SDC Commenting Period: March 3 - 14 - COMMENTING PERIOD HAS NOW ENDED.
Ballot will be sent out week of March 24 for a 3 week balloting period.
FY2014 Data Element Proposal submitted before SDC Annual Meeting:
http://plsc.pbworks.com/w/page/67874172/FY%202014%20Data%20Element%20Proposals
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Balloting Period March 26 - April 18, 2014
Propsosed FY 2014 PLS Data Elements for ballot.pdf
Proposed New Data Elements:
1. Wireless Sessions – Annually
Definition: Report the number of wireless sessions provided by the library wireless service annually.
Rationale: Wireless internet service is a key and increasing service of libraries. It makes sense to have a national statistic regarding the level of service to monitor trends and to inform local, state and national broadband policies and initiatives. The information would come from wireless service providers and/or software.
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Proposed Changed Data Elements:
1. 502 Reference Transaction (see current definition: 502 Reference Transactions)
Reference Transactions are information consultations in which library staff recommend, interpret, evaluate, and/or use information resources to help others to meet particular information needs.
A reference transaction includes information and referral service as well as unscheduled individual instruction and assistance in using information sources (including web sites and computer-assisted instruction).Count Readers Advisory questions as reference transactions.
Information sources include (a) printed and non-printed material; (b) machine-readable databases (including computer-assisted instruction); (c) the library's own catalogs and other holdings records; (d) other libraries and institutions through communication or referral; and (e) persons both inside and outside the library.
When a staff member uses information gained from previous use of information sources to answer a question, the transaction is reported as a reference transaction even if the source is not consulted again.
If a contact includes both reference and directional services, it should be reported as one reference transaction. Duration should not be an element in determining whether a transaction is a reference transaction.
NOTE: It is essential that libraries do not include directional transactions in the report of reference transactions. Directional transactions include giving instruction for locating staff, library users, or physical features within the library. Examples of directional transactions include, “Where is the reference librarian? Where is Susan Smith? Where is the rest room? Where are the 600s? Can you help me make a photocopy?”
If an annual count of reference transactions is unavailable, count reference transactions during a typical week or weeks, and multiply the count to represent an annual estimate. [If the sample is done four times a year, multiply totals by 13, if done twice a year multiply by 26, if done only annually, multiply by 52.] A "typical week" is a time that is neither unusually busy nor unusually slow. Avoid holiday times, vacation periods for key staff, or days when unusual events are taking place in the community or in the library. Choose a week in which the library is open its regular hours.
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Proposed Deleted Data Elements:
1. 710 Metropolitan Status Code
IMLS would obtain the Metropolitan Status Code during the geocoding process of the data in the compilation phase of the survey cycle. The C_MSA data will be placed on the file for release. This item would not appear in WebPLUS.
Comments (2)
Kim Miller said
at 2:17 am on Mar 13, 2014
Posting on behalf of Michele Balliet Unrath:
We at the North Dakota State Library, are extremely hesitant to start counting wireless sessions at the national level, due to the reasons outlined
a) Undue burden on public libraries, as we have not at this point, been made aware of exactly what the data would be used for
b) No I.T. staff at majority of libraries to log-in to routers and obtain figures. No software available statewide.
c) Inconsistency of data, as we don’t have specific guidelines/protocols in place nationally to ensure that collected figures would be uniformly compiled
1. Is wi-fi available 24 hrs/day or only when library is open to the public?
2. Is wi-fi password protected; if so, is password changed daily, weekly, monthly?
3. Are only “in-house” sessions counted; how about individuals accessing the network from outside, parking lot, etc.?
4. What if a family comes in to the library with a visible ipad and 3 non-visible phones that are all connecting to wi-fi?
Michael Golrick said
at 4:54 am on Mar 13, 2014
I understand Michele's concerns. My state is collecting this data element for the second time, and there are some inconsistencies in the data.
However, until we ask for it to be reported, some (not all, but some) libraries will not go to the trouble of trying to collect the data.
As use of the library and the resource it provides changes over time, it has become clear to me that wireless use is an important service. In my state we are about to undertake, for the second time, a survey of our libraries to ask if the library is the only location in the community with free wifi. In many communities, and usually the smaller more rural communities, this will be true. There are businesses (think fast food) which offer free wifi, but there is an implicit assumption that you will purchase *something* at their establishment. Public libraries are often the only place where truly "free" services are offered.
I firmly believe that we need this data to support our arguments about the value of library services. The first three questions which Michele raises are interesting, but I think are becoming less important as time goes on. The fourth question is a dilemma, but I would still suggest that the major use of the statistic will be to track changes over time. As long as the data is consistent from year to year, question 4 becomes irrelevant. Use will rise as more people visit the library or as people visit the library more often.
I would finally comment that this data element is no less fraught with issues than some of our other long-standing ones such as "reference transactions" [502] and "computer uses" [651].
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