Visualizing Library Impact

Description: We created accessible dashboards of the core functions of our library, including physical collections, spaces, user services, electronic resources, events, and engagement. Our dashboards provide insight into how the library is being used and by whom. They also demonstrate our value to and impact on the university. We sought feedback from library leadership on the dashboards to ensure that the data supports their goals and priorities, and is useful to their teams and their decision making. To ensure that our dashboards are accessible to all users in our campus community, we applied best practices in accessibility. We used a color contrast checker to see which university brand colors have adequate contrast and can be used together on graphs. We also ensured that interactive elements, such as buttons and filters, are consistently styled across the dashboards. By adhering to website design conventions, we made the functionality of these interactive elements clear and intuitive for viewers. Overall, our dashboards promote a culture of data-driven decision making, so that library leadership can use them to make choices that better serve users. In addition to the internal dashboards, we plan to develop public-facing dashboards to demonstrate our value to users, and to foster a culture of transparency and continuous improvement.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this webinar, attendees will learn:

• The value in putting their organizational data in one place and making it accessible to internal and external stakeholders;
• How to make their dashboards accessible; and
• How to complete a similar project at their own libraries, by learning about our process.

Who Should Attend: Library leadership and librarians who create data visualizations.

Presenters:

Josie Cotton has been the User Experience Librarian at Case Western Reserve University since 2023. Her primary duties are conducting user research, developing organization-wide data dashboards, and leading the library’s Website Committee. Through user research, such as usability testing and focus groups, she aims to better understand and meet the needs of library users. This research, along with her organizational dashboards, promote a culture of data-driven decision making in the library.

For the past ten years, Liz Bober has served as the Assessment Librarian at Case Western Reserve University. In her role, Liz's responsibilities are diverse, but her primary focus is on assessing library activities, supporting the strategic plan for Kelvin Smith Library, and ensuring that the library's value and impact are effectively communicated to stakeholders. As the lead for all aspects of the assessment process and user experience programs, Liz plays a crucial role in enhancing the library's services and outreach.

Tech Requirements