Data Tools for Library Groups and States

ACRL and PLA staff discuss the data and assessment products, Project Outcome and Benchmark, and how they can help your group, consortia, or state library administrative agency. Libraries across the country use these tools for benchmarking, understanding trends, advocating for better resources, and assessment. Utilizing the group functionalities of these tools will allow you and your group’s member libraries to easily use peer data, standardized measurements, and robust interactive reporting tools to demonstrate the value of library programs and services.

Originally presented December 11, 2023.

Find out more about Project Outcome for academic libraries at https://acrl.projectoutcome.org/ or for public libraries at https://www.projectoutcome.org/.

Find out more about Benchmark for academic libraries at https://www.ala.org/acrl/proftools/benchmark or public libraries at https://www.ala.org/pla/data/benchmark.

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this free on-demand webinar, participants will be able to:

• Understand the different data collected by Benchmark and Project Outcome;
• Learn how group accounts can be an asset to the consortia or state library, as well as individual libraries; and
• Understand the different levels of access that are available for the tools.

Additional Resources

• Slideshow (PDF)
• Project Outcome for public libraries: https://www.projectoutcome.org/
• Project Outcome for academic libraries: https://acrl.projectoutcome.org/
• Project Outcome 101 webinar recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHIpfutXJ44
• Info about Project Outcome group accounts: ACRL – https://acrl.projectoutcome.org/pages/5 or PLA – email info@projectoutcome.org
• Project Outcome training opportunities: ACRL – https://acrl.projectoutcome.org/pages/4 or PLA – https://www.projectoutcome.org/surveys-resources/training (login required)
• Project Outcome questions: contact acrl@projectoutcome.org for academic libraries or info@projectoutcome.org for public libraries
• Benchmark: https://librarybenchmark.org/
• Benchmark info for public libraries – PLA website: https://www.ala.org/pla/data/benchmark
• PLA Benchmark video tutorials: https://vimeo.com/showcase/10468218
• PLA Benchmark 101 webinar recording: https://www.ala.org/pla/education/onlinelearning/webinars/ondemand/benchmark101
• Benchmark info for academic libraries – ACRL website: https://www.ala.org/acrl/proftools/benchmark
• Benchmark questions: contact acrlbenchmark@ala.org for academic libraries or plabenchmark@ala.org for public libraries.

Who Should Attend

This on-demand webinar is intended for stakeholders, administrators, and member leaders of consortia, state library administrative agencies, or other library groups.

Panelists

Sara Goek (she/her) is project manager, data and research, at PLA. She is responsible for supporting PLA’s data and research efforts and developing related training content.

Katina Jones (she/her) is PLA’s program manager for evaluation and assessment. She supports Project Outcome, Benchmark, PLA's annual topical surveys, and other data and evaluation work.

Gena Parsons-Diamond (she/her) is the program manager, data and research at ACRL. She is responsible for the management of ACRL’s three data products: Project Outcome, Benchmark, and the Threshold Achievement Test for Information Literacy (TATIL).