1. Quick and Dirty Data: Ten Tips to Make Your Library Data Useful
Alison Clarke
Performance Measures & Data Librarian
Brampton Library
OLA Superconference, February 1, 2019

2. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Quick and Dirty Data
Start from the end
Process not perfection
Keep it simple
Don’t get dirty
Learn to love the pivot
Be consistent
V - Look up!
Connect with your strat plan
Make it pretty and tell a story
Think long term
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

3. Start from the End Tip #1 Count 20 Programs 20 early literacy programs
Category
20 early literacy programs:
10 in the morning
10 in the afternoon
Time of Day
20 early literacy programs:
80% of morning programs exceeded target attendance
100% of afternoon programs exceeded target attendance
Return on Investment
20 early literacy programs:
80% of morning programs exceeded target attendance
100% of afternoon programs exceeded target attendance
Customers learned how to sing a new song to their children,
and play a game that helped children develop their fine motor skills.
Outcomes
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

4. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Start from the End
Tip #1
We asked our customers how they felt about the library:
Lots of text lots of text lots of text lots of text lots of text lots of text lots of text and a few Lots of text lots of text lots of text lots of text lots of text lots of text lots of text and a few Lots of text lots of text lots of text lots of text lots of text lots of text lots of text and a few
2 Million
Books Borrowed
What kinds of reports or graphics does your organization produce?
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

5. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Start from the End
Tip #1
Program data collection goals:
Quick and easy easy to enter new data, and easy to analyze
Flexible meet the needs of a variety of stakeholders
Long term use consistent process for the future
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

6. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Tip #2
Process, not perfection
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

7. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Tip #3
Keep it simple
Data Collection Goals:
Collect it once
Keep it in a spreadsheet
How can you collect the data to meet these goals?
Enter directly into a spreadsheet
Online forms: google, office, Survey Monkey etc.
Who will collect the data?
Our staff enter the data into a google form after the program ends
Templates are tricky
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

8. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Tip #3
Keep it simple
We ask for 9 pieces of information:
Was the program held In Branch or Offsite
Where (branch or offsite location)
Program title
When (date/time)
How many people attended the program
Did you use a STEM kit? If yes, which one
How many volunteers did you use, if any
Anything else we need to know about this program experience
Everything else gets added into the spreadsheet through formulas
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

9. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Tip #4
Don’t get dirty
Before
After
En francais s'il vous plait
En Fraçais Sîl Vous Plaît
En Fraçaise Sîl Vous Plaît
En Français Sil Vous Plaît
En Francais, S'il Vous Plait
En Francais, S'il vous Plait!
En Française Sîl Vous Plaît
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

10. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Tip #4
Don’t get dirty
Other:
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

11. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Learn to love the pivot
Tip #5
6423 rows x 36 columns =
231,228 cells
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

12. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Learn to love the pivot
Tip #5
20 minutes invested learning pivot tables prevents HOURS of headache later
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

13. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Learn to love the pivot
Tip #5
ROWS
VALUES
Google Sheets Version
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

14. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Tip #5
Learn to love the pivot
ROWS
VALUES
Excel Version
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

15. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Be Consistent
Tip #6
Establish naming conventions for special events to make analysis quick and easy afterward
Decide on program categories when the program is created, and add the information to a Master List
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

16. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Connect with your Strategic Plan
Tip #6
Strategic
Plan
Master List
Branch
Reports
(Monthly)
Board Reports
(Quarterly)
Ministry/CULC
(Yearly)
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

17. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
V – Look Up!
Tip #8
Program Name
Category
Family Storytime
Early Literacy
Computer Basics
Digital Literacy
Program Name
Category
Family Storytime
Computer Basics
Early Literacy
Master List
Live Program Form Responses
VLOOKUP
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

18. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Make it pretty and tell a story
Tip #9
First pass
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

19. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Make it pretty and tell a story
Tip #9
Dashboards:
Who’s your audience?
What do they want to know?
What do you want them to know?
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

20. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Make it pretty and tell a story
Tip #9
Second pass
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

21. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Make it pretty and tell a story
Tip #9
Final Version
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

22. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Think long term
Tip #10
Things to think about:
Your next iteration
What happens if your organization changes platforms?
What if you move on to a new position?
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

23. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Favourite Resources
Lynda.com has many different options for learning pivot tables & the vlookup formula: here are two examples that can be found within larger courses:
Google Sheets Essential Training: Using pivot tables (4m19s)
Building a Dynamic Heat Map in Excel: VLOOKUP (5m14s)
– check out the blog – you’ll find tips and videos on pivot tables & the vlookup formula
– great data viz blog with tons of advice on data visualization and lots of fun challenges – as well as lots of tips/tricks on how to manipulate spreadsheets
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019

24. Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019
Happy Data Collection!
Alison Clarke
Performance Measures & Data Librarian
Brampton Library
OLA Superconference, 2019
Alison Clarke, February 1, 2019