Geelong Library Statistics Project2010-2011

Alan Howell: Business Analyst

1 August 2011

GRLCAcknowledgementsStatistics in librariesData challenges at GRLCDriversOutputsStatusKey findingsReferences

Contents

Autonomous body created 1997: 4 member councils

Borough of Queenscliffe

City of Greater Geelong

Golden Plains Shire

Surf Coast Shire

5,512 km2, 5 zones, 13 branches (4 more soon) and 3 mobiles

1,271,716 visits (up 13%)

2,483,015 loans (up 8%)

95,101 members (up 3%)?

GRLC

Terry Aquino, Hume City Council

Tom Edwards, Wyndham City Council

Les Firth, Yarra Plenty Regional Library Corporation

Margaret Pembroke, Southern Cross University

Briengan Rogers, Corangamite Regional Library Corporation

Sara Wisnia, Moonee Valley City Council

Staff at GRLC

Acknowledgements

Statistical data are indispensable for the internal management of libraries, but they can do more. When presented to policy makers, funding institutions or the general public, they will influence the strategic planning, and they can create and maintain confidence in libraries.

Library statistics can reveal a wealth of material, of hidden success stories where libraries have opened and ensured access to relevant information for all groups of the population.

IFLA Library Statistics Manifesto, 2008

Statistics in libraries

Current system very good at recording activity but …

Centralised, cumbersome and inflexible

Not designed to inform decision-making about key business questions

Lacks targets and ‘what-if’ tools

Lacks evidential audit trail

Only partly aligned with the organisation’s reporting and compliance requirements

Only partly aligned with ISO 2789:2006, International Library Statistics and ISO 11620:2008, Library Performance Indicators

Data challenges at GRLC

What statistics are needed to effectively and efficiently meet the organisation’s reporting and compliance requirements?

What statistics and tools are needed by the executive to inform decision-making about services, resources, staffing and buildings?

What statistics and tools are needed by the zone and library leaders so that they can effectively manage day-to-day services?

How can these statistics be easily collected, analysed, presented, preserved and meet evidential requirements in a timely manner?

Drivers

Audit and map of the existing system

Core set of data elements and performance indicators produced to documented and auditable standards (ISO 2789 and ISO 11620)

Best practice in library statistics

Tools to facilitate ‘what-if’ scenario planningAnnual statistical calendar

‘Business rules’ (what, how, when, who) for each main activity/service

Online tool to automate capture from ILMS

Staff training

Outputs

Status

Audit existing system Completed

Core data set Started

Best practice Informed by visits

Tools Informed by visits

Annual stats calendar

Started

Automated data capture from ILMS

Membership ‘in testing’

Business rules Started

Staff training Not yet started

2 monthly reports

c.35 ‘data streams’ (see diagram)

Horizon ad hoc reports used for ILMS

Multiple Excel workbooks

Working versions on H drive

‘Feed-in’ sheet (Excel worksheet) for each branch on T drive

c.85 staff input data

Coordinated by one p/t member of staff

Existing system

New system data architecture

Data sources

•ILMS•Branches•Activities and services (from business ‘owners’)

Statistics reports +

tools

Normalised data tables

Data repositoryOptimised for data input (contextural help, ‘form-like’ layout, no scrolling, tabs OK, consistent design + colour-coding, extensive data validation, locked and protected cells)

Future analysis / data mining

Optimised for data management (complies with metadata standard, separate tables for each discrete semantic concept, checksums, follows ANDS guidelines)

Optimised for data understanding (patterns, trends, co-relationships, and exceptions) eg Stephen Few’s work

Standards driven (eg ISO, data, Excel)

based on ‘business rules (4ws)

automated (wherever possible)

routinised and contemporaneous

contexturalised (context + change)

visualised

about data and behavioural change

adding value

auditable to documented processes

Key findings - library statisticsneed to be:

• Australian National Data Service (ANDS) http://www.ands.org.au/

• Perceptual Edge (Stephen Few) http://www.perceptualedge.com/

• IFLA 2008, IFLA library statistics manifesto, IFLA, Paris. http://tinyurl.com/3sv32hy

References 1

• International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 2006, ISO 2789:2006 Information and documentation - International library statistics. http://tinyurl.com/45x2kpt

• International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 2008, ISO 11620:2008 Information and documentation - library performance indicators. http://tinyurl.com/3kfuoqv

References 2

Geelong Library Statistics Project2010-2011

Alan Howell: Business Analyst

1 August 2011