Using Data to Understand Your Community & Measure Impact

November 30, 2017 Online 01:00 PM
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CLICK HERE for the archived recording.

Summary

The Public Library Association (PLA) is partnering with the Research Institute for Public Libraries (RIPL) to present this webinar on using data to understand your community needs and measure impact. Community assessment is a formal process of identifying aspirations, challenges, and needs in a target population to make decisions, determine priorities, set objectives, and explore alternative approaches. The results of community assessment can aid in the planning and implementation of relevant library services. Learn how various data can inform library decisions and how PLA’s Project Outcome can help measure the impact your programs and services are having on those you serve. 

 

In this interactive webinar, participants will use a hypothetical case study to analyze data, identify community needs, prioritize outcomes, and measure impact. Participants are encouraged to share their own experiences and ask questions. 

 

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this webinar, participants will:

  • Be able to identify available sources of data about their community;
  • Be able to apply strategies for analyzing data to inform how the library can better serve its community;
  • Know how to align Project Outcome with community needs; and,
  • Understand how outcomes data help measure the impact of programs and services.  

 

Who Should Attend

This webinar is open to everyone. 

 

Launched in 2015 by the Colorado State Library and the Colorado Library Consortium, the Research Institute for Public Libraries is a singular event for public library leaders and others interested in public library data and evaluation. In this immersive, bootcamp-style event, participants learn practical, strategic methods of gathering, analyzing, and using data for planning, management, and communicating impact. To learn more, visit https://ripl.lrs.org/. 

 

Project Outcome is a free online toolkit designed to help public libraries understand and share the impact of their programs and services by providing simple, standardized surveys and an easy-to-use process for measuring and analyzing outcomes.