Technology Planning Summer Camp 2 Nebraska Library Commission August & September 2012

1. Edge Benchmarks
Christa Burns & Richard Miller
Technology Planning Summer Camp 2:
Don’t Just Survive, Thrive!

2. Key Benefits of Edge benchmarks
• Assess library’s public access technology
• Pinpoint areas for improvement or investment
• Increase understanding – how public access
technology supports community goals
• Generate data for support and fundraising

3. What is a Benchmark?
A standard by which something
can be measured or judged

4. What is Benchmarking?
To measure (a rival’s product)
according to specified standards in
order to compare it with and
improve one’s own product

5. Benchmarking
The process of comparing one’s business
processes and performance metrics to
industry bests or best practices from other
industries. In the process management
identifies the best firms in their industry
and compares the results and processes of
those “targets” to one’s own results and
processes.

6. In this way they learn how well
the targets perform and, more
importantly, the business
processes that explain why
these firms are successful.

7. What we know about Nebraskans:
• You don’t tend to take things at face value;
you want proof
• No amount of “spin doctoring” will convince
you that you should do something
• You like to avoid anything you perceive as
bureaucratic (unless, in the end, it is useful)
• You’re likely reserving your judgment about
the Edge initiative currently

8. Our goals for today:
• Persuade you to consider Edge a useful tool
• Get you to look at Edge website and see what
appeals to you
• Convince you – Edge is not an all-or-nothing
thing (and you’ve already met some of the
benchmarks!)

9. Technology in Small, Rural Libraries
Video of Crystal Schimpf,
trainer from Colorado State Library,
sharing her thoughts on being a part of the
Edge Initiative
http://vimeo.com/40882901

10. Points from Colorado BTOP Trainer:
• Providing technology in rural libraries is a
challenge
• Edge benchmarks set the bar high
• No need to tackle all benchmarks at once; choose
3 or 4 and accomplish them one at a time
• A step at a time adds up to progress

11. The Edge Coalition
• Led by a coalition of leading library/government
organizations:
o ALA Office for Information Technology Policy
o Public Library Association
o LYRASIS
o OCLC-WebJunction
o Urban Libraries Council
o Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
o International City/County Management Association
o TechSoup Global
o University of Washington
o University of Maryland
o California State Library
o Oklahoma Dept. of Libraries
o Texas State Library & Archives Commission

12. Structure of Edge Benchmarks
• 3 main categories that assess:
– Community value
– Engaging community and decision makers
– Organization management

13. Each Category contains:
Benchmarks
Indicators

14. Categories: Benchmarks & Indicators
• Community value – 6 benchmarks & 12
indicators
• Engaging the community & decision makers –
3 benchmarks & 4 indicators
• Organizational management – 5 benchmarks
& 13 indicators

15. What are Indicators?
Statements that allow a library to measure its
progress in achieving a benchmark
Example: under Organizational Management:
Benchmark 12: “Libraries have sufficient devices
and bandwidth to accommodate user demand”)
Indicator 12.1: “The library has a sufficient
number of device hours available on a per capita
basis.”

16. So why should I use the Edge
Benchmarks?
Because they can help me (and my board):
– improve service
– convince funders to reinvest in library
technology
– provide improved content to my customers
– address community needs and goals
– strengthen the position of the library in my
community

17. THE GOOD NEWS
is
As a BTOP library, you’ve already reached some of
the benchmarks (or you will soon):
• With community college training (Benchmark 1)
• With Department of Labor information
(Benchmark 3)

18. • With State Court Administrator’s Office
training and information (Benchmark 4)
• With NLM/McGoogan Library of Medicine
training and resources (Benchmark 6)
• With increased bandwidth from BTOP/E-rate
funding (Benchmark 12)
• With the ADA workstation (Benchmark 14)

19. So let’s revisit our goals for this
presentation:
• Persuade you to consider Edge a useful tool
• Get you to look at Edge website and see what
appeals to you
• Convince you – Edge is not an all-or-nothing
thing (and you’ve already met some of the
benchmarks!)
Have we accomplished these goals?

20. To find out more and to participate:
Web page: www.libraryedge.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LibraryEdge
Twitter: @LibraryEdge
E-mail: info@libraryedge.org

21. QUESTIONS?
Christa Burns – christa.burns@nebraska.gov
Richard Miller – richard.miller@nebraska.gov
Telephone: 800-307-2665