Blowing Up The PLDS: Measuring Impact
Saturday, April 9, 2016, 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
Colorado Convention Center, Room 601/603/605/607
We all know that our traditional statistics – visits, circulation, reference questions – no longer paint the full picture of the important work of public libraries. But what can we replace these familiar numbers with? In this interactive panel, library leaders will share their work on this topic, ranging from the PLA Performance Measurement Task Force to Calgary Public Library’s measurement of social impact, and lead audience members in developing their own measure to bring home.
At the end of this session, participants will:
1: Know more about the work of the PLA Performance Measurement Task Force.
2: Understand the concept of measuring outcomes/impact and develop a measure to try.
3: Have concrete examples of how your colleagues are measuring impact, rather than counting activities.
The session organizer(s) identified this session as appropriate for:
Level 2: People with some knowledge, who want to increase their understanding.
This session will have: Medium interaction: single speaker/panel with questions or audience participation throughout
Handouts: Download 1 Download 2
Track: Plan
Tags: Administration/Management, Assessment and Evaluation, Research and Statistics, Transforming Libraries, Trends and Forecasting
Presenters
Katina Jones, Statistical Research Analyst
Mid-Continent Public Library, Independence, MO
Katina Jones is the Statistical Research Analyst at Mid-Continent Public Library. She pours over statistics and demographics from the Library's 35 locations to support their data-driven decision making. Prior to MCPL, she was the State Data Coordinator at the Missouri State Library, working with the IMLS and Census Bureau to collect and distribute statistics for the state. Ms. Jones received her bachelor's degree in Applied Psychology and Social Science from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Brian Auger, County Library Administrator
Somerset County Library System of New Jersey, Bridgewater, NJ
Degrees in theology and library science did not prepare me for today's libraries, but 33 years in Maryland and New Jersey public libraries have. What has changed in libraries in 33 years? Pretty much everything. So like Wayne Gretzky, I try skating to where the puck is, rather than where it's been. I skate as Director of New Jersey's Somerset County Library System.
Mark Asberg, Director of Service Delivery
Calgary Public Library, Calgary, AB
Before his appointment as Director, Service Delivery at Calgary Public Library, Mark held a number of leadership roles in regional library systems in Western Canada, including Alberta Law Libraries, Canada Revenue Agency's Knowledge and Research Program, and Alberta Health Services' Knowledge Resource Service. Mark's work over the past decade has focused on the transformation of service models and operations to meet emerging needs in increasingly dynamic and complex information and knowledge environments.
Lynn Hoffman, Director of Operations
Somerset County Library System of New Jersey, Bridgewater, NJ
Lynn Hoffman has worn a wide variety of hats throughout her public library career, including Children's Librarian, Branch Manager, Training Manager, and "Special Projects" Librarian. She has built on that experience and found her niche in administration, focusing on organizational development, customer service, and implementing big ideas on the front lines as the assistant director at large public libraries in Wisconsin and Illinois.