Vancouver metrics symposium

1. T H E P R E S S U R E T O M E A S U R E
A T R I C H M O N D P U B L I C L I B R A R Y
The Need for Refocused Metrics

2. Pressure to Measure
 For years, RPL laid claim to a number of highest per
capita counts
 Steady decline since 2010
 Common trend across many successful libraries, but
traditional metrics are creating some serious
challenges

3. Pressure to Measure is Threefold
City
Members
Richmond
Public
Library
Donors

4. Pressure to Measure
 Changing relationship with the City
 Under more critical scrutiny
 Compared to similar size revenue-generating departments
 Need to find the balance between qualitative and
quantitative measurements
 Cannot discard traditional metrics as these are still what our
City uses to make decisions regarding the distribution of funds
and facilities

5. Pressure to Measure
 Timing is critical
 Provided excellent service for less, but for too long
 Inadequate facilities to meet member needs
 Collections suffering as budget split between print & digital
 Community Services Needs Assessment – libraries most used
public facilities
 City in the process of updating Facilities Strategic Plan
 Supportive Council

6. Search for Appropriate Measures
Input
Staff size
Collection size
Facilities
Equipment
Budget
Process
Time efficiency
Cost efficiency
Accuracy
Effectiveness
Productivity
Outputs
Circulation
# programs
# transactions
Attendance
Gate counts
Outcomes
Satisfaction
Behaviour
Value-added
Competencies
Market
penetration
Library-
Oriented
User-
Oriented
Quantitative
Easy-to-measure
Cost-related
Supply-side
Qualitative
Difficult-to-measure
Impact-related
Demand-side

7. To tell our story and our members’ stories
 New metrics such as
in-library use
 Demonstrate
relationship between
library services and:
 Civic engagement
 Connected communities
 Improved literacy rates
 From a member
perspective:
 Who they are
 How they are using the
library
 What they want from the
library
 What impact the library
has on their lives
Search for Appropriate Measures

8. MindMixer
An Online Crowdsourcing Platform

9. Member Feedback
 1,700 distinct ideas, 5,800 written comments and
450 pictures were shared

10. Benefits Challenges
 Interactive means to share
information
 Immediate translation of
all content to dozens of
language
 Connected a community
of users – generated
dialogue among members
 No automatic way to
collate responses into
useable data
 Consultant intensive, then
staff intensive
 Rewards oriented
 No seamless integration
with library account login
MindMixer

11. OrangeBoy
Market Segmentation Methodology

12. OrangeBoy
Cluster
Development
4 components to cluster
analysis
Groups determined by
shared behaviours and
lifestyle traits
Exhibit primary and
secondary behaviours
Cardholder Analysis
Ethnographic
Research
Cardholder Surveys
Market Analysis

13. 10 Distinct User Types

14. Digitarians at a Glance

15. Tentative Next Steps
 Revised metrics forms for public service staff
 Refocus presentation of Monthly Operations Report
 Apply measurement tools that are working more
broadly
 And where do we go from here?