Informing the Community Using Data Purposefully

Abstract

Public libraries are great at collecting data, but struggle with using it in meaningful ways. Presenting charts of numbers fails to engage community members in your library's successes. The Fox River Valley Public Library District streamlined statistical reporting to ensure the data were meaningful, and used online, interactive graphs highlighting a few key metrics and financial reports. To provide perspective, statewide data reporting was utilized to benchmark performance against libraries of similar size and location. Then these data were used to create an interactive platform to spark community discussions, soliciting feedback to help steer the Library's future direction. The result of one such platform led to the Library going fine-free, enabling economically disadvantaged patrons to once again check out items – especially younger patrons whose cards had been blocked due to parental use and late fees. Another charted the course for a future referendum question and building construction project, explaining how the district serves 70,000 which marks it one of the largest in the state; however, the small physical space prevents offering the whole range of products and services available in larger buildings and marks the district one of the smallest libraries in square feet per capita. The impact is more funding opportunities as well as positive feelings about the library's value demonstrated in improvements in community reactions via social media.

Citation

Rosenthal, L. and Zabski, H. (2022), "Informing the Community Using Data Purposefully", Crowe, K.M. and Hélouvry, J. (Ed.) Building Community Engagement and Outreach in Libraries (Advances in Library Administration and Organization, Vol. 43), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 71-85. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0732-067120220000043004