Surveying patrons with the Impact Survey A fast, easy way to gather feedback from the community about public technology needs Samantha Becker, MLIS, MPA University of Washington Information School (206) ImpactSurvey.org

What is the Impact Survey? A survey tool that helps libraries:  Gather information about how patrons use their technology services  Analyze collected data to inform internal planning and benchmarking  Present findings to key stakeholders to advocate for technology services

ImpactSurvey.org Why use Impact Survey?  No need to develop survey questions on your own. Impact Survey was developed by library researchers and has been repeatedly validated.  No need to program or pay for Survey Monkey. Impact Survey is ready for your use as soon as you sign up.  No staff time spent on analyzing results and formatting them into reports. Impact Survey provides all of your results in easy to read reports that can be immediately put to use internally and externally.

ImpactSurvey.org The survey asks about use and activities in core outcome areas Civic engagement eGovernment eBusiness Employment eCommerceHealth & wellnessEducationSocial inclusion

ImpactSurvey.org Simple setup to professional-looking reports in just a few steps 1. Create an account 2. Install the survey link on your website 3. Run the survey and invite the community to respond 4. Get results in customized reports the next day

The nuts and bolts of using Impact Survey

ImpactSurvey.org Registration Please use your organization’s official address. Addresses from gmail or other services will have to be verified by Impact Survey staff.

ImpactSurvey.org Registration Once you select your state, a drop down list of library systems will appear. If you do not find your library on this list, please contact us.

ImpactSurvey.org If you usually refer to your library by a name other than what is listed with the IMLS, you can change that here. You can also designate a short name for your library if you often refer to your library using an acronym or other short name.

ImpactSurvey.org New feature! You can designate a website for your patrons to be redirected to after they have completed the survey, like your library website or an incentive page where patrons can leave information for a drawing or to receive a prize.

ImpactSurvey.org My Impact dashboard Make changes to your library information and survey end page. Upload your library photo and logo for reports. Keep track of the steps to get ready to launch the survey.

ImpactSurvey.org Update library information If you have more recent data you can update it using the blank fields. The library data page contains the most recently available data about your library system from the IMLS. This data is included in some of your reports.

ImpactSurvey.org Update locations This section gives you the ability to change, add, or remove outlets from your system. If you have more than one outlet, the outlet selection page will appear for patrons when they click on your survey link.

ImpactSurvey.org Complete intake questionnaire The intake questionnaire contains questions about your library technology. This information will appear in some of your reports The information will also help us understand libraries that use Impact Survey so that we may develop new features and products to meet your needs.

ImpactSurvey.org Select fielding dates You can schedule your library to run the survey for 2-4 weeks. Smaller libraries will need more time to collect surveys. We can extend the survey period for up to 6 weeks on request.

ImpactSurvey.org Paper survey option Some patrons might feel more comfortable filling out the survey on paper. You can download the paper survey from the My Impact page. Paper responses need to be entered by the library. We have created a special portal to speed up the data entry. You have 7 days after the close of your survey to enter them into the system.

ImpactSurvey.org Get your links There are several different options for connecting your library to the survey. We recommend using more than one method to maximize your response rate. Each option comes with a bit of code to insert into your library website.

ImpactSurvey.org Lightbox

ImpactSurvey.org Lightbox The lightbox code will produce a screen overlay on your website. There is a cookie embedded so your patrons will only see the lightbox once.

ImpactSurvey.org Buttons and banners We recommend placing one of these buttons or banners on your library website where it will be continually visible.

ImpactSurvey.org Buttons and banners This code will place the banner in your website. It can be used with content management systems.

ImpactSurvey.org Buttons and banners You can also make your own button and then link to your unique URL for the survey.

ImpactSurvey.org Prepare for launch You should start planning 3-4 weeks before you launch the survey. This page has a timeline, helpful tips, and resources for maximizing your response rate.

ImpactSurvey.org During the survey fielding period You can monitor how many surveys have been submitted on your My Impact dashboard. If you are not satisfied with your response rate, you can extend your survey fielding period by returning to the fielding dates tab.

ImpactSurvey.org Reports are ready the next day Several different types of reports are available for different purposes. More are being added. You can also download a data file with your survey results if you would like to do additional analysis. The data file contains the branch selection for each respondent to make it easy to filter responses by branch.

ImpactSurvey.org Hints for a good response rate  Offer a drawing or prize to patrons who complete the survey  Extend computer session times  Set up a designated terminal for filling out the survey  Use or create a wireless splash page (captive portal) to take users to the survey  Place signs around the library where patrons use wifi and also near the computers  Send an to your patron list and include the link  Post a notice in your local paper and/or make a radio/public access television announcement  Post the link on your Facebook account and Tweet about it.  Send reminders

How do Impact Survey and Edge work together? Advancing communities through high quality and sustainable digital inclusion resources Advocacy Support Planning and resource allocation Community Needs Assessment - Create an action plan to deliver the right services -Measure the change in patron outcomes as a result -Find out how patrons are using technology resources and what they get out of them. -Gather information from the community about policy areas of strategic importance - Use advocacy tools to communicate the value of public access to the community and gain support. -Use executive tools to show city managers that the library is accountable for results

Using Impact Survey improves Edge score By using Impact Survey, libraries will earn at least 50 additional points on the Edge assessment It fulfills requirements for conducting needs assessments and patron surveys. Helps determine which patron goals and community priorities to support with targeted technology resources. The reports provide materials to use while building relationships with key stakeholders.

ImpactSurvey.org Questions? Thoughts?