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SRP: using data to tell your story & evaluate your program

SRP: using data to tell your story & evaluate your program. Joyce Chapman, Consultant for Communications & Data Analysis, State Library Webinar * May 24, 2013. Today’s agenda. Why data is important Using data to explain the value of SRP Using data to improve our programs.

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SRP: using data to tell your story & evaluate your program

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  1. SRP: using data to tell your story & evaluate your program Joyce Chapman, Consultant for Communications & Data Analysis, State Library Webinar * May 24, 2013

  2. Today’s agenda • Why data is important • Using data to explain the value of SRP • Using data to improve our programs

  3. Why data is important • External: Prove your value and tell your story • Internal: Improve your programs

  4. Why data is important Return on Investment Prove the value of services to funders

  5. Why data is important • We understand the value of our services • Nobody else does! • Data helps us clearly articulate and support our claims

  6. Why data is important • You must be able to explain the value of SRP • Proof of value = data, and the story your data can tell!

  7. Data requires context to be meaningful

  8. Data without context “43% of children in Robeson county live in poverty.” • Compared to what? • Is that typical or atypical?

  9. Data in context “43% of children in Robeson county live in poverty, compared to the N.C. average of 25% and national average of 23%. The rate of children living in poverty is 72% higher in Robeson county than in N.C. as a whole.”

  10. Data without context “North Carolina public libraries have an average of 1.93 librarians per 25,000 capita.” • So what?! • Is it high or low? • Is it related to any other meaningful data?

  11. Data in context “N.C. public libraries receive 19% less local funding than counterparts across the Southeastern U.S. Due to the lack of adequate funding, N.C. libraries have an average of 45% fewer librarians per capita than the regional average.”

  12. Use data to tell a story What is the data-driven argument in support of summer reading programs at libraries?

  13. Making the case in context for SRP

  14. Making the case in context for SRP

  15. Making the case in context for SRP

  16. Making the case in context for SRP • As % of U.S population: White (64%), Black (13%), Hispanic (17%)

  17. Making the case in context for SRP

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  20. Making the case in context for SRP

  21. Making the case in context for SRP

  22. Making the case in context for SRP

  23. Making the case in context for SRP

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  29. Making the case for summer reading • Children need early literacy skills to succeed in school • Certain children are at-risk for entering school not ready to learn • These children are often not enrolled in early education programs • Children living in poverty experience extensive summer learning loss compared to middle class students

  30. Making the case for summer reading

  31. 2012 Summer Reading Programs in NC • 178,774 children (8% of population 0-17) • 6,290,469 books circulated • 499,593 attendees at 15,104 SRP programs/events

  32. Sample argument Library summer reading programs deflect summer learning loss and are a vital low-barrier educational resource for children living in poverty. These programs must have sufficient funding.

  33. Add local context to your story • When you use data to prove the value of summer reading programs, you want to add local context too: • Find local child data: http://datacenter.kidscount.org/ • Also incorporate local data about your SRP www.statelibrarync.org/plstats

  34. Understand types of measure • Inputs • What we put in. How much money is going into SRP? How much staff time? • Outputs • Countable measures that we get out. How many programs and how many program attendees? How many participants? How many books circulated? • Outcomes • Change caused by SRP. Did participants avoid summer learning loss? Did their interest in reading increase? Did they learn early literacy skills?

  35. Local data about your SRP • What data do we collect about our summer reading programs? • What additional data could we collect about our programs that would help tell a compelling story about our value?

  36. What data could we collect about SRP? • Completion rates • Increasing pressure to count not only program registration in attendance but also completion rates. • Cost per participant • You already have the data to do this! Show how little money goes a long way. Your salary/hour spent planning + $$ for entertainers, snacks or materials. Divide by # participants. • Talk their talk • Align SRP programs with library’s mission/goals. Document learning objectives and learning focus areas for each program.

  37. What data could we collect about SRP? • Anecdotal stories showing value • Keep a collection of these. Get some good direct quotes if possible. Ask parents if they have time to write a response to a question at the end of the summer, ex. “how has SRP benefited your child this summer?” “How do you think SRP is valuable to our community?” • Survey data from parents or kids • If you can identify some parents who have come to events repeatedly during the summer, ask them to fill out a short paper survey about their child and SRP.

  38. Prove your value and tell your story • Improve your programs Let’s turn to #2…

  39. Use data to improve your programs “Programming is the backdoor into learning”

  40. Use data to improve your programs • Think strategically about program planning • Summer reading programming should have • Goals • Expected outcomes • Align with the library’s mission

  41. Use data to improve your programs • What kinds of questions can you ask yourself when planning a program? • What do Iwant to accomplish through this program? • What library goal/s does my program align with? • What specific areas or skill sets am I teaching children through this program? • What questions could I periodically ask participants or parents in order to get useful feedback for improving my programs in the future?

  42. Use data to improve your programs What are some questions you might ask parents on a survey to try and determine outcomes of Summer Reading Program or another program ?

  43. Sources used in presentation • Swan, D. 2012. “Hot Reports & Data Ferrett.” PPT presentation from IMLS State Data Coordinator conference. • Swan D. and C. Manjarros. 2012. “Children's Services at Public Libraries: A Port in the Storm.” MetroTrends. Available at: http://www.metrotrends.org/commentary/libraries-imls.cfm • Hoffman, Judy, John Carlo Bertot, and Denise M. Davis. Libraries Connect Communities: Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study 2011-2012. Digital supplement of American Libraries magazine, June 2012. Available at http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/4673a369 Thank you! Contact: Joyce Chapman Consultant for Communications & Data Analysis at the State Library of North Carolina Email: joyce.chapman@ncdcr.gov Phone:919-807-7421

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