
Change
Outcome
Measurement
Guidelines
Deeper
Analysis &
Long-Term
Benefits

Immediate Survey
Patron-reported learning | immediate impact

Follow-Up Survey
Patron-reported behavior change | longer-term
impact

Outcome Measurement Guidelines
• Developing outcome measures
• Implementing data collection
methods other than the existing
standardized surveys
• Measuring data over time
• Developing strategies for working
with partners on outcome
measurement projects

Project Outcome Website

Survey Management Tool
Survey customization includes:
 Logo
 Program name & date
 Intro & footer messages
 Thank you page URL
 Additional questions (pre-set or write your own)

Data Dashboard
Overview
Matrix
Detail

Data Dashboard
Library Info
Map

Training Resources
 Featured Resources
 Getting Started
 Surveys
 Data Collection
 Data Analysis
 Taking Action
 From the Field

Peer Discussion Board
www.community.projectoutcome.org

Benefits of Project Outcome Data
 Capturing snapshot data
― Short, simple surveys save time
― Higher response rate from patrons
― Open-ended comments are goldmine
 We’ve done the heavy lifting for you!
― Real-time results
― Data visualizations
― Ready-to-use reports

Benefits of Project Outcome Data
 Standardization of outcome measures
― Across time & locations
― Variety of programs
― Aggregate national & state comparisons

Winslow Public Library’s
Experience
Pamela Bonney
Library Director
Winslow Public Library, ME

Winslow Public Library
 A municipal library
serving a population of
just under 8,000
 Mix of rural and
suburban areas
 Staffing: 3 full time and
2 part time
 Open 6 days a week, 46
hours per week
 A former roller rink!

Fears we had about joining Project Outcome
 Not enough staff
 Too big a commitment of time
 Afraid we were committing to surveying every program
 Feared patrons would balk at filling out surveys

Statistics Only Tell Part of the Story
Numbers show how busy we
are, but they don’t show the
impact the library has on the
community.

My fears were unfounded
 The surveys are ready to use and easy to implement – and no
pressure to survey more often than you want
 The results are gathered and analyzed for you
 At the push of a button you get beautiful reports and graphs
 No patron push-back

Big Talk From Small Libraries 2018: Small Data Can Still Be Smart Data: How Outcomes Can Help Your Library

Project Outcome reports are amazing!
Here are some excerpts from the report on our 2017
Summer Reading Program:
“Wherever public libraries are working, possibility lives. People who work in public libraries know
that library services open new opportunities for anyone who enters – putting people on the path
to literacy, technological know-how, or a better job. Libraries see evidence of this every day…For
example, the Project Outcome: Year in Review 2016 Annual Report sites that nearly 80% of
library users surveyed report that library programs and services have had some kind of positive
impact on their lives in the last year, with a majority of patrons reporting that the educational
aspect of these programs and services is what they like most. And these patron benefits are in
high demand. Patrons most commonly suggested improvement for the library is new, more, or
more frequent classes and programs.i”
…Of the percentage of parents or caregivers surveyed who either agreed or strongly agreed that
they benefited from the service or program:
83% reported their child maintained or increased their reading skills
68% reported their child reads more often
79% reported their child is a more confident reader
76% reported their child uses the library more often

Qualitative responses are automatically collated in a
spreadsheet
What did you like most about the program/service?
Having a summer goal set to be reached
I liked the challenge of trying to complete the square
The program made me more aware of what types of books I do read and more open to
reading books in other areas of interest.
Loved the board with all the different categories of books. Makes a person read something
that may be out of their comfort zone.
It encourages me to read material that I don't normally read.
Reading new books!

50
By contributing our survey results to Project
Outcome’s national database we are able to
work with libraries across the country to
support and justify the importance of public
libraries to the culture of our nation and to the
fabric of democracy.

How
Libraries are
Using
Outcomes
Samantha Lopez
Program Officer

Survey Activity: 116,000 Responses

Turning Small Data into Smart Data
Project Outcome helps Burnsville Public Library:
 Understand impact
 Develop new partnerships
 Design new programs
 Increase funding
Burnsville Public Library, WV

Develop new partnerships
 Summer Reading survey results show desire for tutoring
& homework help for children
 Library partners with local school to have 2 teachers
offer tutoring at the library the following summer
“[The children] work on reading, math, they
get on the computer… It's really benefitting
them. And some of the kids are here because
they need the extra help, and some of them
are here just to try to beat the summer slide.
It's working very well.” – Library Staff

Design new programs based on community input
 Library started new after-school programming based on
survey results
 New program includes hands-on STEAM classes
“The reason we do it is we
are trying to find out the
interests of the community so
we can serve the community
better. Any library can use it.”
– BPL Board Member

Increase funding
 Digital Learning survey results showed increase
confidence and behavior change
 Desire for more access to better technology
 Shared results in funding request & received technology
grant from West Virginia Library Commission
 Upgraded & expanded computer lab

Programming Decisions
Early Literacy Storytimes

Funding Requests
Dollar General Grant for Early Readers

Advocacy
 Shared Summary Reports with Friends of the Library
 Added patron comments in Library Board reports
 Included patron comments in thank you notes to
business donors

Partnerships
 Outcome data in quarterly reports to county leaders
 Increased championship of the library – county
leaders refer local career center to library
 New partnership to provide youth programming for
work experience, college & career readiness

Find More Examples from the Field

Annual Report & Final Evaluation
www.projectoutcome.org/pages/3
2016 Annual Report
2017 Annual Report
3-Year Evaluation Results

PLA Conference – March 20-24
Project Outcome programs:
 Project Outcome in Practice: Using Outcome Data to Measure
& Improve Impact, 3/24 @ 10:45AM
 Utilizing Project Outcome and Dashboard Software to
Facilitate Data-Driven Programming Decisions, 3/23 @ 4PM
www.placonference.org

Regional Training
 Project Outcome trainer
 All-day workshop (60 participants)
 2 virtual follow-up meetings
 Cost: $7,000
 Contact: slopez@ala.org

Check Out
 Tutorial videos to help you
get started
 Case studies to learn
more about how libraries
are using their data to
take action

What’s Next
 Register for FREE at www.projectoutcome.org
 Review training resources
 Create a new survey
 Analyze data dashboards
 Join the Facebook group
 Follow us on Twitter
 Engage on Peer Discussion Board
#ProjectOutcome

Big Talk From Small Libraries 2018: Small Data Can Still Be Smart Data: How Outcomes Can Help Your Library

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Big Talk From Small Libraries 2018: Small Data Can Still Be Smart Data: How Outcomes Can Help Your Library