The document discusses framing opportunities for powerful metrics in libraries. It suggests libraries focus on understanding stakeholder needs rather than what the library thinks people need. Successful measurement involves understanding context, aligning strategies with objectives, identifying impactful services, defining appropriate measures, managing measurement data, translating data into outcomes and impacts, and communicating results. The document advocates reframing measurement from outputs to impacts by starting with desired impacts in mind. It provides examples of studies measuring library impacts at various universities.

1. {
Framing the Opportunities for
Powerful Metrics in Libraries
Rebecca Jones & Joe Matthews
rebecca@dysartjones.com & joe@joematthews.org

3. Churchill’s Frame
A pessimist sees the
difficulty in every
opportunity; an
optimist sees the
opportunity in
every difficulty.

4. Keyne’s Frame
The difficulty lies
not so much in
developing new
ideas as in
escaping from
old ones.

5. Frame or anchor?

6. Are clear on:
 their purpose
 the culture in which they operate
 what’s important & of value to their
stakeholders
 not what the people in their communities or
campuses or companies need, but rather
what they need to do
 how library services expedite or enhance
people’s ability to do what they want to or
need to do
Successful measurers

7. Three types of
measures
Value
SatisfactionOperational

8. Understand
the Context
Align
Strategies &
Objectives
Identify
Services &
Programs
Define
Measures
Manage
Measurement
Data
Translate Data
into
Outcomes &
Impacts
Communicate
Results
Measurement
Framework

10. INPUT OUTPUT OUTCOME IMPACT
It’s logical that:
resource
perspective
operational
perspective
user
perspective
stakeholder
perspective

11. The Logic Model

12. Refocus from the activity & output
to the impact
Start with the end in mind

13. Some Interesting Studies

15. The Library Cube

17. University of Minnesota Library

18. Hope College Library

20. Resonate

21. University of Minnesota

22. Summer Reading

27. The real frame:
How have we
impacted someone’s
life – their studies, their
work, their ability to
read, their garden –
today?

28. The real frame:
How have we
impacted someone’s
life – their studies, their
work, their ability to
read, their garden –
today?

29.  What problems do people face?
What are their pains?
 What pain relievers can we best
provide?
 What are the desired outcomes &
impacts?
 How well are we allocating our
resources to achieve those?
The real questions

30. Our frames for today