April 3, 2014

Question

Robert Jones (IL)

Thoughts?  See below…. (a forwarded question from a public library in IL)

Robert,

     A question about where a stat is best suited.  We have a kids educational gaming computer.  All the games are fun but based on developing learning skills.  It is is preloaded games no Internet access.  Where would I record the number of users?  Would you think it is children's programming? computer use? both? I feel it is a number I should record somewhere just not sure where.  Thanks for your help. ...jill

SDC Comments

Susan Mark (WY)

Definition says uses of internet computers. It's not connected to the internet, so wouldn't (theoretically) be counted as a use.

Whether the average library is abiding by that distinction, however, is a whole different issue.

This sounds like a count it locally and brag on it if you want thing.

Robert Jones (IL)

I agree. R.

Laura Jones (AZ)

Concur.

Jamie McCanless (WI)

In Wisconsin, we collect both the number of public use computers and the number of public use computers connected to the Internet. Here, then, I would count kids educational gaming computers in the former but not the latter (basically, what Susan just wrote). The gaming computers wouldn’t be included in children’s programming without there being a “group attending”.

Ann Reed (OR)

Tritto!

Beth Bisbano (PA)

Just curious and I’m not real savvy with tech details, but how are you pulling in the number of users for this particular computer set up? I think I understand how internet users are collected, but I’m not clear on this process.

And to go a step further, some of our libraries have Job Centers where people use the computers to type up resumes. I’m guessing that would be a similar case.

Thanks

Joyce Chapman (NC)

According to my library directors, the AWE computers and tablets track metrics and have reporting capabilities so it’s really easy to get the usage statistics. AWE stations are what we have in NC, not sure if that’s what you’ve got too http://www.awelearning.com/en/markets/libraries/publiclibraries/.  There are a lot of AWE computers throughout our state, many of them funded with LSTA money by the State Library. It’s really too bad that usage data has not been tracked over time for these. Particularly at this moment, since our new governor is very interested in early literacy and it would have been a useful statistic to be able to incorporate into our discussion about what public libraries are doing to support that.

We are probably going to add local questions on our PLS next year to track the number of early literacy stations and their usage statistics.

Robert Jones (IL)

We here in Illinois very well may do the same.