Data gathering and responding to surveys are part of every public librarian's routine. Yet we rarely pause to reflect on these efforts and consider what data matters most. What measures best demonstrate the role, value, and impact of public libraries in the 21^st century? How can the various surveys and tools commonly used by public libraries be leveraged with each other and other data sources to best demonstrate that impact? The Institute of Museum and Library Services in cooperation with the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies is launching the "Measures that Matter" initiative, a field-wide discussion of the current state of public library data. The initiative will first take stock of the current landscape and then re-envision how data could be collected, stored, used and disseminated more productively in the future. In this webinar, the first in a 3-part series, we’ll discuss the view that emerged from looking at a number of major library surveys and data collection tools, and consider opportunities to pursue a national action plan to move the field toward ever-more meaningful measures.

Presented by: Stacey Aldrich, State Librarian, Hawaii State Public Library System; Vailey Oehlke, Director of Libraries, Multnomah County Library (OR); and Linda Hofschire, Director, Library Research Service, Colorado State Library.

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Related Resources and Links

• National data collection efforts:
  • Public Libraries Survey (PLS)
  • Edge
  • Project Outcome
  • Impact Survey