Evaluation

Comprehensive 5-year evaluation complete

reportcover2Another evaluation project successfully completed by AmaLat Consulting LLC!

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) distributes more than $150 million in federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds to 50 plus State Library Agencies each year. This is the largest source of federal funding for libraries in the United States.

In New York State, LSTA funds are used to support a wide variety of programming and services for libraries and library systems of all types, their staff…and of course, USERS! Some examples of LSTA-funded programs include NOVELNY (the statewide virtual library), Ready to Read at New York Libraries, and the Summer Reading Program.

Every five years, IMLS requires State Library Agencies to develop a new plan detailing their proposed use of LSTA funds, and this plan is based on a comprehensive, independent evaluation. I was hired by the New York State Library as an independent consultant to complete their 5-Year LSTA Evaluation for 2012-2017.

This report is now available on the IMLS website.

To learn more about LSTA and the IMLS Grants to States Program, click here.

A terrific group!

I just conducted a Basic Outcome-Based Evaluation Workshop at the Mid York Library System in Utica for library staff across the state. What a wonderful two days!

obe-workshop

The participants really make these workshops, as we do a great deal of team work/discussion. And this group did not disappoint. We covered a lot of ground and many topics facing libraries today.

I want to thank this group of terrific librarians for attending the workshop, and the Mid York Library System for hosting us! Happy planning and evaluating!

PLA’s Project Outcome

In preparation for the Outcome-Based Evaluation Workshop I am conducting next month, I’ve been researching the Public Library Association’s new, national evaluation initiative, Project Outcome. As this is really a unique program and one with great potential, I wanted to share it here.

project-outcome

Here’s more info from the Project Outcome website (shown above):

What is Project Outcome?

We help public libraries understand and share the true impact of their services and programs with simple surveys and an easy-to-use process to measure and analyze outcomes. Project Outcome is a free toolkit offering libraries access to training, data analytics, and standardized surveys that measure outcomes in seven key library service areas:

  • Civic/Community Engagement
  • Digital Literacy
  • Early Childhood Literacy
  • Economic Development
  • Education/Lifelong Learning
  • Job Skills
  • Summer Reading

Note that an account must be created to view the many resources put together by Project Outcome. There isn’t much available on the website unless you sign up and gain access. But it’s free! From there you can learn more about participating and collecting/analyzing evaluation data for your public library. Check it out!

Inspiration at ILEAD USA

The first ILEAD USA in-person session was held at the end of March at the Mid York Library System in Utica, NY. It was three days of training, networking, and INSPIRATION!

I want to thank the eight teams for participating and Mid York for hosting. The NY State Library has more in-person sessions planned for June and October, and I’m excited to see the team projects progress. Each team is developing an innovative project that uses technology to meet a community need.

We did a bunch of brainstorming in March using outcome-based evaluation (OBE), and the projects are really taking shape. If you need help with project planning and evaluation, please feel free to visit the State Library’s site for the OBE worksheets we used.

Now back to the inspiration! As ILEAD is a national program with multiple states participating, keynote speakers were streamed from Illinois for all states to view. One really stood out for me in terms of its creative and thought-provoking look at libraries and their future. Check out Eli Neiburger’s presentation:

ILEAD USA: A leadership and technology immersion program for librarians

ileadlogoI’m glad to be getting back to my blog! Where did the fall go?

It’s the cold/flu/stomach bug season here, and I have three young children. Enough said. Thankfully, we’re healthy for the moment!

I’m writing today to share a new and very exciting project (and one that AmaLat Consulting is helping to coordinate). The NY State Library has opened up registration for ILEAD USA, a FREE leadership immersion program for all types of librarians in NY. The deadline to put a team together and apply is January 25, 2015.

Here is some info from the website:

During 2015, the New York State Library, in partnership with the New York Library Association and the Mid-York Library System, is collaborating with state library agencies from Illinois, Delaware, Maine, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, and Wisconsin to implement ILEAD USA – a nationwide leadership immersion program utilizing web technologies, expanding library staff’s leadership skills and their ability to use participatory technology. Participants work in teams to address an identified community need and will be assisted by mentors/instructors in developing a successful project.

See http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/ilead/index.html for more details and the online application.

Also to note, we are looking for team mentors and instructors. See the above link for those applications as well, or feel free to contact me.

This is a truly unique opportunity for librarians to work together to meet community needs in new and innovative ways. It is also a program that has been well-received and very successful in other states.

I invite you to check it out!