iMapLibraries: A National Leadership Forum Grant

School of Library and Information Studies & FREACFlorida State University

Virtual ForumsTallahassee, FL

April 3 – 4, 2013

Project Leaders:

Christie M. Koontz, GeoLib ProgramSchool of Library and Information Studies

Dean JueFlorida Resources and Environmental Analysis Center (FREAC)

Lorri MonSchool of Library and Information Studies

Agenda• Project Description• Status Updates

– Directory– Library Verification / Moving– Exploratory Questionnaire– Library Geographic Market Area Mapping– Social Media Activities– Upcoming Activities

• Open Discussion

Objective 1.1 of Strategic Goal #1 Invest in projects that provide inclusive and accessible

learning opportunities to individuals of diverse geographic, cultural, special needs, and socioeconomic backgrounds

Activities and Evidence of Progress Develop consistent metrics…that enable all IMLS grants to

better assess their effectiveness, with special focus on inclusive and accessible learning opportunities

Block groups > 59% Blacks more than 2 miles from public library outlet

Block groups > 25% households linguistically-isolated (Spanish)

Block groups > 25% of households receiving public assistance

IMLS 2010 Library Data for U.S.

• Library Administrative Entity File – 9,241 entities

• Public Library Outlet File – 17,384 outlets

Knott County, Kentucky bookmobileBoca Raton Downtown Library

IMLS-Collected Library Service and Performance Measures

• Service and performance data provided at entity level rather than at outlet level

• 7,498 U.S. administrative entities are single-outlet entities (81.14% of all entities) so have outlet-specific user statistics for 7,498 outlets out of 17,384 (43.13% of all outlets)

Data at Entity Level Outlet Data

=For single-outlet entities only!!!

Potential Problems• Availability of outlet level user

data is becoming more critical because U.S. population diversity has increased 50% from 1980 to 2009

• Aggregation of library data to entity level masks the important library services to the smaller, diverse, and more specialized, library user populations at the public outlet level

Library Outlet Data Needs

“…you need to have good information – hard data and … evidence about the communities that libraries serve.”

-- Donna Dziedzic, Former Executive Director Naperville (IL) Public Library ( #1 ranked public library in its population category for all 10 editions of Hennen’s

American Public Library Ratings (HAPLR))

Sloan, Tom. 2012. “What Makes an Award-Winning Public Library Successful?”,

Public Libraries, vol. 51, no. 3. pp. 30 – 31, 47.

Realizing Strategic Goal # 1• Public library outlets must know

the types of diverse users within their service area

• Library use data metrics must be modified or enhanced to reflect the more diverse and specialized uses and be collected and made available at the library outlet level rather than being aggregated

1) Identify public library outlets serving diverse markets using computerized mapping

2) Involve librarians and other public library interest groups in face-to-face as well as virtual meetings to discuss best practices and new performance measures for diverse user groups

3) Document the necessary steps to help those individual public libraries better serve their diverse user populations

Our IMLS National Leadership Forum Grant

HTTP://IMAPLIBRARIES.ORG/

Exploratory Questionnarie

Library Geographic Market Area Mapping

• Early geographic market area mapping from Geolib site (www.geolib.org)

• Default geographic market area for all library outlets by ALA Annual meeting

Involving Librarians and Other Public Library Interest Groups at Meetings

• October 2012 – COSLA Fall Meeting

• December – SDC Meeting• January 2013 – ALA• Virtual Meeting – Early April• June / July 2013 – ALA• Virtual Meeting – Early July

Involving Librarians and Other Public Library Interest Groups at Meetings

Creating awareness of iMapLibraries using:

project websitehttp://iMapLibraries.org

bloghttp://librarymarginalia.wordpress.com

FB

http://www.facebook.com/pages/IMapLibraries/436227826415200

Twitterhttps://twitter.com/imaplibraries

iMapLibraries Social MediaiMapLibraries on Facebook, Twitter and web site: • Connect libraries to the project and to each other

• Foster interaction about the data needs of libraries

• Showcase demonstration materials and project updates

• Promote & teach how library usage data supports funding and planning needs

• Provide an ongoing record of exchanges

Social Media Team: Dr. Lorri Mon and students Laura Spears, Jisue Lee , Nathaniel Ramos Jr. and Twanisha Presley

iMapLibraries on Twitter: https://twitter.com/imaplibraries iMapLibraries on Facebook: http://bit.ly/imapitFB

Follow us onSocial Media!

iMapLibraries Social Media: Google FusionWhat Classes/Workshops do Libraries Offer?

Our project using Google Fusion & Social Media to “Put Your Library on the Map” – libraries serving diverse communities & lifelong learners

Classes Map: http://bit.ly/classesmap

Add Your Library’s Classes: http://imaplibraries.org/register.html

iMapLibraries Social Media Team: Dr. Lorri Mon and students Laura Spears, Jisue Lee, Nathaniel Ramos Jr. & Twanisha Presley

Classes in:

Computers,ESL,Government,Workforce,Health and“Other”

iMapLibraries Social Media: Google FusionWhat Spanish Services Do Libraries Offer?

NEW ! Add Your Library: http://www.imaplibraries.org/spanishservices.html

Spanish Map: http://www.imaplibraries.org/spanishservices/

iMapLibraries Social Media Team: Dr. Lorri Mon and students Laura Spears, Jisue Lee, Nathaniel Ramos Jr. & Twanisha Presley

iMapLibraries Social Media: Google FusionOther Special Services for Diverse Users?

What other special services do libraries offer to diverse users e.g.:Veterans HomelessSeniors Job SeekersChildren MinoritiesAnd other special user groups?

NEW! Add your library – Senior Services:http://imaplibraries.org/socialmediaforms.html#seniorservices

iMapLibraries Social Media: Google FusionSpecial Spaces for Special People?

What special spaces do libraries offer for people in the community?

Makerspaces/FabLabsMeeting Rooms Auditoriums

TeenSpaces/KidSpaces Computer Labs Other spaces?

NEW! Add Your Library – Special Spaces

http://imaplibraries.org/socialmediaforms.html#specialplaces

iMapLibraries Social Media: Google FusionHow Do Libraries Help in Disasters?

What roles do libraries play and what services do libraries provide when disaster strikes the community?

iMapLibraries Social Media Team: Dr. Lorri Mon and students Laura Spears, Jisue Lee, Nathaniel Ramos Jr. & Twanisha Presley

NEW! – Add Your Library: Emergency Serviceshttp://imaplibraries.org/socialmediaforms.html#emergencyservices

Library Marketing and iMapLibraries

Library Marketing Strategy1) Identify correct location of library

facility2) Estimate market area3) Market profiling4) Identify needed products and

services of markets5) Funds required for prototype

map6) Launch map product / service7) Measure response from

stakeholders

iMapLibraries• Library location web page• Market area web page (by

summer ALA meeting)• GeoLib and future website• Via Forums and

questionnaires

• Identification of possible new performance measures

Year 1 Products

• White paper describing the best practices, guidelines, courses of actions, and policies for helping the IMLS meet its library diversity goals

• Web map of U.S. library locations with socioeconomic and demographic data of relevance to libraries

Long-term Project Impact

To identify and help develop regional and national library demonstration projects that will guide the improvement, measurement, and validation of each public library outlet as place in serving the diversity of populations within the local community.

HTTP://IMAPLIBRARIES.ORG/