Library Improvement Through Data Analytics

ISBN-13: 9781783301614 / Angielski / Miękka / 2016 / 192 str.

Lesley Farmer;Alan M. Safer

Opis

More than ever, funding agencies are looking for cost effectiveness. Sound data analytics is the foundation for making an evidence-based case for library programmes, in addition to guiding myriad organizational decisions, from optimizing operations for efficiency to responding to community needs for customer satisfaction. Designed to be useful for novices as well as those with a background in data, this book introduces the basics of the Six Sigma framework as a model that can be applied to a variety of library settings. Helping readers make sense of data, this guide for system based, data-driven management covers such key topics as: * the basics of statistical concepts * recommended data sources for various library functions and processes, and guidance for using census, university, or chamber of commerce data in analysis * techniques for cleaning data * matching data to appropriate data analysis methods * how to make descriptive statistics more powerful by spotlighting relationships * 14 case studies which address such areas as digitization, e-book collection development and reference * staffing, facilities, and instruction. This book's clear, concise coverage will enable readers of every experience level to gain a better understanding of statistics in order to facilitate library improvement.

Spis treści

PART I: OVERVIEW 1. Introduction 2. Planning with Six Sigma PART II: SIX SIGMA STEPS 3. Defining the Project 4. Measure the Current Situation 5. Analyze Existing Processes 6. Improve or Introduce the Process 7. Control the Process PART III: A STATISTICS PRIMER 8. Cleaning Data 9. Getting Started with Statistics 10. Matching Data Analytic Methods to Data 11. Statistical and Survey Software for Libraries PART IV: CASE STUDIES 12. Access and Retrieval: Case Study 13. Benchmarking Library Standards: Case Study 14. Data Sets: Case Study 15. Digitization: Case Study 16. Ebook Collection Development: Case Study 17. Facilities: Case Study 18. Information Audit: Case Study 19. Instruction: Case Study 20. Knowledge Management: Case Study 21. Lending Devices: Case Study 22. Marketing Virtual Reference Services: Case Study 23. Optimizing Online Use: Case Study 24. Reference Staffing Patterns: Case Study 25. True Costs of Acquisitions: Case Study with Implications for Selection Practice