This presentation discusses changing stakeholder perceptions about library value by moving beyond traditional metrics like circulation and attendance to more meaningful metrics. It notes the unintended consequences that traditional metrics can have, like libraries focusing on metrics over services or stakeholders making decisions based on metrics alone. The presentation recommends identifying metrics specific to each community's needs and conditions, and engaging stakeholders at all levels in selecting and understanding the purpose of metrics to reflect the library's true social impact and value to the community. It emphasizes the importance of meaningful metrics over economic metrics alone and adapting measurement gradually with stakeholder input.

1. Changing Stakeholder
Perceptions About Library Value
Presented by
Bill Irwin, PhD
Assistant Professor, Huron University
&
Kimberly Silk, MLS
Sr. Planning & Development Officer, Hamilton Public Library
OLA Super Conference 2019

2. Today’s Presentation
• Introductions
• Your Current State of Practice
• Metrics and the Monster We’ve Created
• The Unintended Consequences of Evaluation
• The Importance of Meaningful Metrics
• The Critical Role of Stakeholder Engagement
• Q & A

3. Introductions
Evaluation in your workplace:
the good, the bad and the ugly

4. Why Measure?
• To inform the strategic plan
• To see changes over time
• To inform our practice
• To demonstrate value
– Quantitative à Financial
– Qualitative à Social, Educational, Cultural

5. What Libraries Are Measuring Now
The Usual Suspects
• Circulation
• Membership
• Program Attendance
These metrics are still required for
reporting to
municipal/state/institutional
funders.
New Measures
• Economic Impact
– Value per Open Hour
– Value per Cardholder
– Value per Citizen
• Social Impact
– Student Experience
– Job Skills
– Early Childhood Literacy
– Civic Engagement
– Digital Learning
– Economic Development
– Lifelong Learning
– Summer Reading

6. The Monster We Created
• We deliver “traditional” metrics to
stakeholders:
– Membership, Circulation, Program Attendance
• These metrics lack context (chasing the metrics)
• These metrics do not reflect the evolution of
library success

7. ROI is Not the Whole Story
• ROI studies only look at proxies of economic
value
• Not all proxies are appropriate for all
communities
• Yes, we punch above our weight: So What?
• Social Impact is our real value, and where we
need to put our efforts

8. Unintended Consequences
• Working to the indicators
– When the metrics become more important than the
service
• Gaming
• Stakeholders and policy makers make decisions
based on metrics, not service realities

9. Identifying Meaningful Metrics
• The metrics your library chooses is dependent
upon the conditions in your community:
– Homelessness
– Unemployment
– Indigenous Communities
– New citizens
– Seniors
– Young Families
• Keep it simple, start slowly; don’t take on too much

10. Engaging Stakeholders
• Include stakeholders at every level of the
organization:
– Staff; Directors; Sr. Administrators; Community
• Engage your stakeholders as the library moves
towards meaningful metrics
– Data informs everyone’s practice, not just those at the
top
• Understand stakeholder motivations and what they
value
• Change is hard -- take it slowly
• Patience

11. Q & A
Your turn:

12. Thank you for Listening
Bill Irwin - birwin6@uwo.ca
Kimberly Silk – ksilk@hpl.ca