In the United States, there are a number of national surveys of public libraries and their patrons. While all of these efforts help us tell a data-based story of public libraries, they differ in terms of their samples, what types of data they collect, and how their data are collected, stored, and accessed. During the first webinar in this three-part series, we scanned the landscape of major public library surveys and considered how library data could be used more productively in the future. In this second webinar, we will drill deeper into the concepts of sampling, data types, and data management, and how they impact what we know about public libraries and their patrons. At the end of this webinar, participants will have a greater understanding of various sampling methods, recognize the differences between inputs, outputs, and outcomes, and be aware of the data management practices for various national public library surveys.

This webinar is the second in a three-part series about the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ and the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies’ Measures that Matter initiative, a field-wide discussion of the current state of public library data.

Presented by: Rebecca Teasdale, Senior Evaluation and Research Associate, Garibay Group; John Bertot, Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs and Professor, College of Information Studies at the University of Maryland; Linda Hofschire, Director, Library Research Service, Colorado State Library

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Related Resources and Links

• Resources on sampling methods:
  • Understanding random sampling, a video from Pew Research Center
  • Sampling: Design and Analysis, a book by Sharon Lohr
• Resources on data types:
  • Inputs, Outputs, and Outcomes – Oh My!, by Karen Pundsack, Public Libraries
  • Count Your Impact: Getting Started with Outcome-Based Evaluation, a Colorado State Library webinar with Linda Hofschire
• Resource on data management: 
  • Research Data Lifecycle, from UK Data Archive
• Current national data collection efforts:
  • Public Libraries Survey (PLS)
  • Edge
  • Project Outcome
  • Impact Survey