A service offering that libraries should consider adding is a free legal clinic. This may seem like a complicated thing to start, but do not fear, it is simple. Access to legal services should be a basic right that every American should enjoy, but sadly, it is not (at least, not until it is too late). Having access to a lawyer is dependent upon having the ability to pay for one. Access to the courts is a social justice issue that librarians should be interested in helping correct. Legal advice should not be available only to those who can afford it.

Common legal inquiries that patrons might have:

• Creating a will;
• Researching patents;
• Starting a business;
• Filing for copyright;
• Legality of a certain action;
• Whether someone can be sued;
• How to file paperwork with the courts;
• Divorce;
• Adoption;
• Eviction.

Hosting a legal clinic can be as simple as making volunteer lawyers in the community available for certain days and times during the week to the public. Just devoting space a few hours a week can make a difference. Getting volunteers should not be difficult. Attorneys are encouraged by the American Bar Association to perform so many hours of pro bono services a year[i]. Contacting the local bar association and letting them know that your library is looking for volunteers might be a good idea. Advertising for volunteers on social media and in the library, is also another way to raise awareness.

The first step a library should take before trying to obtain volunteer lawyers, is to create a policy for the legal clinic. This should set the hours and expectations of the clinic. The policy should be created in conjunction with the library’s legal team. A library needs to decide whether services will be on a first-come basis, or via a predetermined appointment.

All librarians, not just those managing legal clinics, need to learn how to interact with those who are conducting legal research. Every librarian is asked at some point a question that can only be answered by an attorney. A librarian should tell the patron that they are not an attorney, and cannot answer their question, but can point them in the direction of someone who can, or towards information resources that the patron can use to arrive at their own conclusion.

Librarians cannot do the following:

• Answer legal questions directly or indirectly;
• Tell someone which legal forms to use;
• Advise on whether a patron should go to court;
• Interpret legal statues or code.

What librarians can do:

• Show patrons the legal research services that the library offers;
• Point patrons towards valid legal information sources;
• Offer legal clinics staffed by licensed attorneys.

Recommended items for a legal reference collection:

• NOLO legal guides (as many as your library can afford);
• A legal dictionary;
• A legal database, such as LexisNexis/Westlaw;
• State legal directory;
• Rules of local and federal courts;
• Book of template legal forms.

References

[i] https://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/publications/model_rules_of_professional_conduct/rule_6_1_voluntary_pro_bono_publico_service.html

The post Lawyers in the Library first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Beyond Access/IREX initially worked in Nigerian public libraries from 2015 to July 2017. The first phase of the intervention (2015-2016) had involved building up the capacity of librarians in nine libraries in the area of digital skills for the purpose of providing sustainable, inclusive access to information communication technologies and imparting 21st century skills, especially to young women who might otherwise be excluded. This was done in partnership with the Librarian Registration Council of Nigeria (LRCN), Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and five NGOs. The project was expanded in the second phase (2016-July 2017) to seventy (70) libraries. Beyond Access/IREX partnered with local 2 NGOs, 2 Library Champions, LRCN and USPF. The second phase built on the already attained outcomes of the project but with a deeper focus on equipping librarians to know and lead their communities in identifying and exploiting economic opportunities and working alongside partners where possible.

Meanwhile, figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicate that the unemployment rate in Nigeria has been steadily climbing for up to nine consecutive quarters having moved up from 13.9 percent in the third quarter of 2016 to 14.2 percent in the last quarter of the same year¹. In order to support and fit in with the efforts of the government in the creation of jobs and attainment of the development agenda, it became imperative for public libraries to offer services that will increase the employability of their community members and help them identify and utilize economic opportunities.

Furthermore, public libraries all over the world are learning that the provision of needs-based services in response to the challenges of their user communities rather than emphasis on the resources they house is what will make them stand out as relevant and community assets in the 21^st century.² Thus, beyond literacy activities, Nigerian public libraries under the aegis of the Beyond Access/IREX project in Nigeria have started offering services specifically targeted at helping people to acquire new marketable skills and upgrade their digital skills as well as identify and exploit economic opportunities.

References

1.National Bureau of Statistics (2017). Unemployment/Under-employment Report.

www.nigerianstat.gov.ng/download/564

2. Clare County Library (2013). A strategy for public libraries 2013-2017.

www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/library/developments/Public_Library_Strategy_2013-2017

The post Nigerian Public Libraries Helping Job Seekers first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Editor’s note: This article is based on a lecture delivered at the Tenth International Symposium on Library Services for Children and Young Adults, in Seoul, South Korea, on June 28, 2016.

Public library policy in the United States is largely localized, with each of more than nine thousand public libraries and public library systems setting their own operational and service policies. Still, public libraries across the country operate in many of the same ways, and US public library services for teens exhibit many shared practices and emerging service trends. In thinking about the future of US public library services to teens, it is helpful first to consider the historic ways in which public libraries have served their communities. Evans and Carter suggested that there are four main historic roles of the public library:

Looking at library history, we see that libraries have served and continue to serve their publics, parent institutions, and society in four basic ways. First, libraries meet society’s information needs by acquiring the materials deemed valuable or useful to some or all the people. Second, they provide a physical location and an environment for storing and preserving those items. Third, libraries add value to the items acquired by organizing them in some manner to make access more efficient. Fourth, the library’s staff improves access by providing assistance to individuals in locating desired information.¹

Each of these four historic roles is closely connected to library materials, and together they paint a picture of public library services as tightly focused on library collections. This is a largely outdated view of US public library services, as libraries are increasingly moving toward viewing their communities as their core focus, not their collections.

This ongoing shift is particularly evident in teen services. Over the past few decades, US public libraries have typically served teens in three main ways: (1) as information gateways, with a focus on providing collections and information assistance services; (2) as social interaction and entertainment spaces, bringing teens to libraries for active and passive library programs and social interaction with peers; and (3) as beneficial physical environments, providing physical spaces for refuge, personal improvement, and volunteer or paid work experiences.²

Within these three service roles we see a core focus on library collections as well as on supporting teens’ healthy and happy
lives. While these three roles continue to define many current US public library services to teens, over the past decade many public libraries have been broadening their teen services even more, with an ever-increasing focus on understanding and serving individual communities’ information-related needs. Moreover, the concept of “information” in public libraries is taking on an increasingly broader definition beyond just books, web-based tools, and other traditional information resources, leading to a wider array of teen library services than ever before.

I will describe this ongoing shift in US public library services to teens, focusing on six current trends. These include increasing movement toward:

1. A focus on what the library does over what the library has.
2. An emphasis on information and information services in digital forms and formats.
3. A focus on the library as place.
4. Broadening literacy and learning goals beyond reading.
5. Greater teen involvement in service design and delivery.
6. Increased outreach and collaboration with non-library agencies.

Each of these six trends is discussed below, with examples from library policies and programs to show how they are playing out in libraries across the country.

Trends in US Public Library Services for Teens

1. What the Library Does over What the Library Has

The first trend involves a growing focus on what the library does over what the library has. While the vast majority of the US public tends to equate “books” with “libraries,” leading teen services librarians think in terms of leveraging library resources and services to support teens’ healthy development as their primary service goal, as opposed to focusing on building great book collections.³ This means that cutting-edge teen librarians view positive impact on teens’ lives as the ultimate goal of library programs and services, first analyzing youths’ needs and then designing collections, programs, and services to meet those needs. They think of their collections as just one part of a broader set of resources and services together intended to improve the lives of adolescent community members.

This impact-focused conceptualization of public library services for teens can lead to dramatic changes in strategic planning and daily library operations. For example, in preparation for building a new library, the city of Richmond (CA) oversaw a community needs assessment that involved asking community members from all major community groups what they wanted from their public library. The needs assessment led to the formation of a new strategic goal for young adult (YA)⁴ services at the Richmond Public Library, that “the ‘whole teen’ is nurtured by library programs and services; [and] teens have a distinct area of their own in the library.”⁵ Note that the YA collection is not mentioned in the strategic goal.

Analysis of data collected from community members as a part of the needs assessment further indicated that the library’s teen services priorities should be: “Services that support both the recreational and academic lives of predominantly middle school aged youth; a distinct acoustically isolated teen space with a teen-friendly environment; and constructive activities as an alternative to violence.”⁶ Again, note the absence of explicit mention of the library collection. This does not mean that the Richmond Public Library places little value on its collection. Rather, it means that the collection is just one aspect of teen services, with strategic goals guiding collection development and use, as opposed to aiming to collect the “best” available materials—those judged by professionals to be of the highest literary and artistic quality.

The needs assessment also led to identification of a suite of teen programs to offer, including “SAT preparation, computer instruction with emphasis on gaming and other topics of particular interest to youth, poetry slams,” and programs related to “all aspects of technology, music, writing, [and] public speaking.”⁷ Many of these programs will likely incorporate elements of the library collection, but regardless, all will be designed with the ultimate goal of supporting teens’ happy and healthy development and making positive impacts on teens’ lives.

2. Information and Information Services in Digital Forms and Formats

The second trend in US public library services is an increasing emphasis on information and information services in digital forms and formats. Both teen services and teen collections are moving more deeply into the digital world, with a strong emphasis on social media education and services. We know from the research that high school students use social media for collaborating on homework, organizing school club activities and sports practices, coordinating participation in civic organizations and volunteer activities, creative writing and other creative pursuits, and seeking emotional support from peers and family members.⁸ Recognizing the range of social and educational benefits that teens can derive from social media use, many teen librarians are incorporating it into their teen programs and services, offering homework help, leading book and other media discussion groups, and teaching teens how to be good digital citizens.

The Teen Zone Social Media Ambassadors program at the Lawrence (KS) Public Library (LPL) serves as a good example of a social media–based public library program for teens. The program was designed for teens to volunteer a few hours each week to promote the library via social media, performing tasks such as vetting book reviews, art submissions, and other contributions from teens in the community and posting them on the Teen Zone Tumblr; reblogging web content likely to be of interest to community teens; tweeting out library news and events; and taking and then sharing photos of library events online in any of the library’s various social media accounts. The program was intended to generate publicity to benefit the library, increase interest in the library among community teens, and benefit participating teens by giving them volunteer work experience that they could use as they build their college and career resumes.⁹

LPL recently completed the first year of the new program. According to Molly Wetta, collection development librarian and Ambassadors program supervisor, results from the first year were mixed:

We promoted the program to our older teen library users and reached out to the high school journalism and English teachers to pass it along to potential volunteers, but got zero applications except from one longtime volunteer who I knew was involved in journalism. She did well for a while but then got busy with school and other projects and had to leave the program. We are still contemplating ways to try it again next year, because in principle, it can be a great opportunity for both libraries and teens to have user-generated content. . . However, it really wasn’t a time saver for staff as we had intended. And we thought teens would respond better to teen-generated content and that the ambassador would promote the library’s accounts to peers, which did happen. We were better able to connect with high school social media accounts and got new high school followers because of it. So it wasn’t a total loss, it just didn’t turn out exactly how we had initially envisioned it.¹⁰

The Ambassadors program highlights the importance of creativity, flexibility, and persistence in developing teen library programs that use new and emerging digital information forms, formats, and environments as libraries explore how best to provide teen services in these new information environments.

3. The Library as Place

The third YA service trend is a growing focus on the library as place. Despite the emphasis on the digital world, US public librarians continue to stress the value of the physical library as a place for teens to gather and for individual use as well. Many librarians are thinking about the importance of the library as place even more strongly than in the past.

In one of my past studies, Kuhlmann et al. studied how US teens use public library spaces and why they value libraries as physical places.¹¹ We found teens to use teen spaces in libraries for access to technology, for study space, as places for conducting leisure pursuits such as reading and game playing, and as places to socialize with peers. The emphasis on the library as place can be seen in the Richmond Public Library’s community needs assessment discussed above. In response to what they learned from the community needs assessment, the assessment team built the following service objectives into planning for the new library building:
The new library will have an acoustically isolated, visible, teen-friendly area with computers, lounge and table seating, and collections that are attractively displayed. Programs of all types will be offered regularly, including SAT preparation and computer literacy. A structured volunteer program will encourage youth to contribute to their community. Teens will be given an orientation to the Teen Center prior to using it to explain its use and expected conduct.¹²

Thus, recognition of the role of the library as a physical gathering space led to care in making the new teen space comfortable and inviting to teens. The role of the physical library space is especially important in economically disadvantaged communities such as Richmond, where teens often live in neighborhoods with inflated crime and violence. Public libraries are public buildings, open to all and therefore not guaranteed to be completely safe spaces. Still, with library staff providing adult supervision and watchful eyes, often they are safer places for teens from disadvantaged communities than most other places in their communities where they can go in their free time.

4. Literacy and Learning Goals Go Beyond Reading

The next trend is a broadening of literacy and learning goals beyond reading. Traditional reading and writing skills remain fundamental to literacy, but the definition of literacy has expanded. Teens today must be able to read, write, and interact across a range of platforms, tools, and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio, and film, to digital social networks. Literacy is no longer viewed as a mechanical process, but is understood as the construction of meaning. This expanded definition of literacy impacts the types of services, programs, and collections that libraries provide, as well as the nature of the work that library staff perform.¹³

Again the connection to information and information services in digital forms and formats is key. While most US public libraries continue to promote books and teen reading as a core focus, many are moving toward equal emphasis on digital literacy and “making” (creation activities, such as those occurring in makerspaces and learning labs). As a result, the role of the public librarian is becoming more fundamentally educational than ever before. This movement positions public librarians as public educators and public libraries as public education institutions, with a focus on public librarians as digital literacy educators.

What exactly is digital literacy? ALA’s Digital Literacy Task Force defined a digitally literate person as one who:

• possesses the variety of skills—cognitive and technical—required to find, understand, evaluate, create, and communicate digital information in a wide variety of formats;
• is able to use diverse technologies appropriately and effectively to search for and retrieve information, interpret search results, and judge the quality of the information retrieved;
• understands the relationships among technology, lifelong learning, personal privacy, and appropriate stewardship of information;
• uses these skills and the appropriate technologies to communicate and collaborate with peers, colleagues, family, and on occasion the general public;
• uses these skills to participate actively in civic society and contribute to a vibrant, informed, and engaged community.¹⁴

This focus on public libraries as digital literacy educators is evident in the Seattle Public Library’s Strategic Plan, which states that:

Beyond becoming the source for practical information, the Library must seize the opportunity to become the place where anyone can become tech-savvy. For instance, the Library will develop places where teens can edit and develop audio, video and text for multimedia projects using state-of-the-art technology. Teens aren’t the only ones who want to sample the latest technology, though they are certainly a good group to start with. We see the future Library as a learning lab where people can experiment with a variety of tools to see what might help them to turn ideas into reality and share them with others.¹⁵

Over the past several years, YALSA (the teen services division of ALA) has also made promoting digital literacy a core campaign. YALSA has introduced programs such as Teen Tech Week, which encourages teen librarians to focus one week each year on teaching teens about the ethical use of digital information and on providing high-interest programs that promote improved digital literacy skills. The wide range of the programs participating libraries have offered during past Teen Tech Weeks is impressive, including such programs as: “robotics demonstrations, a Hollywood digital sound effects guest speaker, geocaching, a technology petting zoo, digital photography and photo editing, QR code scavenger hunts, retro technology and gaming events, and teens making their own library memes.”¹⁶ Creative librarians around the country are working to harness teens’ interest in entertainment and technology to devise creative informal educational experiences such as these that can build crucial literacy and digital literacy skills.

5. Teen Involvement in Service Design and Delivery

Next, in line with viewing positive impacts on teens’ lives, as opposed to building high quality library collections, as the driving goal behind library program and service design, the fifth trend is an increase in teen involvement in service design and delivery. Many US public libraries are working toward a vision of including teens as partners in both the design and delivery of teen services. Probably the most current common method for including teens in program design is the use of TABs—Teen Advisory Boards. Increasingly popular in small, medium, and large public libraries across the country, “a teen advisory board creates a specific role for teens in the library and formalizes their inclusion into the decision-making processes.”¹⁷

For example, at the Cherry Hill (New Jersey) Library, my own local public library, Teen Librarian Melissa Brinn runs an active TAB. Teens interested in participating must complete written applications, and interviews are held once each year to select TAB members. The TAB meets about two times a month during the school year to plan library programs and promote the teen department, to play book- and writing-related games, and to socialize as a group. TAB volunteers receive public service (volunteering) hours in exchange for their time. Many local schools have public service hours requirements, making service on the TAB particularly attractive to teens looking to fulfill volunteer work requirements. In past years, Cherry Hill Public Library TAB members have designed and delivered a wide array of library programs, from children’s storytimes to interactive murder mysteries. (See here for a sample TAB application form)

However, TABs and other similar groups only enable small numbers of community teens to play a role in program and service design. Subramaniam, among others, has argued that to meet the needs of more teens, especially teens from disadvantaged backgrounds,

surveys, interviews, and forming a teen advisory council [TAB] are no longer sufficient when designing teen programs. Instead, it is time to involve teens themselves as co-designers of programs and services. Teen services librarians need to apply interdisciplinary approaches to establish equal partnership and learning opportunities that facilitate discovery and use of digital media.¹⁸

As of yet, however, few US public libraries involve teens deeply enough to meet this ideal, and deep and lasting teen partnership in library services remains mostly a future vision.

6. Outreach and Collaboration with Nonlibrary Agencies

Lastly, there is a movement toward increased outreach and collaboration with nonlibrary agencies. To maximize service impact and efficiency, teen librarians are increasingly looking to offer joint services with other agencies that serve teens, often moving library services outside of library buildings to places where teens can be more easily reached. Katz discussed public library and school collaborations, suggesting that there are four characteristics of successful collaborations: communication, cooperation, respect, and practical ideas.19 Schools are probably the most common agencies with which US teen services librarians tend to form lasting collaborations, but some teen librarians collaborate with a range of agencies, such as local businesses, religious organizations, government agencies, and more.

For example, the Richmond Public Library community needs assessment described above establishes plans to collaborate with several community agencies to achieve their new vision of teen library services:

In developing a Volunteer Academy, the library will work with local middle and high schools that require students to do community service, to publicize the program and develop volunteer opportunities that meet school requirements. The Arts & Culture Commission and the Recreation Department will partner in providing programs for teens.²⁰

Each of these community partners—the schools, the Arts & Culture Commission, and the Recreation Department—shares with the library the fundamental goal of improving teens’ lives—a shared mission that leads to a natural partnership. In collaborating with the library, the other agencies can increase the impact of their services by sharing staff, knowledge, and other resources, and together with the library they can reach more teens more efficiently than on their own.

Bringing Teens into This New Library Scene

Although these six trends in public library services are occurring in many cutting-edge libraries across the country, there are challenges to implementing them more broadly and to helping teens move beyond the persistent view of libraries just as paper book providers. Indeed, my own recent research with high school students in a technology-focused public high school showed students to have “a widely held perception that libraries represent an outdated past, whereas technology represents these teens’ everyday reality. Few saw libraries as relevant to their daily lives, yet most saw social media as relevant.”²¹ More effective marketing to teens and adults is needed to make the public aware of these changes. The lack of public awareness of the full range of available teen services is compounded by an ongoing emphasis in the professional writing, which focuses predominantly on the discussion and promotion of books.²² The library field itself must embrace this future vision of broader, impact-based library services before we can hope to convince the public of its significance.

Moreover, these trends are occurring during a period of ongoing tight funding for most US public libraries. In the wake of the 2008 recession, many libraries have experienced multiple years of local and state funding plateaus or even cuts. The recession may now be over, but most public library budgets have yet to rebound. Now more than ever we must work to help the public understand
the changing nature of teen services to ensure future public support for stronger funding of our public libraries and to enable more libraries across the country to meet the powerful potential of public libraries as a fundamental social structure and beneficial influence on teens’ lives.

Still, US public library services for teens are by no means doomed to fail. The single most important element for future success is the potential for teens to develop deep interest and enthusiasm in their libraries. Luckily, this potential remains strong. As the title of this article indicates, when shown the full range of services that today’s public libraries have to offer, teens will often respond positively and become eager public library users. The quote that inspired the title of this article (“Hey! The library is kind of awesome!”) comes from my recent study of high school students in a technology-focused public high school, which I referenced previously.²³ The young woman who made this announcement hadn’t used a public library in several years and had assumed that they were outmoded and useless. One day she happened to visit her local library and realized that it had much to offer her, from leisure opportunities, to homework support, to social engagement, to a welcoming place she could frequent other than home, school, or commercial spaces. If we can spread this message of the broad range of available library services to teens across the country, we can ensure the continued healthy growth of the field, and more importantly, the continued power of US public libraries to enrich teens’ lives for many generations to come.

References and Notes

1. G. Edward Evans and Thomas L. Carter, Introduction to Library Public Services, 7th ed. (Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2009), 3.
2. Denise E. Agosto, “Why Do Teens Use Libraries? Results of a Public Library Use Survey,” Public Libraries 46, no. 3 (2007): 55–62.
3. To read about the national survey that showed the US public to equate books and libraries, see: Cathy De Rosa et al., At a Tipping Point: Education, Learning and Libraries (Dublin, OH: OCLC Online Computer Library Center, 2014), accessed May 6, 2016.
4. In US public library services, the term “young adult” most frequently refers to youth ages 12–18. This article uses the terms “teens,” “adolescents,” and “young adults” interchangeably, with a preference for the term “teens” since it is commonly used by youth in this age group to refer to themselves. For a discussion of these various terms and their use in library literature and practice, see Denise E. Agosto, “Envisaging Young Adult Librarianship from a Teen-Centered Perspective,” in Transforming Young Adult Services, ed. Anthony Bernier (Chicago: Neal-Schuman, 2013), 33–52.
5. Richmond Public Library, Library Plan of Service: Needs Assessment for the Richmond Public Library, February 2009, p.0.1, accessed Apr. 22, 2016.
6. Ibid., p.0.6.
7. Ibid., p.3.7.
8. Denise E. Agosto et al., “Teens, Libraries, and Social Media: Myths and Reality,” Public Library Quarterly 34, no. 4 (2015): 318–327, doi:10.1080/01616846.2015.1106892.
9. Lawrence Public Library, “Teen Zone Social Media Ambassadors” (2015), accessed May 4, 2016.
10. Molly Wetta, email communication with author, May 5, 2016.
11. L. Meghann Kuhlmann et al., “Learning from Librarians and Teens about YA Library Spaces,” Public Libraries 53, no. 3 (2014): 24–28.
12. Richmond Public Library, Needs Assessment, p.2.16.
13. Linda W. Braun, et al., The Future of Library Services for and with Teens: A Call to Action (Chicago, IL: Young Adult Library Services Association, 2014): 4.
14. ALA Office for Information Technology Policy, Digital Literacy, Libraries, and Public Policy (Washington, DC: American
    Library Association, 2013): 2, accessed Apr. 29, 2016.
15. Seattle Public Library, My Library: The Next Generation, Strategic Plan 2011–2015, Feb. 23, 2011, p.10.
16. Denise E. Agosto et al., “Getting the Most from Teen Tech Week: Lessons from the TTW Survey,” Young Adult Library Services 12, no. 4 (2014): 5.
17. Natalie Houston, “Building a Foundation for Teen Services,” Young Adult Library Services 9, no. 2 (2011): 9.
18. Mega Subramaniam, “Designing the Library of the Future for and with Teens: Librarians as the ‘Connector’ in Connected Learning,” Journal of Research on Libraries & Young Adults 7, no. 2 (In press): 3.
19. Jeff Katz, ”A Common Purpose: Public/School Library Cooperation and Collaboration,” Public Libraries 48, no. 3 (2009): 28–31.
20. Richmond Public Library, Needs Assessment, p.3.8.
21. Denise E. Agosto et al., “Teens, Technology, and Libraries: An Uncertain Relationship,” Library Quarterly 86, no.3 (2016): 261.
22. Agosto, “Envisaging Young Adult Librarianship.”
23. Agosto et al., “Teens, Technology, and Libraries,” 259.

The post Hey! The Library Is Kind of Awesome! Current Trends in US Public Library Services for Teens first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

In a recently released report by the Aspen Institute entitled “Rising to the Challenge: Re-envisioning Public Libraries,” outcome-based measurement was found to be an area of growth for public libraries. “Measuring outcomes is more important than measuring outputs. An intelligent community, not large circulation numbers, is the primary goal,” (p.11). Developing good community outcomes is one of the action areas cited in the report.

So what’s the difference between an output and an outcome? According to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, outputs are “direct products of program activities, usually measured in terms of work accomplished.” In contrast, outcomes are “benefits or changes for individuals or populations during or after participating in program activities, including new knowledge, increased skills, changed attitudes or values, modified behavior, improved condition or altered status.” An output is a measurement of activity size and scope. An outcome shows the social value added. An output is a quantitative measurement. An outcome is generally a qualitative measurement. We can use outputs to measure outcomes, but not the other way around.

Where to begin? Think about the impact are you trying to achieve. What will participants learn? How will the service make a difference in their lives? Bloom’s taxonomy is a tool for educators to develop objectives. It can also be a good starting point for library planning and evaluation. Use the taxonomy as a first step in developing your desired outcomes. Using active language will help you to create strong objectives.

Below are sample outcome measures you could adopt at your library:

From the California Summer Reading program:

• Children belong to a community of readers and library users
• Underserved community members participate in the summer reading program

Examples from IMLS:

• Adults will read to children more often
• A program increases the reading time caretakers spend with children

An example of outputs you could use to measure outcomes would be surveys results that compare participant knowledge at the beginning and end of a program. Another option would be to conduct focus groups to gather direct input from participants.

PLA is delving into this topic in a big way, with its Performance Measurement Task Force. This task force is developing new standardized measures for public libraries in selected service areas including early childhood literacy, digital access, and learning, civic engagement, reading, and economic and workforce development. Once finalized, these performance measures will be piloted in self-selected libraries.

Other tools you can use to gauge your library service outcomes include the Impact Survey and the Edge Initiative. These tools were designed to measure and improve library technology services using outcome-based measures.

Outcome-based measurement is new to many librarians. It is a powerful tool we need to learn for our libraries to deliver effective services in the 21st century. It is time to move beyond counting and toward continuous improvement.

Resources and further reading:

Aspen Institute. Rising to the Challenge: Re-Envisioning Public Libraries. Washington, D.C., 2014.

Braun, Linda W. “Outcomes-Based futures.” American Libraries Nov/Dec 2014: 58.

Hartman, Maureen L., Hughes-Hassell, Sandra, Kumasi, Kafi, Yoke, Beth. The Future of Library Services for and with Teens: A Call to Action. Young Adult Library Services Association, 2014.

Institute of Museum and Library Services. “Outcome Based Evaluation.” Accessed November 16, 2014.

Institute of Museum and Library Services. Perspectives on Outcome Based Evaluation for Libraries and Museums. Accessed November 16, 2014.

Lyons, Ray, Lance, Keith Curry. “Outputs, outcomes & other data.” Library Journal 138, no. 18 (2014):22-28.

The post Inputs, Outputs, and Outcomes – Oh My! first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Entitled “Building Inspiration: 21st Century Libraries Initiative: Reimagining The City’s Gateway To Information, Literacy, Economic Opportunity, And Civic Engagement,” this initiative is a model for collaboration among a large public library system, city government, and a local foundation. The William Penn Foundation contributed $25 million, with an additional  $35 million in total given by city and state government, and private gifts.

Strategic Priorities

How did this major gift take place? The William Penn Foundation’s Grant Overview application says it has “strategic priorities” for closing educational opportunity gaps, and that “it is more important than ever for us to allocate scarce resources for maximum impact.”  As the FLP press release emphasizes, this initiative will incorporate improving physical spaces through renovation and supporting outreach with new programs. The Free Library of Philadelphia is in a unique position to meet critical needs in the community, which makes it an ideal recipient for a significant grant.

In the library’s press release, Janet Haas, MD, Vice-chair of the William Penn Foundation Board of Directors, confirms that libraries are a logical entry point to strategically create meaningful change in communities.  “The community libraries, in particular, are becoming vital neighborhood centers, places where people come together to build community, engage with one another and use tools and resources needed to be successful. Libraries are places of life-long learning, which is why we are so pleased to be a partner in this important work.”

Here are some highlights from the initiative:

Central Branch

The FLP will construct two new areas at the main Parkway Central library, both of which have an entrepreneurial focus. One new area, The Common, will “serve as an active community space where individuals can gather to create, collaborate, and share.” The Business Research and Innovation Center will offer “incubator space for new projects and ideas” and support.

Neighborhood branches

The initiative will fund renovations and programming innovations at five city branch locations, by creating “hubs” to support specific community needs. For instance, the Tacony branch is “situated in the heart of a re-emerging commercial corridor,” so the FLP will focus on developing resources and space for small businesses and entrepreneurs. It should be noted that the five branch locations are prototypes, suggesting that evaluation and further development will continue to develop.

Partnership with City Schools

In addition to other partnerships with community organizations, the Free Library will strengthen its work with the School District of Philadelphia, “to ensure that all public school students receive the academic support they need to succeed.”  The FLP has already taken large steps to collaborate with the School District, including summer and after school reading programs, as well as completing an effort to make sure that all School District students have library cards.

For a deeper look at the initiative, see the FLP press release, or visit www.21stcenturylibraries.org for detailed plans.

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Who values library services the most?
When over 6,200 Americans spoke their minds in Pew Research Center’s Library Services Survey published in December 2013, a group of strong library devotees emerged. Would it surprise you to know that although most Americans value the public library, only people who may be facing life’s greatest challenges consistently rated library services as “very important”?

People facing life challenges.
Although 67% of Americans claimed the closure of their local public library would personally “affect” them and their families[1], nearly one-third of library of respondents reported that a library closure would have a “major impact” on them and their families . The following respondents gave library services the highest rating possible, “very important.” They include: 1) Job seekers, 2) Older adults, 3) People living with disabilities, 4) People who live in lower-income households, and 5) People without internet access at home [2].

How do public libraries ensure that people facing life situations receive the amount of help and the level of personal assistance they need? Assisting patrons with online forms, job applications, along with being there to provide assistance for those with mobility or cognitive challenges—all requires extra staff time and patience, and usually in a busy library setting.

Reports of negative library experiences
The majority of people enjoy positive experiences at the public library. Despite librarians’ best intentions, job seekers and those living with a disability were most likely to say they’d received a negative experience at the public library[3], yet they steadfastly rate their need for the library, “very important.” Regardless of whether patrons are unhappy with the level of assistance they receive, they still acknowledge the importance of the public library in their lives. The following were more likely to report negative experiences: 1) Job seekers (13%), 2) People living with a disability (12%), 3) 16-17 year-olds (14%), 4) Students (12%), and Self-employed respondents (17%)[4]. Are these not the folks who often require more one-on-one help?

Personal help, internet and computers are “very important”
The Pew Study also explored responses based on life situations and technology use factors. Many of these factors strongly correlated with lower household incomes and lower levels of education[5]. Personal help for job searches and job applications, and assistance in applying for government programs, permits and licenses are “very important” to people who are unemployed, living with a disability, and for people who have health problems that make reading difficult[6]. In addition, Internet users who do not have home Internet access reported that all services linked to technology use or life situations are “very important” to them and their families[7].

In our busy libraries, how do we ensure that people facing life situations receive “very important” personal library service?

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All citations taken from Pew Research Center, “How Americans Value Public Libraries in their Communities,” December 2013.

1. Page 1.
2. Page 3.
3. Page 28.
4. Ibid.
5. Page 18.
6. Page 19.
7. Ibid.

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