The document discusses the role of data librarianship and how librarians can measure their impact and value. It begins with an overview of the Martin Prosperity Institute, which examines how capitalism can work best in the 21st century. It then defines data librarianship as involving the entire data lifecycle from creation to preservation and access. The document also summarizes a study conducted by the Toronto Public Library where librarians took on research roles. Finally, it argues that 21st century librarians add value through selection, curation and analysis of information and that both data and stories are needed to communicate their impact and value.

1. Kimberly Silk, MLS
Data, Metrics,
and our
Profession

2. Agenda:
1. What is the Martin
Prosperity Institute?
2. Defining Data
Librarianship
3. Librarian as
Researcher:
The TPL Study
4. Pushing the
Boundaries
5. Measuring our
Value and Impact
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3. About the Martin Prosperity Institute
• Located at the Rotman School of Management, University of
Toronto
• We attempt to answer, “How can capitalism work best in the 21st
century?”
 Infrastructure for democratic capitalism (Roger Martin)
 Cities as key drivers of economic geography (Richard Florida)
 Web-based networks for cooperation, problem solving and governance
(Don Tapscott)
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4. Creating or
Procuring
Data
Processing
Data
Analyzing
Data
Preserving
Data
Giving
Access to
Data
Re-Using
Data
Defining Data Librarianship: The Data Lifecycle
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Image repurposed from the
UK Data Archive
The Data
Lifecycle

5. Librarian as Researcher: The TPL Study
5

6. Librarian as Researcher: The TPL Study
6

7. Librarian as Researcher: The TPL Study
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8. Pushing Our Boundaries
• The 21st century librarian
adds value to information
• Beyond document delivery:
we select, curate, analyze
and recommend action
• We facilitating DIY
research, teaching
information & data literacy
• We conduct & author
research to identify best
practices and discover
innovative methods for our
practice.
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9. Measuring Our Impact & Value
• Good data & good
stories communicate
value.
• Measure what you
can – and tell stories
to represent what
can’t be measured.
• Align your work with
the goals of the
organization – show
causality when you
can.
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10. Thank You
Kimberly Silk, MLS
Kimberly.Silk@rotman.utoronto.ca
www.martinprosperity.org