The Data Dude – Public Library Survey

Well, sometimes things might be important but a little fluffy. This week is the week of fluff (or a week off of fluff, if you have a different perspective). The annual IMLS Public Library Survey is set to begin on November 12, 2014. For those of you who are new directors, it might be wise to familiarize yourself with the survey and instructions. Take a peek at the Bibliostat Collect portion of the data services section of the NLC website, which has instructions, tips, and other tidbits to help you complete the survey. Keep in mind that the survey is required for your library to receive state aid if you are accredited. If you aren’t accredited and have no desire (let’s just acknowledge that — there is no shame), you still have an incentive to complete the survey ($200), called Dollar$ for Data. 200 bucks is, well, 200 bucks. The Dude is here to help you throughout the process, understands your frustration with parts of it, and will make every attempt to transmit empathy. Keep in mind that this is the Dude’s first survey, so please be patient and we all will get through it together. For issues with how to report all the high tech downloadable services that many of you are offering, there is a sleek chart that was created to assist you that is posted on the NLC website. The Dude owes it to his colleagues in OH, KY, and TX for this cheat sheet. I hope it will be of value to you. The Dude realizes the reporting categories aren’t perfect, so keep that in mind. Finally, the Dude needs to mention that there is a new data element to be aware of, wireless internet sessions – annual. The rationale for collecting this data is that wireless internet availability is an increasing service offered by many libraries. It is important to have national and state data on the use of wireless services in public libraries. The obvious question is: How on earth do I track and report this data? Well, a number of different ways, and there are a number of tips, all described below, that may be helpful to you, your ISP, and tech support person:

1. Estimate. This is a new data element, so it is perfectly ok to collect data from a typical day, week, or month and estimate yearly use by doing the math. It is unreasonable to assume you will automatically have a system in place that has collected all of this data. Maybe you do, and that’s great; however, it is acceptable to estimate based on an average week or month.
2. Network logs. Data from your Wi-Fi hardware log will generally be the most accurate source for counting wireless sessions. In order to collect accurate data, make sure that your hardware log is set for a minimum of 12-24 hours.
3. Network scanning. Every device that connects to your Wi-Fi network broadcasts a unique identifier called a MAC address. A free network scanner like SoftPerfect Network Scanner may help in this collection.
4. Web Analytics. Most public Wi-Fi services require authentication to connect. This usually means entering an ID or password. Sometimes, it presents users with a “splash” page requiring them to agree to “terms of service” or “acceptable use” policies. If your library requires authentication, you can track the use with a web analytics tool such as Google Analytics. Make sure you only include data from successful logins.
5. Hardware. These may be the more expensive solutions to gathering data, but nonetheless should be mentioned for those looking to upgrade hardware. These include Cisco Meraki, Aerohive, and UniFi.
6. Other downloadable software. Other potential solutions worth mentioning include open source PfSense, which has a number of potential uses in addition to reporting and monitoring Wi-Fi use, such as a firewall, router, wireless access point, or server. Another free solution is Who’s on My Wi-Fi, which will track the users and then record the data for later retrieval.
7. Old school method. While potentially more intrusive to your library’s users, this is certainly a viable option, especially for smaller libraries. It involves using a clipboard (or maintaining a computer file) and visually monitoring the library users, or require them to sign in at the desk if they use the Wi-Fi. If you are employing this method, make sure you take samples during “normal” times (e.g. not during holidays, special events, etc.), and count each visit as a “session” (e.g. if the library user leaves and then comes back later in the day, count as two sessions).
8. Staff use. Include staff use of the Wi-Fi, using the standards outlined in network logs, web analytics, network scanning, software, or the old school method above.

The library network has also made a Best Practices guide available for technical support persons working on gathering this data. Note that it mentions multiplying a weekly sample by 50 to “annualize it”. This accounts for times when the library might be closed or holidays. Our survey instructions indicate to estimate based on 52 weeks; if you library is closed during holiday times please adjust accordingly (e.g. multiply by 50 if necessary to account for closures). Shaka.