FOPL

FOPL can provide customer statistics report and peer comparison on a variety of measurements and metrics based on the Ontario Public Library Data Collection (1998-2015)

 

PLA Public Libraries Association (ALA)

About Project Outcome

Wherever public libraries are working, possibility lives. Project Outcome is a FREE toolkit designed to help public libraries understand and share the true impact of essential library services and programs by providing simple surveys and an easy-to-use process for measuring and analyzing outcomes. Project Outcome also provides libraries with the resources and training support needed to apply their results and confidently advocate for their library’s future.

While many public libraries collect data about their services and programs, what is often lacking are the data to support what good they are providing their communities, such as programs serving childhood literacy, digital and technological training, and workforce development. With Project Outcome, patron attendance and anecdotal success stories are no longer the only way libraries can demonstrate their effectiveness. Developed by library leaders, researchers, and data analysts, Project Outcome is designed to give libraries simple tools and supportive resources to help turn better data into better libraries.

Measuring outcomes helps libraries answer the question, “What good did we do?” An outcome is a specific benefit that results from a library service or program. Outcomes can be quantitative or qualitative, and are often expressed as changes that individuals perceive in themselves. Project Outcome helps libraries measure four key patron outcomes—knowledge, confidence, application, and awareness—in seven key library service areas:

• Civic/Community Engagement
• Digital Learning
• Economic Development
• Education/Lifelong Learning
• Early Childhood Literacy
• Job Skills
• Summer Reading

The Project Outcome toolkit provides libraries with FREE access to quick and simple patron surveys, an easy-to-use Survey Portal to collect their outcomes, ready-made reports and visually interactive Data Dashboards for analyzing the data, and various resources to help move libraries from implementing surveys to taking action using the results. Libraries are encouraged to use their data to support and promote future action – from allocating resources more efficiently, to advocating new resources more effectively, to providing support for future library funding, branch activity reports, and strategic planning.

Project Outcome provides three tools for libraries to measure their outcomes:

• Immediate Surveys: Measure patron-reported learning
• Follow-Up Surveys: Measure patron-reported adoption/application
• Outcome Measurement Guidelines: Measure long-term impact

http://www.ala.org/pla/initiatives/performancemeasurement

 

Urban Libraries Council

EDGE

ULC members are encouraged to participate in this groundbreaking tool that captures, strengthens, and conveys the power of the public technology libraries provide communities.

What is Edge?
Edge is a leadership and management tool which helps library leaders align the library’s technology services to the needs of the community and communicate the library’s value to community leaders. We believe that through Edge, library leaders can comprehensively assess their library’s current public technology services and connect its value to community priorities.

The Edge Initiative was developed by a coalition of leading library and local government organizations with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and led by the Urban Libraries Council. Edge is the professional tool that the field will continue to build and to use for many years to come.

http://www.urbanlibraries.org/edge-pages-56.php

RIPL

RIPL participants work in public libraries and ar:

• interested in getting started using data for savvy and strategic planning.
• looking for both inspiration and instruction in a hands-on, participatory environment.
• seeking to learn about outcomes and how to measure library impact.
• committed to leading their organizations in making data-based decisions.
• eager to develop a peer network to support research and evaluation efforts.