Library Improvement Through Data Analytics - Softcover

Lesley S. J. Farmer; Alan M. Safer

Softcover

ISBN 10: 083891425X ISBN 13: 9780838914250

Publisher: ALA Neal-Schuman, 2016

Synopsis

Show me your data!

More than ever, funding agencies are looking for cost effectiveness. Sound data analytics is the foundation for making an evidence-based case for library programs, in addition to guiding myriad organizational decisions, from optimizing operations for efficiency to responding to community needs for customer satisfaction. Designed to be useful for novices as well as those with a background in data, this book introduces the basics of the Six Sigma framework as a model that can be applied to a variety of library settings. Helping readers make sense of data, this guide for system based, data-driven management covers such key topics as

• the basics of statistical concepts;
• recommended data sources for various library functions and processes, and guidance for using census, university, or chamber of commerce data in analysis;
• techniques for cleaning data;
• matching data to appropriate data analysis methods;
• how to make descriptive statistics more powerful by spotlighting relationships;
• 14 case studies which address such areas as digitization, e-book collection development, and reference; and
• staffing, facilities, and instruction.

This book's clear, concise coverage will enable readers of every experience level to gain a better understanding of statistics in order to facilitate library improvement.

About this title

About the Author

Dr. Lesley S. J. Farmer, professor at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), coordinates the Librarianship Program. She earned her MS in library science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and received her doctorate in adult education from Temple University. She has worked as a librarian in K 12 school settings, as well as in public, special, and academic libraries. She chairs the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions' School Libraries Section and is a Fulbright Scholar. Dr. Farmer received the American Library Association Beta Phi Mu Award for distinguished service and library education, as well as several other professional association awards, and national and international grants. Her research interests include information literacy, assessment, and educational technology, especially digital citizenship. A frequent presenter and writer for the profession, she has published over 30 professional books and more than a 100 professional book chapters and articles.

Dr. Alan M. Safer is a professor at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. He received his PhD in Statistics from the University of Wyoming and his MS in Marketing Research from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. He first came to CSULB as an assistant professor in 2000 and has been a full professor since 2010. Early in his career at the university, he created a MS degree in Applied Statistics and later a professional accelerated MS degree in Applied Statistics for industry students from companies such as Boeing, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman. He served as the graduate advisor for 7 years, and in 2009 was awarded university advisor of the year at CSULB. His research has been very interdisciplinary; he has over 25 publications in diverse statistical areas such as finance, library science, marketing, health science, linguistics, and forensics. His primary statistical research focus is data mining and quality control. In 2012, he was appointed coordinator of a national conference on quality control sponsored by the American Statistical Association. In the last few years, he helped create the Orange County/Long Beach chapter of the American Statistical Association and served as its vice president.

Reviews

On a list of priorities for library professionals, communicating the importance of value is at the top. Funding agencies and academic institutions have become increasingly concerned with return on investment, and library administrators must make the case for continued support. Libraries can best achieve this through evidence-based decisions that are rooted in sound data. Farmer (educational technology & media leadership) and Safer (mathematics & statistics, both California State Univ. Long Beach) bring a wealth of professional knowledge to their subject by focusing on collecting quantitative data, supporting their findings with meticulously explained steps to success. The book begins with the ins and outs of developing a Six Sigma (data-driven planning model) approach to data analytics. Included is a primer on statistics, which is straightforward and easily understood by those not mathematically inclined. The final section offers a series of case studies on topics such as benchmarking library standards, ebook collections, and reference staffing patterns. VERDICT Ideal for library administrators, assessment librarians, and those who are charged with communicating the library's significance. The short length and accessible language lends itself to readers with busy schedules.

Edition details

• Publisher: ALA Neal-Schuman
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 083891425X
• ISBN 13: 9780838914250
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 184