Case study: Raising awareness of data analytics in Pottsboro, TX
This case study was developed by the Data for Good project team to share the range of activities and approaches taken by libraries that implemented a Data for Good program.
About the community and the library
Pottsboro, a rural community of just over 2,500 residents in north Texas, is part of an area of the state referred to as “Silicon Prairie.” Sherman, Texas, about 30 miles from Pottsboro is home to a new microchip factory which is expected to have an impact on the size and demographics of rural Pottsboro. As the community grows and changes, the public library has fostered programs and services that center the community and highlight the role of the library in ensuring that Pottsboro thrives. For example, the Pottsboro Library is known for its telehealth and advocacy initiatives centered on reaching marginalized community members. Pottsboro took a multi-faceted approach to the Data for Good (D4G) initiative that included working with the town’s utilities department and training teens on data analytics. The Pottsboro D4G initiative also led to training, offered by Pottsboro library staff, for library workers in libraries in both Texas and Oklahoma.
Taking an opportunity
Staff at the Pottsboro Library knew that D4G provided them with an opportunity to connect with town departments in a way that had never been done before. Library staff volunteered to analyze town water meter data. This analysis was in response to a concern about water usage reports.
The library’s relationships with town departments made this initiative possible. Through those relationships library staff were able to identify the data need. Staff were given access to a 341-page document that detailed water usage residence by residence. The information was in a format not easily analyzed which required cleaning the data and then putting it into a format that would make it possible for the water department to analyze water use across the community.
Giving teens an opportunity
With the data available, Pottsboro library staff worked with a group of teens to clean the data, analyze the data, and create data visualizations. The teens were part of a summer library program where they learned about Excel and Tableau and how to analyze data. As teens developed their skills, they were able to bring that learning to the large data set provided by the Water Department. Along with data analytics skills, teens also had the chance to learn job-seeking skills such as resume writing and interviewing etiquette. Library staff provided the data analytics training, and a local office of Workforce Solutions provided the employment-related workshops.
What did the teens and the Water Department learn?
Analysis of the water department’s data revealed an unfortunate reality: the department lost almost a million dollars in revenue in the three preceding years. This finding was made clear through visualizations created for the town at the end of the project. Encouraged by this learning, the Pottsboro town manager is looking forward to more projects with the library.
Launching D4G with your community
As you think about bringing D4G to your library, you might consider:
Community opportunities:
- Who do you have relationships with in the community and what data might they be interested in analyzing in order to gain insights into their work?
- What decision-making organizations or government agencies have data that if analyzed could help the community thrive?
- How might the library demonstrate to community members, vested partners, and agencies the value of data analytics in planning and decision-making?
Building data analytics skills:
- What do I need to learn in order to work with community members on data analytics?
- Who else in the community or local area might have data analytics skills that they can bring to D4G activities - as a trainer or co-facilitator?
- Is it possible to use the data analytics project as an opportunity to help others in the community gain skills and knowledge - teens and/or adults?
Learn more
Additional Data for Good case studies from the Providence Public Library (RI) and DeKalb County Public Library (GA) are also available.
Project curriculum
The Data for Good curriculum is available for anyone to replicate and adapt into a training program in their community. The curriculum is a set of project-based lessons that guide adult or teen learners in achieving the skills they need to analyze data. There are 14 lessons, each with a lesson plan packet, slide decks, and activities for learners.
The curriculum is published under a Creative Commons license for anyone to reuse and repurpose.