Book bans, program cancellations, accusations of bias β libraries across the country are facing unprecedented scrutiny and are leveraging technology to respond.
The Denver Public Library took a proactive step in 2022 by asking its community a simple question: βIs the library a trusted institution?β
The results revealed that while the majority of respondents trusted libraries, some had doubts. But the Denver Public Library is not immune to this reality.
Rather than burying that data, residents will be able to view it online. Officials also make no secret that the return on investment (ROI) for library services has declined from a high of $245 in 2017 to $59.94 in the last reported period of 2021.
The data points are just a few of the rich metrics you'll see on the 2021 Libraries Strategic Roadmap Dashboard.
Dashboards don't just show you the numbers, they dig deeper and provide context and explanation about the story your data tells.
In the case of a decrease in ROI, the written explanation states that the ROI was the sharpest decrease in 2020 as a result of reduced visitor numbers, circulation, and programs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to people returning to use the library's services. It is detailed that there is a slight increase as the number of people increases.
Library staff decided to make these metrics public so the public can learn what the institution is doing, how it's doing, and what's coming next.
We don't just wear fluffy, flowery things. We are honest about where we are not doing as well as we would like or where there is room for improvement.
Kirsten Decker, Denver Public Library Strategy and Evaluation Manager
“We had more questions, but we also had better conversations,” said Kirsten Decker, strategy and evaluation manager at the Denver Public Library. βOne of the values ββI see in this public dashboard is that itβs not just about wearing something fluffy and flowery. We're honest about what's not going well or where there's room for improvement.β
The Denver Public Library has partnered with cloud-based strategy and performance management platform Envisio to create the dashboard. Envisio says the number of library customers using its software has increased 400% over the past three years.
βThis is about providing information to residents, expanding their role in the community and helping them understand the value of libraries through these polarized times and the love we all have for libraries. It's a testament to the fact that there's a real desire not to.'' said Envisio's Vice President of Marketing, Liz Steward.
Transparency in turbulent times
In recent years, there has been a rapid increase in the number of people trying to find books. Some residents even labeled the books “criminal,” called police, and asked law enforcement officials to respond to libraries with suspected inappropriate content on their shelves.
According to a report from washington postMany states are considering or passing laws that would allow librarians to be prosecuted for providing obscene material to minors, subject to large fines and even prison terms.
The American Library Association (ALA) Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF) announced that unique title challenges jumped 65 percent in 2023 compared to 2022, reaching the highest level ever recorded. did. The organization compiles data on book objections from reports submitted to OIF, reports by library experts in the field, and national news articles. This number is not a complete list as unreported issues are not included in the data.
In 2023, public libraries were subject to appeals, according to OIF. The number of books censored in public libraries increased by 92% compared to the previous year. School libraries saw an 11% increase in censored publications through 2022.
Build trust with data
While the Denver Public Library has not yet been directly affected by the book ban, neighboring libraries have.
In response to the controversy, the library plans to expand its dashboard to include circulation trends and allow anyone to see what types of books are being borrowed in each zip code.
“What we want to show is the circulation trends and that we're not imposing anything specific on the community,” Decker said. βSomeone comes in and says, βThis is what Iβm looking for,β and we circulate it.β
Meanwhile, Denver's dashboard has focused on inclusion. The data reflects indicators in three key categories: access and enrichment, space and place, and culture and organizational health.
It includes progress notes on initiatives and provides transparency on the status of current programs and goals. Explanations will be provided if there are roadblocks in the effort, such as expanding language programming to include other major languages ββspoken in Denver, such as Amharic, Somali, Vietnamese, and Arabic. If your language expansion is stalled, the note explains: βChallenges in recruiting for administrator roles have delayed this action for some languages. Others, including Vietnamese, are well on their way.β
Data governance issues in libraries
Decker acknowledged that although the library aims to be transparent and provide accurate information to the community, there are obstacles to consistently collecting clean and accurate data. .
Because the Denver Public Library serves everyone, including those without library cards, it can be difficult to know when and who to ask questions to collect data.
βWhat my team is often working on is how can we standardize our expectations around the type of data we're collecting,β Decker said. βWe have made tremendous progress in terms of how we collect data and the types of questions we ask when collecting demographic questions. , and we had a really hard time developing clear guidelines for when and when not to ask customers for more information about how they use our systems.β
This data challenge resonates with libraries across the country. Industry groups like ALA and the Council of Urban Libraries are creating frameworks and tools to help libraries manage data governance responsibly and balance transparency and privacy concerns.
The Denver Public Library's journey highlights the evolving role of data in library decision-making. Voters want to know what's going on behind the scenes, and dashboards respond to the public's demand for responsible, data-informed public institutions.