Capturing meaningful data at the Reference Desk Michael Mitchell Reference & Instruction Librarian Bethel University

Learning from Reference/Instr. Data 3 necessary steps: 1. Gather the data 2. Make connections within and b/w data sets 3. Communicate findings in a way that is useful

Gathering Data: Challenges Reference/Instruction Data is not standardized Labor-intensive (requires consistent documentation) Delicate balance: How to get useful data without being burdensome to your staff

Bethel Univ. Library’s Solution: Electronic form at Reference Desk (LibAnalytics) Some basic req’d fields (patron type; contact method) Other info optional (What type of ?; what subject, etc.) Separate form for Instruction More detailed info (How many students; course #)

Make connections w/ the data

Make connections: Data analysis Start simple: descriptive statistics Average # of questions per month Frequency of question types Build up several semesters of data – look for trends. Are certain times of the year/semester always busiest? Are your total instruction sessions increasing? Declining? Can you identify a “normal” level of Ref / Instruction?

Make connections: Across data types These departments probably need instruction

Make connections: Across data types Plan for busy times

Communicate findings in a useful way

Communication: To your librarians How can this help Reference & Instruction staff? Know how to plan for busy times of the week/year Anticipate which questions come up the most Perfect for training new staff Target majors/courses for instruction outreach

Communication: Your community Link between Ref/Instruction and Institutional Goals Do you support GenEd or required courses? Are instruction-heavy courses assoc. w/ certain campus- wide “learning outcomes”? Use campus-wide language

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