NCompass Live: Project Outcome
March 1, 2017
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.
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
Today’s Speakers
Samantha Lopez
Project Coordinator
Public Library Association
Beth Anderson
Director
Burnsville (WV) Public Library
Agenda
Why Measure Outcomes?
Project Outcome Toolkit
Take Action Using Results
Small Library Perspective: Burnsville Public
Library
Q&A
What is Project Outcome?
www.ProjectOutcome.org
It’s all FREE!
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
Why Measure Outcomes?
Needs Assessment Patron Satisfaction
Outputs Outcomes
Why Measure Outcomes?
Needs Assessment Patron Satisfaction
Outputs Outcomes
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?
What is an Outcome?
What is an Outcome?
Why Measure Outcomes?
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?
Project Outcome Toolkit
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!
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
Survey Topic Areas
Survey Questions
Outcomes:
KNOWLEDGE
CONFIDENCE
BEHAVIOR CHANGE
AWARENESS
+ What did patrons like most?
+ What can the library do to improve?
Survey Tools
Immediate Survey
Patron-Reported Learning
Follow-Up Survey
Patron-Reported Adoption
Outcome Measurement
Guidelines
Long-Term Impact
Immediate Survey
Patron-Reported Learning
Open-Ended Feedback
Immediate Impact
End of Program
Less Staff Time
Using Immediate Survey Outcomes
Assess immediate impact of
a program/service
Inform program/service
changes
Provide a “snapshot” for
advocacy and reporting
Follow-Up Survey
Patron-Reported
Adoption
Open-Ended Feedback
Change of Behavior
4-8 Weeks Later
More Staff Time
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
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…
Outcome Measurement Guidelines
• Measuring long-term community impact
• Data collection methods determined by library and/or external partner
• Outcome Measurement Guidelines available in 2017
Project Outcome Website
www.ProjectOutcome.org
www.ProjectOutcome.org
www.ProjectOutcome.org
Survey Portal
Survey Reports
www.ProjectOutcome.org
Data Dashboard
Data Dashboard
Data Dashboard
Data Dashboard
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
Benefits of Project Outcome
The ready-made reports & data dashboards do the
heavy lifting for you
Standardization of outcome measures
Aggregate, national score comparisons
Project Outcome Roadmap
Take Action
Using Results
Take Action Using Results
Program Improvements
Take Action Using Results
Strategic Planning
Take Action Using Results
Communication
Library Board
StaffPatrons
Community
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
Take Action Using Results
Grant Funding
Summer Reading Dollar
General Grant
Friends of the Library
grant for STEAM trunk
LSTA reporting
Small Library Perspective:
Burnsville Public Library
Burnsville Public Library
Population of Service Area: 3,769
Annual Operating Expenditures: $33,365
Number of Libraries: 1
FTE Staff: 1.03
Burnsville Public Library
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
Programs Measured
Basic Computer Skills Class
On Your Mark, Get Set, Read! 2016 Summer
Reading Program
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 computer illiterate)”
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
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
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
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
What’s Next?
Updates &
Announcements
Project Outcome in the Field
3,000+ registered users representing
1,500+ public libraries
Project Outcome in the Field
48,000+ patrons surveyed
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
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
Free Preconference Workshop!
June 23rd
9 AM – 4 PM
http://www.ala.org/pla/education/alaannual/17projectoutcome
PLA @ ARSL
Association for Rural & Small
Libraries Conference
St. George, Utah
September 7, 2017
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
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
Community of Practice
www.projectoutcome.org
Questions?
Samantha Lopez
Project Coordinator
Public Library Association
Beth Anderson
Director
Burnsville (WV) Public Library
Thank you!