Category Archives: data-driven decision making

A Better Understanding of Library Work Effort

Happy New Year! What a year we had in 2023. Tumultuous. I predict that 2024 will be equally filled with change and uncertainty. Before we move on to those new challenges, a brief update on an important assessment effort conducted … Continue reading

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The User Experience of Request and Retrieval

Earlier this year, a group was formed to consider ways to improve the user experience of requesting and retrieving items from the Charles Library BookBot. The group was composed of Brian Boling, Carly Hustedt, Karen Kohn, John Oram, Jackie Sipes, … Continue reading

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Using Social Media to Engage Library Users

Today’s very special post is authored by Kaitlyn Semborski and Geneva Heffernan, from Library Outreach and Communications at Temple Libraries.  At Temple Libraries, we use social media to build and maintain relationships with library stakeholders. Daily, our Instagram, Twitter, and … Continue reading

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Celebrating 10 Years at Ginsburg: A Time for Review

The Ginsburg Health Sciences Library is celebrating its 10th birthday and used the occasion to conduct an intensive review of current operations and planning for the future. Barbara Kuchan, Director of the Health Sciences Libraries, worked with a team (Patrick … Continue reading

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Assessment for Planning: Special Collections Research Center Uses Data to Drive Location Decisions, and More

Planning to move the Special Collections Research Center  from its current space to the new library building takes careful planning, with different challenges than the general collections. For one, there are manuscripts AND books to be stored, with collections that … Continue reading

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Exploring Circulation Data: Who’s Checking Out What?

When I began as Collections Analysis Librarian at Temple last fall, I met with Subject Specialists to learn more about their work and to discuss how my work might help them. Several said they wanted to know more about how … Continue reading

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Assessment Drives Decision-Making Process for Health Science Library’s Technology Offerings

Last year I profiled Cynthia Schwarz, Senior Systems & Technology Librarian on her assessment of computer use at the Ginsberg Health Services Library. She was using the software LabStats to analyze the use of computers at the library – the … Continue reading

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How Are Our Books Being Used?

Last week’s final Assessment in the Real World workshop began with a report of book circulation – ¼ million data points detailing the circulation of books published in English and purchased from 2003 to 2013. Fred Rowland (RIS librarian for … Continue reading

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Gathering Feedback on the Library’s Public Programs

The latest Assessment in the Real World discussion focused on the feedback survey that goes out to attendees at the Libraries’ Beyond the Page public programs. 11 library staff members participated in a discussion with Nicole Restaino (Manager, Library Communications … Continue reading

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Cynthia Schwarz explores the use of technology in libraries

Cynthia Schwarz is the Senior Systems & Technology Librarian at the Health Sciences Library. She recently moved into this position after 6 years on the Main Campus. In both these jobs,  Cynthia has used her technical expertise to address questions … Continue reading

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