Webinars

This webinar occurred on February 24, 2025.

Resources

Description

The Research Institute for Public Libraries’ (RIPL) curriculum is based on the steps involved in conducting an evaluation:

Identify the purpose of your evaluation
Plan your evaluation
Collect data
Analyze data
Use data – for management, program improvement, strategic planning, and advocacy

In this webinar – the final in the 12 Months to Better Library Data webinar series – we will focus on the last step by learning about how three public library workers have used data for decision-making, strategic planning, and advocacy:

Sarah Rankin (New York Public Library) will discuss the New York Public Library’s approach to monitoring equitable service usage and delivery, presenting its equity ratio as an example of metric construction, documentation, and deployment.

Brenda Marshall (Pine River Library, Colorado) will discuss an interview project Pine River Library engaged in to ask community leaders, local government representatives, faith leaders, and others some big picture questions about their community’s needs, assets, and desires. Based on the results, their library developed a strategic plan that guides many day to day decisions.

Jennifer Gibson (St. Louis County Library) will discuss data-centric methods used at St. Louis County Library to inform operational decisions about staffing levels, and to develop effective marketing strategies for the Library Foundation’s annual appeal and to draw back lapsed customers.

Join us to learn about each instructor’s successes, challenges, and lessons learned while working on these data projects, and to be inspired in your own data work.

This session is part of the 12 Months to Better Library Data Webinar Series, made possible by funding from the Mellon Foundation.

Instructors:

Sarah Rankin
Senior Quantitative Researcher in Strategy and Public Impact
New York Public Library

Sarah Rankin is a Senior Quantitative Researcher in Strategy and Public Impact at the New York Public Library. She conducts analyses of the Library’s activity data, with an emphasis on patron usage, demographics, and impact. Prior to NYPL, she was a researcher at LISC, a national community development intermediary, where she focused on neighborhood change and workforce & financial capacity programs. Sarah has a Master’s in Public Policy from Duke University and a BA in History from Yale University.

Brenda Marshall
Director
Pine River Library (Bayfield, Colorado)

Originally from England, Brenda moved to Bayfield in Southwest Colorado almost thirty years ago. Even though her childhood wish was to be a librarian she instead trained in social work and worked with people with disabilities for many years. Eleven years ago she started working at the Pine River Library and has served as director for the past four years.

Jennifer Gibson
Assistant Director of Strategic Initiatives
St. Louis County Library

Jennifer Gibson is Assistant Director of Strategic Initiatives at St. Louis County Library in Missouri. In this role she develops the organizational strategic plan, oversees diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives, & performs all grant writing and administration for St. Louis County Library and the St. Louis County Library Foundation. Jennifer was a 2022 Library Journal Mover & Shaker and a 2011 ALA Spectrum and ARL Initiative to Recruit a Diverse Workforce Scholar. In 2023, she founded the Missouri Library Association’s first diversity committee, the You Belong Committee. Through this committee Jennifer established a statewide initiative to retain a diverse library workforce called the You Belong Scholar Program, which was recently funded by the IMLS Laura Bush 21st Century Grant Program. Jennifer holds an MLIS from San Jose State University, a JD from Pepperdine University, and a BA in Geology from the University of Southern California. She serves on the PLA Measurement Evaluation & Assessment Advisory Group and on the POV on PBS Library Board.

This webinar occurred January 9, 2025

Resources

Session Description

Customer privacy and confidentiality are core public library values. Our default is to not make use of our customer behavior data, in spite of the fact that it would allow us to personalize and market targeted services. Where is the middle ground between maximum privacy and maximum personalization that respects our commitment to privacy while allowing us to use data to guide service design and delivery? There is not one perfect answer, but this webinar will explore the topic in theory and in practice. Interact with colleagues to find your comfort zone along the privacy vs. personalization continuum, both personally and in your organization.

This session is part of the 12 Months to Better Library Data Webinar Series, made possible by funding from the Mellon Foundation.

Instructor:

Lynn Hoffman
Deputy Director, Somerset County Library System

Lynn Hoffman is a librarian and leader whose extensive career in public libraries has consistently intersected with evaluation and assessment. At the national level, Lynn has been a frequent instructor for the Research Institute for Public Libraries (RIPL), served on the Public Library Association’s Measurement, Evaluation, and Assessment Committee, and chaired its precursor, the PLDS Advisory Committee. In addition to making frequent presentations on leadership development and organizational culture topics for regional, state, and national learning events, Lynn loves the hands-on work she does with data collection, analysis, and visualization as Deputy Director at the Somerset County Library System of New Jersey.

This webinar occurred December 11, 2024

Resources mentioned during webinar:

Metrics are one way we frequently measure success in libraries. But finding the right metrics isn’t easy. “Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted,” a quote from sociologist William Bruce Cameron, neatly summarizes why finding meaningful metrics is often challenging. Libraries count all kinds of things, many of which take a great deal of effort to collect and analyze. Which metrics have the most meaning and impact?

In this session, you will learn about how metrics only have meaning in context. Our entire discussion will be framed by the understanding that metrics reflect and drive the values of your organization. So how do you create meaningful metrics? Some key topics we’ll address about meaningful metrics are:

Why is having a clear desired impact/outcome/definition of success so important to metrics?
How can you align metrics closely to the desired impact/outcome/definition of success?
The importance of Involving people closest to the work in creating metrics, including community data and input where possible.
The value of empowering people close to the work to also act on metrics.
How to connect metrics up to other levels of strategy.
The importance of staying aligned with your values and research ethics.
Asking yourself which metrics will help you learn and be intentional more so than what is most easy to collect.

You will get hands-on time to revise a desired impact/outcome/definition of success, align metrics to that desired impact, and reflect on what metrics will help you learn and be intentional.

Instructor: Katie Fox

Katie Fox is liaison between the State of Colorado and local communities, where she helps them identify and reach their digital equity goals. She has spent her career collaborating with libraries to better understand how they can intentionally partner with and serve their communities. She particularly enjoys trying to measure complex concepts like relationship building. Previously, Katie was the Senior Evaluator for the Denver Public Library and a Research Analyst for the Library Research Service unit at the Colorado State Library. Before that, she was an information literacy librarian and a middle school teacher. She has an M.A. in Library and Information Studies from UW-Madison and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from University of Denver.

This session is part of the 12 Months to Better Library Data Webinar Series, made possible by funding from the Mellon Foundation.

This webinar occurred on November 20, 2024.

Slides

Resources mentioned during the webinar:

Session Description

What can you tell about your library data as a story? Learn how to bring data stories to life for library advocacy of all types, from sustaining the library to transforming its work. Participants will learn about ongoing research identifying classic library stories told to persuade decision-makers as part of the Data Storytelling Toolkit for Libraries project (IMLS). You will gain a better understanding of data storytelling uses for public libraries, and tools to reach different kinds of audiences such as governing boards, executives, and the public and to adapt narrative structures to communicate information and emotion at the same time.

Join storytelling expert Kate McDowell for a lively interactive session to make data work as evidence for your compelling library data stories.

This session is part of the 12 Months to Better Library Data Webinar Series, made possible by funding from the Mellon Foundation.

Instructor:

Dr. Kate McDowell
Associate Professor, University of Illinois

Dr. Kate McDowell focuses on storytelling as information research, social justice storytelling, and how the history of library storytelling can enhance contemporary data storytelling. Her writing appears in Library Quarterly, College and Research Libraries, and JASIST, where her article Storytelling wisdom: Story, information, and DIKW theorizes storytelling as a fundamental information form. She leads the nationally-funded Data Storytelling Toolkit for Librarians project to equip libraries with narrative tools for data-informed advocacy. McDowell is an associate professor at the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (USA), where her storytelling teaching was internationally celebrated with the ASIS&T Outstanding Information Science Teacher Award in 2022.

This webinar occurred October 8, 2024.

Webinar Resources

Slides
AI Tools:
- Typeset
- ChatPDF
- Ailyze
- ChatGPT

Webinar Description

This webinar aims to demystify Artificial Intelligence (A)I by demonstrating that emerging technological tools can be strategically leveraged to enhance the evaluation process. This session will delve into the ethical application of AI within library evaluation practices, focusing on practical strategies to integrate AI responsibly as a tool, assistant, and resource. The session will briefly introduce AI methodologies applicable to library evaluation processes, emphasizing its potential to enhance the evaluation of library programs, service delivery, and community engagement. Key ethical considerations will be discussed, such as ensuring data integrity and developing effective prompts. Participants will leave with a foundational understanding of how to approach AI in their evaluation processes, including actionable steps to implement AI tools thoughtfully and effectively.

Learning Outcomes:

Demystify AI by defining its core concepts, exploring various types such as machine learning and natural language processing, and articulating their practical applications in evaluation practices.
Explore responsible integration of AI within library evaluation practices using practical steps focused on ethical evaluation standards.
Gain insights into AI methodologies that can enhance the evaluation of library programs, service delivery, and community engagement.
Discuss critical ethical considerations, including data integrity and the development of effective AI prompts for data analysis.

This session is part of the 12 Months to Better Library Data Webinar Series, made possible by funding from the Mellon Foundation.

Instructor:

Jennifer Pacheco Villalobos, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Claremont Graduate University

Jennifer Pacheco Villalobos, Ph.D. (she/her/ella) is an Assistant Professor at Claremont Graduate University (CGU), where she also directs the Doctorate of Evaluation Practice (D.Eval) professional degree program. With expertise in program evaluation, organizational psychology, and positive organizational interventions, her work focuses on promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), social justice approaches, and leveraging artificial intelligence for social good.

Dr. Villalobos earned her Ph.D. and Master’s degrees in Positive Organizational Psychology and Evaluation from CGU and Bachelor degrees in Psychology and History from the University of Southern California (USC). She has over 20 years of experience consulting for organizations across multiple sectors, including healthcare, education, non-profit, and corporate industries. Her consulting work emphasizes program improvement, DEI, workplace well-being, and leadership development. Her dynamic and interdisciplinary approach continues to shape the fields of evaluation and organizational psychology through her innovative teaching, research, and practice.

Born and raised in Southern California, Dr. Villalobos is deeply committed to fostering equitable and positive change at the individual, team, organization, and community levels. She actively collaborates with local, national, and international organizations to drive meaningful impact through her work.

This webinar occurred September 24, 2024

Webinar Resources

Slides
Activities:
- Chart Critique
- Putting It All Together
Creating One-Page Reports
Book: Better Data Visualizations (Jonathan Schwabish)
Data Viz Catalogue
Types of Diagrams

This session will introduce basic data visualization and design elements based on best practices from current visualization research. Participants will be introduced to a story-based design method that emphasizes the target audience’s information needs to create effective data visualizations. Tools for color, chart selection and accessibility will be presented and participants will gain practice doing a visualization ‘makeover’.

Learning Outcomes:

Participants will be able to identify the key steps in creating a data-informed visualization
Participants will have increased confidence in choosing the right chart or graphic to effectively display data
Participants will be familiar with basic design principles that enhance comprehension and accommodate accessibility needs

This session is part of the 12 Months to Better Library Data Webinar Series, made possible by funding from the Mellon Foundation.

Instructor:

Amanda Johnson
Co-Founder, Alliance Research & Training

Amanda Johnson started her journey in libraries over 10 years ago and has since worked in academic, public, and state government environments. Starting out she spent many years on public service desks, leading programs and helping community members find and use information. These daily interactions led Amanda to pursue her interest in building skills and strategies to help libraries uncover community needs, develop effective services, and demonstrate value to all levels of stakeholders. Amanda is the co-founder of Alliance Research & Training which provides support to libraries to grow their services, resources, and boost staff capacity to meet the changing needs of their communities

This webinar occurred August 15, 2024

Webinar Resources

Using library data to benchmark your library to its peers is easier than you think! This 90-minute session will provide hands-on guidance on how to access federal data tools and use guided templates to help organize data for planning and assessment.

We will show you how to access and analyze freely available data on your library, your library peers, and your community using Public Libraries Survey (PLS) data and the Library Search and Compare tool and point to other resources such as the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey tool to complement and contextualize the library data that you find. You will dive into these data resources by working with a scenario based on your own library or a library that is familiar to you.

In this session, you will:

Identify your library peers across a range of key metrics from the PLS using the Library Search and Compare Tool.
Identify your library’s context and community’s needs using other PLS analysis and Census data.
Practice critical thinking as you analyze library data.

This session is part of the 12 Months to Better Library Data Webinar Series, made possible by funding from the Mellon Foundation.

Instructors:

Dan Hensley
Coordinator of Staff Training and Development, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Dan Hensley is a librarian with over 15 years of experience designing, implementing, and evaluating library services for adults. As a member of the Public Library Association’s Measurement, Evaluation, and Assessment Committee, he has co-presented several webinars and conference sessions on using data to evaluate and improve public library service. Prior to starting his current role as Coordinator of Staff Training and Development at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (PA), he was CLP’s Adult Services Coordinator. Dan received his MLIS from the University of Pittsburgh.

Marisa Pelczar
Program Analyst, Institute of Museums and Library Services

Marisa Pelczar serves as a Program Analyst at the Institute of Museum and Library Services, managing the Public Libraries Survey (PLS) and State Library Administrative Agency (SLAA) Survey, including developing the Library Search & Compare Tool, PLS Benchmarking Tables, and the new SLAA Survey Comparison Tool. She holds a PhD in Education Policy from Vanderbilt University.

This webinar occurred July 25, 2024

Webinar Resources:

Slides
Books
- The Four Pivots – Shawn Ginwright
- The Power of Appreciative Inquiry: A practical guide to positive change – Diana Whitney & Amanda Trosten-Bloom
- Encyclopedia of Positive Questions – Diana Whitney
Padlet boards
- What words, language, or phrases do you use to describe cultural competency or relevancy?
- Rose, Buds, Thorns, Roots

Description:

In this session, we will explore methods and tools for collecting culturally relevant data, including culturally adapted surveys, interviews and group conversations, as well as participatory techniques.

Participants will be able to identify their own data needs in regards to culturally informed data, have new tools for gathering data in a way that amplifies cultural strengths, and determine which techniques serve their data needs.

This session is part of the 12 Months to Better Library Data Webinar Series, made possible by funding from the Mellon Foundation.

Instructor:

Dr. Andrea Girón Mathern
Founder, Centrality Research

Andrea believes that understanding your organization from the inside out is key to taking progressive steps forward and building momentum for the most impactful paradigm shifts. She is skilled in quantitative and qualitative research though is drawn to empowerment-based research practices such as participatory action research, participant-driven data collection, collaborative knowledge production, and integrated knowledge translation. She has a Ph.D. in Research and Evaluation Methods, and holds a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management. She has served as the co-lead on a large Museum initiative to transform 22,000 square feet into a dynamic visitor experience. As the former Director of the Community Research & Engagement Strategies Department at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science she led evaluation and social science research efforts as well as served as the co-lead of the Living Our Values team which spearheads the Museum’s Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion efforts.

She has led research and evaluation efforts for projects funded by the Colorado Health Foundation, NASA, The Institute of Museum and Library Services, and served as a Co-PI working with the inter-agency team of Metro Denver Urban Advantage funded by the National Science Foundation. She was appointed to the visiting professional scholar program with the Office of Policy and Analysis with the Smithsonian Institution in 2013.

This webinar occurred June 5, 2024

Webinar Resources

Description

Surveys in libraries are often seen as essential methods for collecting data about services, programming, and community needs. But while libraries recognize the benefits of utilizing surveys for their research and evaluation needs, most struggle to fully realize the potential of their surveys for collecting high quality data. Good survey design is an art form, a craft that can be developed through practice. This session will focus on the principles of survey design and development, with an eye towards creating surveys designed to address a variety of library needs. Participants will develop an understanding of the basics of survey design, from initial question development to cognitive interviewing and piloting. This session will equip participants with the ability to identify and apply best practices and principles of survey design, offering opportunities for direct application through hands-on practice.

Session Learning Outcomes

Understand the value of good survey design for library research and evaluation
Recognize the principles of good survey design and apply those principles to example survey items
Understand the practice of cognitive interviewing and its role in the development of well-crafted surveys

This is NOT a webinar where you listen to a talking head the whole time; instead, please come ready to participate in a variety of interactive learning activities.

This session is part of the 12 Months to Better Library Data Webinar Series, made possible by funding from the Mellon Foundation.

Instructor:

Kawanna Bright
Assistant Professor of Library Science, East Carolina University

Kawanna Bright (PhD, MLIS) is Assistant Professor of Library Science at East Carolina University. Dr. Bright has a doctorate in Research Methods & Statistics (2018, University of Denver) and an MLIS (2003, University of Washington). She teaches courses on research methodology, leadership and management in libraries, academic librarianship, collection development, and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Her research focuses on library assessment, EDI in libraries, research methods in LIS, and the liaison librarianship role in academic libraries.

This webinar occurred on May 13, 2024.

Webinar Resources

Description

This webinar will get you up to speed on the core issues facing the equitable and ethical use of quantitative data and provide you with a clear picture of the challenging landscape of turning complex human questions into numbers and then back into meaning (without totally screwing people over in the process!).

In this session, we’ll use practical and concrete examples to explore:

The compelling case for why data projects are not objective (and why that’s a good thing!);
How the kinds of choice points we face when working with quantitative data give us the opportunity to embed equity in our work;
Why we all need a cohesive system for identifying and addressing equity issues in data,
An introduction to a practical, concrete approach to this crucial issue: The Data Equity Framework.

This session is part of the 12 Months to Better Library Data Webinar Series, made possible by funding from the Mellon Foundation.

Instructor:

Heather Krause
Founder, We All Count

Heather Krause, PStat, is a data scientist and the founder of We All Count, a project for equity in data. We All Count works with teams across the globe to embed a lens of equity into their data products. Heather is a data scientist with over 20 years of experience building tools that improve practices and systems. Her cutting-edge approach to project design, data collection, analysis, reporting and visualization have placed her in high demand as a project lead, a crisis consultant and a speaker on the subject of data equity.

This webinar occurred on April 16, 2024

You put a lot of effort into developing public-facing programs for your community, but how do you know whether these programs are successful?

In this session, you will learn a 3-step process for evaluating public-facing programs. First, you will learn to specify what “success” looks like for a sample library program. This often reflects the desired outcomes of the program (outcomes are changes in participants’ knowledge, skills, attitude, behavior, condition, or life status). You will also learn how to consider additional dimensions of success, such as equity, relevance, sustainability, and more, so that you can capture a more complete picture of the program’s success.

Second, you will learn to develop a logic model that depicts the relationship between the resources invested in the sample program, program attendance and other outputs, and the desired outcomes. The logic model will help you determine whether all of the necessary components are in place to achieve success.

Third, you will learn how to create a plan to measure the multiple dimensions of success that are relevant for the sample program and the types of data you need to collect to measure success.

You will leave the webinar with the knowledge needed to apply these concepts to your own public-facing programs and services.

Webinar Slides, Handouts, and Resources

This session is part of the 12 Months to Better Library Data Webinar Series, made possible by funding from the Mellon Foundation.

Instructors:

Rebecca Teasdale
Principal, Rebecca Teasdale & Associates

Rebecca Teasdale is principal of Rebecca Teasdale & Associates and an assistant professor of educational psychology at the University of Illinois at Chicago. As a librarian, Rebecca held leadership positions in urban and suburban public libraries. She now helps libraries build their capacity to evaluate their offerings and make evidence-based decisions regarding programs, services, collections, and staffing. Rebecca has evaluated projects in libraries, museums, afterschool programs, and universities, as well as professional development initiatives in the US and internationally. She was a founding member of the Project Outcome Task Force and currently directs Embedding Evaluation in Libraries, a team-based training and coaching program for public library staff. She holds an MA in library and information science and a PhD in educational psychology with specialization in evaluation methodology.

Linda Hofschire
Consultant

Linda Hofschire has more than 25 years of experience conducting social science research and evaluation and providing training in-person and online. She directs the Research Institute for Public Libraries (RIPL), an initiative to provide data and evaluation training for library staff. She also works as a library evaluation and training consultant. Linda was named a Library Journal Mover & Shaker in 2017. She has an MA and PhD in Mass Media from Michigan State University, and an MLIS from the University of Illinois. She is passionate about making data accessible and meaningful to users.

This webinar occurred on March 7, 2024

When embarking on data-informed work, it can be easy to jump straight to data collection, such as administering a survey to determine the effectiveness of a program or pulling a few years of ILS data to analyze eBook circulation trends. However, what if you began by taking a step back and developing a data plan that incorporates the purposes for and context of your work? In this session, you will learn how to develop a data plan by:

Determining your priorities
Considering Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) implications
Defining success
Incorporating stakeholders’ viewpoints

You will leave this session with a greater recognition of the benefits of planning for data-informed work as well as practical tips for developing a data plan.

Webinar Handouts & Activities

Dimensions of Success Resources

Teasdale, R. M. (2021). Evaluative criteria: An integrated model of domains and sources. American Journal of Evaluation 42(3), 354-376.

Teasdale, R. M., Pitts, R. T., Gates, E. F., & Shim, C. (2023). Teaching specification of evaluative criteria: A guide for evaluation education. New Directions for Evaluation 2023 (117), 31-37.

To learn more about the dimensions of success and how to measure them, please join us for the upcoming webinar on April 16, Outcomes and Beyond: A 3-Step Approach to Evaluating Program Success.

Resources for Measuring Equity

Webinar: What Gets Measured Gets Done (this webinar includes a section on measuring equity)
Blog post: Equity vs. Equality: What’s the Difference?

This session is part of the 12 Months to Better Library Data Webinar Series, made possible by funding from the Mellon Foundation.

Instructors

Katina Jones
Program Manager for Evaluation and Assessment, Public Library Association

Katina Jones is the Program Manager for Evaluation and Assessment at the Public Library Association. As a member of PLA’s Data Team, she supports the division’s data and research efforts through collecting and analyzing timely library data via Project Outcome and Benchmark for use by the field in service to their communities. Prior to PLA, Katina was the Statistical Research Analyst at Mid-Continent Public Library, where she worked to support their data-driven decision making through two strategic plans and a capital improvements campaign. Ms. Jones started her library career as the State Data Coordinator at the Missouri State Library, working with the IMLS and Census Bureau to collect and distribute statistics for the state. Katina received her bachelor’s degree in Applied Psychology and Social Science from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Zeth Lietzau
Director, Central, Collections, Technology, and Strategy, Denver Public Library

Zeth Lietzau is the Director of Central, Collections, Technology, and Strategy at the Denver Public Library. Previously he worked at DPL as the Manager of Digital User Experience and the Community Technology Center. He also served as Associate Director at the Library Research Service and consistently uses the skills he learned there to make data-based decisions.

Sharon Morris
Public Library Leadership Consultant, Colorado State Library

Sharon Morris is currently serving as Public Library Leadership Consultant at the Colorado State Library. In her 30+ years in libraries and academia, Sharon has conducted focus groups, community meetings, usability testing, surveys, and needs assessments. She earned a Doctorate in Managerial Leadership in Libraries from Simmons College and holds an MLIS from Emporia State. Sharon has been an instructor for RIPL since 2015 and conducts workshops and leadership programs for libraries throughout the country.

Linda Hofschire
Consultant

Webinar archive

Slides

Resources:

Strengthening Networks, Sparking Change: Museums and Libraries as Community Catalysts

Creating Capabilities: The Human Development Approach [book]

Rural Library Service & Social Wellbeing Project (including beta-tools and research links)

Rural Library Service & Social Wellbeing Project data and methods repository on Open Science Framework

Q & A from chat (Margo’s responses to the questions she didn’t have time to answer during the session)

Presenter: Margo Gustina, Project Lead: Rural Library Service & Social Wellbeing Project, Southern Tier Library System (NY)

Through mixed methods research, the Rural Library Service & Social Wellbeing project found that a) public libraries are a component of social wellbeing outcomes in rural communities, and b) there are ways libraries provide service that influence outcomes. In this webinar you’ll hear about the design and outcomes of our research, the Evidence-Based No Rules Tools under development, and how qualitative data coding made it all possible.

Margo Gustina is always looking for ways to better understand the world around them — through statistics, art, community interviews. The world is complex! Even still, through diligent effort and rigorous design, Margo has implemented research with robust practical applications with increasing focus for the last decade.

Webinar archive

Slides

Webinar handouts

Tuesday, September 24, 2019, 1:00-2:00 Eastern/10:00-11:00 Pacific

Presenter: Lynn Hoffman, Director of Operations, Somerset County Library System of New Jersey

Google Sheets includes a variety of lesser-known tools that can help you power up your library’s reports, including conditional formatting and basic scripting. This webinar will cover strategies and approaches you can use to automate regular reporting and analytical tasks, such as scheduling updates to data used for periodic circulation tasks, and pulling data from emailed reports into a spreadsheet. Use your new knowledge to impress your colleagues with fancy, on-demand reports.

Lynn Hoffman has worn a wide variety of hats throughout her twenty-plus year public library career, but has found her niche in administration, implementing big ideas on the front lines at the assistant director level at several large public library systems in the Midwest. She is also a self-professed data nerd and wannabe coder, and loves finding ways to make it easy for her colleagues to gain new insights from the data we already collect. Lynn is currently Director of Operations at the Somerset County Library System of New Jersey and served on the Public Library Association’s Measurement, Evaluation and Assessment Committee.

Connection Information:

You do not need to register for this free webinar. It will be recorded and the archive will be available afterward at ripl.lrs.org/webinars.

Audio will be via VOIP. You can listen to the webinar with a USB headset or your computer speakers.

In advance of the meeting, please run through the connection test:

https://na1cps.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm

Access the meeting room online at https://enetlearning.adobeconnect.com/ripl/

Please enter your name as you log in as a guest.

Please consider logging in to the meeting 5-10 minutes in advance to make sure we can troubleshoot any technical issues, and not take time away from our session to do so.

Webinar Archive

Slides

Thursday, May 23, 2019, 2:00-3:00 Eastern/11:00-12:00 Pacific

Presenters: Sharon Streams, WebJunction, OCLC, Janet Hawk, Exec. Director, Market Analysis, OCLC, Peggy Gallagher, Manager, Market Analysis, OCLC

What motivates people to vote in favor of library funding? OCLC posed this question a decade ago, which led to the 2008 report, From Awareness to Funding, which provided ground-breaking insights into voter support for libraries. Ten years later, OCLC and ALA partnered to conduct a follow-up study to understand what may have changed in voter attitudes and behaviors over the past decade. In this webinar, the OCLC research team will discuss the key results, suggest areas for action, and then will describe the methods used to create the survey, collect and analyze the survey data.

Sharon Streams joined OCLC and the WebJunction team in 2007. A graduate of Indiana University, Sharon began her career in federal financial regulation and corporate law, then returned to IU for graduate studies in the School of Library and Information Science. After moving to Washington State, she joined the publishing world, managing the book, magazine, and online publishing division of an international engineering association. As director of WebJunction since 2015, Sharon seeks ways to scale library learning and innovation that expands access to knowledge and opportunity for all. Sharon is an author of From Awareness to Funding: Voter Perceptions and Support of Public Libraries in 2018.

Janet Hawk has spent 30+ years working with libraries in the OCLC network. She’s currently Executive Director of Market Analysis and Sales Programs, leading a team of 20 professionals with a variety of roles including email marketers, proposal managers, business analysts and market researchers. Janet holds an MBA and a BS in Journalism/Public Relations. Janet has co-authored many OCLC research reports, two of which are the groundbreaking Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources (2005) and From Awareness to Funding: Voter Perceptions and Support of Public Libraries in 2018.

Peggy Gallagher joined OCLC in 2008 to lead a team conducting market research with library users and librarians. Prior to OCLC, Peggy spent two decades in public libraries in various roles. She received her M.L.S. in 1999 and a Master’s in Marketing and Communications (M.M.C.) in 2007. At OCLC, Peggy has been involved in the publishing of several research reports including Perceptions of Libraries 2010: Context and Community; At a Tipping Point: Education, Learning and Libraries; From Awareness to Funding: Voter Perceptions and Support of Public Libraries in 2018; and most recently, US Public Libraries: Marketing and Communications Landscape.

Connection Information:

You do not need to register for this free webinar. Please note that it is limited to the first 100 participants. It will be recorded and the archive will be available afterward at ripl.lrs.org/webinars.

Audio will be via VOIP. You can listen to the webinar with a USB headset or your computer speakers.

In advance of the meeting, please run through the connection test:

https://na1cps.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm

Access the meeting room online at https://enetlearning.adobeconnect.com/ripl/

Please enter your name as you log in as a guest.

Please consider logging in to the meeting 5-10 minutes in advance to make sure we can troubleshoot any technical issues, and not take time away from our session to do so.

Webinar Archive

Slides

Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at 2:00-3:00 Eastern/11:00-12:00 Pacific

Presenters: Katina Jones, Statistical Research Analyst at Mid-Continent Public Library and Lindsay Hanson, Data Analysis Librarian at Sno-Isle Libraries

As libraries become increasingly data-driven the need for useable data also expands. The process of determining what data is needed to answer a question and translating that into actionable information is complicated and has many potential pitfalls. Learn how Sno-Isle Libraries and Mid-Continent Public Library are navigating this process to create and share visualizations to inform decisions. Attendees will learn best practices for the process of turning raw data into visualizations and how to tailor them for their intended audience.

Katina Jones is the Statistical Research Analyst at Mid-Continent Public Library. She gets to spend most of her time examining statistics, demographics, and program survey results from the Library’s 35 locations to support their data-driven decision making. Prior to MCPL, she was the State Data Coordinator at the Missouri State Library, working with the IMLS and Census Bureau to collect and distribute statistics for the state. Ms. Jones received her bachelor’s degree in Applied Psychology and Social Science from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Lindsay Hanson is the Data Analysis Librarian at Sno-Isle Libraries, where she is responsible for managing data, evaluating public services and providing data visualizations and analyses to inform decisions. She believes that a culture of evidence-based decision making is the key to improving the efficacy of organizations and increasing the potential for community impact.

Connection Information:

You do not need to register for this free webinar. It will be recorded and the archive will be available afterward at ripl.lrs.org/webinars.

Audio will be via VOIP. You can listen to the webinar with a USB headset or your computer speakers.

In advance of the meeting, please run through the connection test:

https://na1cps.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm

Access the meeting room online at https://enetlearning.adobeconnect.com/ripl/

Please enter your name as you log in as a guest.

Please consider logging in to the meeting 5-10 minutes in advance to make sure we can troubleshoot any technical issues, and not take time away from our session to do so.

Tuesday, November 13, 2018, 12:00-1:00 Eastern/9:00-10:00 Pacific

The webinar archive can be found here with slides available here.

Presenter: John Chrastka, Executive Director, EveryLibrary

We know from both the 2008 and 2018 iterations of “From Awareness to Funding” that the library user status of the voter does not matter on Election Day. Funding decisions for libraries are often made by voters with little-to-no familiarity with the library, or by elected officials who are themselves non-users. Our industry’s focus on measuring, understanding, and improving the user experience is well developed and robust. But we lack a consistent and disciplined approach to collecting and sharing insights about the value system of non-users. Join EveryLibrary executive director John Chrastka for an overview of the “From Awareness…” findings and participate in a discussion of how concerned library data professionals could cooperatively begin to fill in these missing data pieces.

John Chrastka is founder and executive director of EveryLibrary, the first Super PAC for libraries. Since 2012, EveryLibrary has provided pro-bono support to 77 library communities with ballot measures and tax referendum, helping win over $261 million in stable tax funding. He is a former Board president of the Berwyn (IL) Public Library and RAILS, the Reaching Across Illinois Libraries System. Prior to EveryLibrary, he was a partner in AssociaDirect, an association consultancy, and was Director for Membership Development at ALA. He was recognized by Library Journal in 2014 as a Mover & Shaker.

Connection Information:

Audio will be via VOIP. You can listen to the webinar with a USB headset or your computer speakers.

In advance of the meeting, please run through the connection test:

https://na1cps.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm

Access the meeting room online at https://enetlearning.adobeconnect.com/ripl/

Please enter your name as you log in as a guest.

Please consider logging in to the meeting 5-10 minutes in advance to make sure we can troubleshoot any technical issues, and not take time away from our session to do so.

Wednesday, June 6, 2018, 2:00-3:00 Eastern/11:00-12:00 Pacific

The archive of the webinar can be found here with slides available here.

Presenters: Sarah Houghton, Director, San Rafael Public Library, Peter Bromberg, Executive Director, Salt Lake City Public Library, and Gretchen Caserotti, Library Director, Meridian Library District

Libraries continue to strive toward more equitable access even as many of our communities face growing income inequality—and the question of library fines has become particularly relevant. This webinar brings together three experienced library directors who have recently eliminated some or all overdue fines at their libraries to discuss the strategies they used in their communities, the arguments for and against the elimination of fines, their plans to measure impact and success, and how they communicate the issue of overdue fines as critical to any library’s mission of equal access and social equity. As part of this discussion, they will share examples of how they used data to inform their fine-elimination process.

Connection Information:

Audio will be via VOIP. You can listen to the webinar with a USB headset or your computer speakers.

In advance of the meeting, please run through the connection test:

https://na1cps.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm

Access the meeting room online at https://enetlearning.adobeconnect.com/ripl/

Please enter your name as you log in as a guest.

Please consider logging in to the meeting 5-10 minutes in advance to make sure we can troubleshoot any technical issues, and not take time away from our session to do so.

Wednesday, January 31, 2018, 10:00-11:00 AM Mountain

The archive of the webinar can be found here with slides available here

Presenter: Shelley Walchak, Director, Pine River Library

For most people, time is a tricky concept that we can only try to control. The reality is that we cannot manage time, we can only manage ourselves, others and work. This webinar will explore various aspects of time management and discuss the work-life management system, ‘GTD’—Getting Things Done. The notion of GTD is that ‘with a complete and current inventory of all your commitments, organized and reviewed in a systematic way, you can focus clearly’.

Learning Objectives:

1. Recognize time management issues

2. Learn how to work with one time management system and establish priorities

3. Assist with performance and managing stress.

The following topics will be covered:

Managing our Time – what does that mean?
Five time management issues
GTD – a time management system
Productive behaviors
Five stages of workflow

Connection Information:

You do not need to register for this free webinar. Please be aware that the capacity of the webinar room is 100 participants; get there early to get a “seat!”

Audio will be via VOIP. You can listen to the webinar with a USB headset or your computer speakers.

In advance of the meeting, please run through the connection test:

https://na1cps.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm

Access the meeting room online at https://enetlearning.adobeconnect.com/ripl/

Please enter your name as you log in as a guest.

Please consider logging in to the meeting 5-10 minutes in advance to make sure we can troubleshoot any technical issues, and not take time away from our session to do so.

The webinar will be recorded and the archive will be available afterward at ripl.lrs.org/webinars.

Thursday, September 28^th

12:00-1:00 Mountain/2:00-3:00 Eastern

The archive of the webinar can be found here with slides available here.

Presenter: Chris Cairo

Is staff in your Library reluctant to participate in the measurement of institutional performance? Do they seem confused by the logic model and struggle to apply it to their work? Would you like Senior Staff to make data driven decisions?

Learning Outcomes

Learn a method for engaging staff at all organizational levels in program evaluation.
Improve staff analytical skills and help the entire organization, including your Board of Trustees, focus on institutional strategy.
Be introduced to a performance measuring system that works.

Biography

As Director of Strategic Planning and Assessment for the Indianapolis Public Library, Chris Cairo stewards the Library’s efforts for executing and completing their Strategic Plan. She has developed a systematic approach for staff engagement, data collection and reporting tools which measure progress to satisfy stakeholders. Passionate about proving the relevance of public libraries in a community, she is committed to helping libraries tell their stories with evidence. She holds a Masters of Library Science from the University of Michigan. With 43 years of professional experience on the front lines, providing service to patrons, developing initiatives like the IMLS funded branch library located in the world’s largest Children’s Museum, and opening the award winning Learning Curve at Central Library, she has put her innovative skills to work designing models for performance assessment.

Connection Information:

You do not need to register for this free webinar. Please be aware that the capacity of the webinar room is 100 participants; get there early to get a “seat!”

Audio will be via VOIP. You can listen to the webinar with a USB headset or your computer speakers.

In advance of the meeting, please run through the connection test:

https://na1cps.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm

Access the meeting room online at https://enetlearning.adobeconnect.com/ripl/

Please enter your name as you log in as a guest.

Please consider logging in to the meeting 5-10 minutes in advance to make sure we can troubleshoot any technical issues, and not take time away from our session to do so.

The webinar will be recorded and the archive will be available afterward at ripl.lrs.org/webinars.

Wednesday, May 24^th

11:00-12:00 PDT/2:00-3:00 EDT

The archive of the webinar can be found here.

Presenter: Jane Martel

Are you unimpressed with the progress made when trying to improve work processes? Are you dismayed with the reactions of patrons and work colleagues to change? There really is a way to head off these common work challenges! Learn how lean six sigma (LSS) may be the answer to your working woes. Overviews of successful library LSS projects – and lessons learned – will be presented.

Learning Outcomes:

Distinguish between lean and six sigma as problem solving methodologies
Classify potential projects as appropriate for using lean, six sigma, both or neither approach
Identify at least one process in your organization that might benefit from the use of lean or six sigma
Name the rationale for each tip for success presented

Biography

As the Customer Experience Coordinator for the Arapahoe Library District in Colorado, Jane Martel designs, develops and delivers customer service training for employees and manages the patron feedback system. Drawn to the power of data and committed individuals to solve work challenges, Jane uses her certifications as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and Quality Process Analyst to improve internal processes for the benefit of library patrons. She holds a Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Maine. With 30 years of professional experience in business, government, and non-profit organizations, Jane puts her passion for process improvement, data analysis and customer service to work to ensure that the patron’s experience is nothing short of…wow!

You do not need to register for this free webinar. Please be aware that the capacity of the webinar room is 100 participants; get there early to get a “seat!” The webinar will be recorded and the archive will be available afterward at ripl.lrs.org/webinars.

Connection Information:

Audio will be via VOIP. You can listen to the webinar with a USB headset or your computer speakers.

In advance of the meeting, please run through the connection test:

https://na1cps.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm

Access the meeting room online at https://enetlearning.adobeconnect.com/ripl/

Please enter your name as you log in as a guest.

Please consider logging in to the meeting 5-10 minutes in advance to make sure we can troubleshoot any technical issues, and not take time away from our session to do so.

From Insight to Action: Using Public Library Data for Decision-Making, Strategic Planning, and Advocacy

Library Customer Data: Privacy vs. Personalization

What Counts? Finding Meaningful Metrics

Inspire, Advocate, Communicate: Library Data Storytelling

Ethical Artificial Intelligence: Bridging Technology with Credible Evaluation Practices

Elements of Data Visualization and Design

Exploring Public Libraries Survey Data for Peer Comparisons

Building Bridges: Collecting Culturally Relevant Data

Creative Survey Design: Crafting Survey Instruments to Meet Your Library’s Research and Evaluation Needs

Introduction to Data Equity