1. DEFINING NEW METRICS FOR
LIBRARY SUCCESS
PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER!
CARL THOMPSON
COUNTING OPINIONS (SQUIRE) LTD

2. PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER!
"GREAT SYMPOSIUM .... 'NOW WHAT'?“
WHY SHOULD WE DO THIS?

3. MEASURES
EFFORT
• INPUTS – STAFF, EQUIPMENT, RESOURCES
• PROCESS/ACTIVITY – TRANSFORMING INPUTS INTO OUTPUTS, ACQUISITIONS, SPEED
AND RELIABILITY OF SERVICE DELIVERY – TYPICALLY THE KEY RATIOS MEASURING
EFFICIENCIES
• OUTPUTS – QUANTITY/UNITS OF SERVICE PROVIDED
EFFECT
• OUTCOMES – MEASURES OF IMPROVEMENT(S) TO CONSUMERS LIVES

4. Results courtesy of ACRLMetrics

5. Results courtesy of ACRLMetrics

6. Results courtesy of PLAmetrics
PLDS SURVEY RESULTS
CONTINUOUS LIBRARY RESPONDER GROUP
COMPARING FY2011 TO FY2012, ON AVERAGE PER $1000 SPENT:
1.63% FEWER VISITS
1.41% FEWER CIRCULATIONS
6.25% FEWER REFERENCE TRANSACTIONS
22.63% FEWER IN-LIBRARY USES
4.36% MORE REGISTERED BORROWERS
3.36% MORE PROGRAM ATTENDANCE

7. PURPOSE
IMPROVING THE LIVES OF THOSE YOU SERVE

8. THE SHIFT TO OUTCOMES-BASED THINKING
OUTCOMES-BASED APPROACHES TO PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY
AN APPROACH USED BY THE ORGANISATION
--OR--
PRESCRIBED BY AGREEMENT WITH FUNDING PARTNERS & OTHER STAKEHOLDERS

9. OUTCOMES BASED EVALUATION
EVIDENCE-BASED MANAGEMENT
IMLS HAS RESPONDED TO YOUR NEED TO KNOW WHAT DIFFERENCE
OUR SERVICES MAKE BY DEVELOPING A MODEL OF OUTCOMES-
BASED PLANNING AND EVALUATION AS ONE FOUNDATION OF OUR
GRANT MAKING.
SUSAN HILDRETH
DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES

10. ACADEMIC LIBRARIES AND OUTCOMES
OUTCOMES … THE WAYS IN WHICH LIBRARY USERS ARE CHANGED AS A RESULT OF THEIR CONTACT WITH
THE LIBRARY'S RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS. OUTCOMES THAT ALIGN CLOSELY TO THE MISSIONS OF
LIBRARIES AND THE INSTITUTIONS THEY SERVE. THE IMPORTANT OUTCOMES OF AN ACADEMIC LIBRARY
PROGRAM INVOLVE THE ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS LIKE THESE:
• IS THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IMPROVED THROUGH THEIR CONTACT WITH THE LIBRARY?
• BY USING THE LIBRARY, DO STUDENTS IMPROVE THEIR CHANCES OF HAVING A SUCCESSFUL CAREER?
• ARE UNDERGRADUATES WHO USED THE LIBRARY MORE LIKELY TO SUCCEED IN GRADUATE SCHOOL?
• DOES THE LIBRARY'S BIBLIOGRAPHIC INSTRUCTION PROGRAM RESULT IN A HIGH LEVEL OF "INFORMATION
LITERACY" AMONG STUDENTS?
• AS A RESULT OF COLLABORATION WITH THE LIBRARY'S STAFF, ARE FACULTY MEMBERS MORE LIKELY TO VIEW USE OF
THE LIBRARY AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THEIR COURSES?
• ARE STUDENTS WHO USE THE LIBRARY MORE LIKELY TO LEAD FULLER AND MORE SATISFYING LIVES?

11. CALIFORNIA'S STATEWIDE
SUMMER READING OUTCOMES
• DESIGNED TO CAPTURE AND HELP LIBRARIES DEMONSTRATE THE VALUE, THE
POTENTIAL, AND THE IMPACT OF CALIFORNIA'S SUMMER READING PROGRAMS.
• OUTCOME ONE: CHILDREN [TEENS/ADULTS/FAMILIES] BELONG TO A
COMMUNITY OF READERS AND LIBRARY USERS
• OUTCOME TWO: UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN
THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM

12. CALIFORNIA SUMMER READING OUTCOMES PROJECT
1. HOW MANY PEOPLE IN YOUR FAMILY PARTICIPATED IN THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM? ______
2. IS THIS YOUR FIRST YEAR TAKING PART IN THE LIBRARY’S SUMMER READING PROGRAM AS A FAMILY?
O YES O NO, WE HAVE TAKEN PART AS A FAMILY BEFORE
3. DO YOU TALK ABOUT THE BOOKS YOU READ?
O YES O NO O DON’T KNOW
4. DID YOU ENJOY THE LIBRARY’S SUMMER READING PROGRAM?
O YES O NO O DON’T KNOW
4A. WHY? / WHY NOT? ______________________________________________________
5. WILL YOU COME BACK TO THE LIBRARY AFTER THE SUMMER?
O YES O NO O DON’T KNOW
5A. WHY? / WHY NOT? ______________________________________________________
6. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO TELL US?

13. PERFORMANCE MEASURES CONTINUUM
Inputs Processes Outputs
Outcomes Impacts

14. FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE USER
• PERSONAL OUTCOMES
• EXPECTATIONS (EXPECT)
• ASPIRATIONS (HOPE)
• MOTIVATIONS (REASON(S))
• LIBRARY VIEW
• PRESCRIPTIVE / ASPIRATIONAL
• COMPARE TO OURSELVES, TO OTHERS, TO STANDARDS

15. TO INFORM
• PEOPLE, PROCESSES, STAKEHOLDERS
• DECISION MAKERS
• CUSTOMERS AND SERVICE DELIVERY PARTNERS
• PRIORITIES, PLANNING
• GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
• CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

16. SELF ASSESSMENT
1) LIST WAYS YOU DO/CAN IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THOSE YOU SERVE?
2) WHAT ARE SOME OUTCOMES YOU CAN/SHOULD MEASURE?
3) WHAT IMPACTS ARE YOU ULTIMATELY TRYING TO ACHIEVE?
4) WHAT MESSAGES WILL ENHANCE ADVOCACY / CONTINUOUS
IMPROVEMENT?

17. OUTCOMES IMPROVE HOW USERS?
Users
Live
Work
Learn
Play Changes
Affective
Behavioural
Knowledge-
based
Competency-
Based

18. QUANTIFYING OUTCOMES
• BASELINE/CONTEXTUAL (STARTING POINT)
• THE RIGHT SET OF MEASURES (E.G., PRE-ASSESSMENT/POST-ASSESSMENT)
• IMMEDIATE RESULTS (FEELINGS/PERCEPTIONS)
• USER ACTIONS TAKEN + RESULTS
• CORRELATION TO SERVICES PROVIDED
• OTHER FACTORS/INFLUENCES (TEMPERED BY)

19. POTENTIAL CHALLENGES
• AMBIGUITY
• INTERPRETATION
• ATTRIBUTION
• RELIABILITY / CONSISTENCY
• COMMITMENT

20. ACTION PLAN
ARE USERS ARE BETTER OFF? FIND WAYS TO MEASURE THIS.
CONTINUE TO GATHER EFFORT DATA (INPUTS, PROCESS AND
OUTPUTS)
FOCUS ON MEASURES THAT SUPPORT ADVOCACY AND
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.
MAKE SURE OTHERS IN YOUR ORGANIZATION UNDERSTAND AND
EMBRACE OBE IN EVERY ASPECT OF WHAT THEY DO.