NCompass Live - March 1, 2017 http://nlc.nebraska.gov/NCompassLive/ Are your patrons actually benefiting from the programs and services you provide? If so, how can you prove it? The Public Library Association's latest initiative, Project Outcome, is a FREE online toolkit, offering an innovative and easy-to-use platform for public libraries to measure the impact of their programs and services. Library staff are able to easily measure patron outcomes using the field-tested surveys, quickly analyze their data using ready-made reports and an interactive data dashboard, and take action using the results. This session demonstrates what Project Outcome measures, what is included in the online toolkit, and how libraries of all shapes and sizes can utilize Project Outcome to measure their impact and affect change within their community. Burnsville (WV) Public Library will highlight their experience using Project Outcome. Presenters: Beth Anderson, Director, Burnsville (WV) Public Library; Samantha Lopez, Project Coordinator, Public Library Association.

1. NCompass Live: Project Outcome
March 1, 2017

2. YOUR INDISPENSABLE ALLY
W W W. P L A . O R G
Public libraries create possibility. PLA is the indispensable
ally for the people who shape that possibility – the public
library leaders and staff who invite anyone in to learn,
do, and grow.

3. WHAT WE DO
• Membership
• Continuing Education
• Leadership Development
• PLA Conference
• Advocacy
• Tools, Resources, Publications
• Digital Literacy
• DigitalLearn.org
• Family Engagement
• Every Child Ready to Read
• Partnership w/ Harvard Family Research Project
• Performance Measurement
• Project Outcome

4. Today’s Speakers
Samantha Lopez
Project Coordinator
Public Library Association
Beth Anderson
Director
Burnsville (WV) Public Library

5. Agenda
 Why Measure Outcomes?
 Project Outcome Toolkit
 Take Action Using Results
 Small Library Perspective: Burnsville Public
Library
 Q&A

6. What is Project Outcome?
www.ProjectOutcome.org
It’s all FREE!

7. Why Measure Outcomes?
 Times have changed
 Intuition is not enough
 Attendance counts are not enough
 Anecdotes are not enough
Libraries need more data &
evidence to show their impact

8. Why Measure Outcomes?
Needs Assessment Patron Satisfaction
Outputs Outcomes

9. Why Measure Outcomes?
Needs Assessment Patron Satisfaction
Outputs Outcomes

10. What is an Outcome?
Specific benefit from a library program/service
Can be quantitative or qualitative
Expressed as changes that individuals perceive
Answers the question: What good did we do?

11. What is an Outcome?

12. What is an Outcome?

13. Why Measure Outcomes?

14. Why Project Outcome?
 You’ve been told you should measure outcomes
 You understand why they’re important
 You need to better tell your library’s story
 You need a more consistent way to measure
 Why reinvent the wheel?

15. Project Outcome Toolkit

16. Project Outcome Toolkit
 Quick & simple surveys
 Easy-to-use Survey Portal
 Ready-made data reports
 Visually interactive Data Dashboards
 Resources & training
It’s all FREE!

17. Task Force
 Task Force charged with development and testing
of patron-facing surveys
 Task Force is made up of a diverse group of public
libraries, state libraries, and researchers
throughout the country

18. Survey Topic Areas

19. Survey Questions
Outcomes:
 KNOWLEDGE
 CONFIDENCE
 BEHAVIOR CHANGE
 AWARENESS
+ What did patrons like most?
+ What can the library do to improve?

20. Survey Tools
Immediate
Survey
Patron-
Reported
Learning
Follow-Up
Survey
Patron-
Reported
Adoption
Outcome
Measurement
Guidelines
Long-Term
Impact

21. Immediate Survey
 Patron-Reported
Learning
 Open-Ended
Feedback
 Immediate Impact
 End of Program
 Less Staff Time

22. Using Immediate Survey Outcomes
 Assess immediate impact of
a program/service
 Inform program/service
changes
 Provide a “snapshot” for
advocacy and reporting

23. Follow-Up Survey
 Patron-Reported
Adoption
 Open-Ended Feedback
 Change of Behavior
 4-8 Weeks Later
 More Staff Time

24. Using Follow-Up Survey Outcomes
 Assess impact of a
program/service after some
period of time
 Inform internal planning
 Measure progress toward
strategic goals
 Provide evidence for
advocacy

25. Survey Outcomes
Immediate Follow-Up
I feel more confident about
the job search process…
I will use what I learned today
in the job search process…
I received an interview or
offer for a new job…
I used what I learned to
search for a job in new or
different way…

26. Outcome Measurement Guidelines
• Measuring long-term community
impact
• Data collection methods
determined by library and/or
external partner
• Outcome Measurement
Guidelines available in 2017

27. Project Outcome Website
www.ProjectOutcome.org

28. www.ProjectOutcome.org

29. www.ProjectOutcome.org

30. Survey Portal

31. Survey Reports

32. www.ProjectOutcome.org

33. Data Dashboard

34. Data Dashboard

35. Data Dashboard

36. Data Dashboard

37. Benefits of Project Outcome
 Short & simple surveys = higher response rates
 Capturing snapshot data
 Open-ended comments are goldmine
 At your own pace: pick & choose surveys based on
program, capacity, and learning objectives

38. Benefits of Project Outcome
 The ready-made reports & data dashboards do the
heavy lifting for you
 Standardization of outcome measures
 Aggregate, national score comparisons

39. Project Outcome Roadmap

40. Take Action
Using Results

41. Take Action Using Results
Program Improvements

42. Take Action Using Results
Strategic Planning

43. Take Action Using Results
Communication
Library Board
StaffPatrons
Community

44. Take Action Using Results
Partnership
 As part regional partnership to reduce poverty
 Begin school partnership discussions to stop the summer
slide
 Partnering with a community college to off better/more
advanced business development classes

45. Take Action Using Results
Grant Funding
 Summer Reading Dollar
General Grant
 Friends of the Library
grant for STEAM trunk
 LSTA reporting

46. Small Library Perspective:
Burnsville Public Library

47. Burnsville Public Library
Population of Service Area: 3,769
Annual Operating Expenditures: $33,365
Number of Libraries: 1
FTE Staff: 1.03

48. Burnsville Public Library

49. Surveys Collected
 Summer Reading Caregiver
 6/17 – 8/31
 2 surveys collected
 Summer Reading Teen/Child
 6/17 – 8/31
 3 surveys collected
 Digital Learning
 6/17 – 7/15
 4 surveys collected

50. Programs Measured
 Basic Computer Skills Class
 On Your Mark, Get Set, Read! 2016 Summer
Reading Program

51. Survey Results: Basic Computer Skills
“It would be great if they could continue to do classes during the year”
“Very helpful to me, because (I am wrong generation computerilliterate)”

52. Results: Summer Reading Caregiver
Of the respondents, 100% reported their child:
 maintained or increased their reading skills
 is a more confident reader
 reads more often
 uses the library more often
Offer homework help
Offer a peer to peer reading program

53. Results: Summer Reading Teen/Child
Of the children or teens respondents:
 67% learned something new from what they
read or experienced
 100% enjoy reading more
 67% read more often
 100% want to use the library more often
Read more books to us Have another pizza party
to invite other kids to
Do silly stuff

54. What Did We Learn?
 Our adult population is interested in programs
 Staff will try to fit more read aloud books into next
year’s program
 Due to the responses, staff is working to develop a
Homework Help/Tutoring program, as well as
other reading/STEM programs

55. What Can We Change?
 Staff needs to do a better job getting participants
to fill out the surveys
 Programs will be developed/tweaked as
surveys/results are submitted for ongoing
programs
 Need to take advantage of the computerized
surveys
 Use results to leverage additional funding

56. What’s Next?

57. Updates &
Announcements

58. Project Outcome in the Field
3,000+ registered users representing
1,500+ public libraries

59. Project Outcome in the Field
48,000+ patrons surveyed

60. Regional Training Workshop
Targeted to: library directors, managers, supervisors
or staff who will be responsible for managing or
overseeing Project Outcome
Includes:
 One full-day, in-person workshop
 Two 90-minute online meetings
 Expert trainer and workshop materials

61. Upcoming Webinar
FREE monthly webinars!
Money Smart, Measure Smarter: Boost Your Financial
Literacy Programs & Measure Their Impact
March 16, 1-2 PM Central
http://www.ala.org/pla/onlinelearning/webinars/projectoutco
memoneysmart

62. Free Preconference Workshop!
June 23rd
9 AM – 4 PM
http://www.ala.org/pla/education/alaannual/17projectoutcome

63. PLA @ ARSL
Association for Rural & Small
Libraries Conference
St. George, Utah
September 7, 2017

64. New Survey Portal Coming Soon!
 New portal launching May 1st
 More survey customization
 Ability to add up to 3 questions
 Easier survey management (edit, delete, archive)
 Custom report building

65. What’s Next
 Register for FREE at www.projectoutcome.org
 Review training resources
 Schedule a survey in the Survey Portal
 Analyze Data Dashboards
 Join the Facebook group
 Follow Project Outcome on Twitter
 Engage on Community of Practice
#ProjectOutcome

66. Community of Practice
www.projectoutcome.org

67. Questions?
Samantha Lopez
Project Coordinator
Public Library Association
Beth Anderson
Director
Burnsville (WV) Public Library

68. Thank you!