[Libs-Or] Tracking Statistics for Virtual Programs

Sat Sep 26 11:34:40 PDT 2020

Thanks to all who responded to my question from a few weeks ago about the best ways to track statistics for virtual programs.  Here are the compiled responses:

-          Steven Engelfried, Library Services Manager

Wilsonville Public Library

I don't do the tracking at my library, but I did some web searching and found some fun information.

Websites on Counting Virtual Attendance

Butts in Seats: Which Video Metrics Count as Attendance in the New World of Virtual Library Programming
https://superlibrarymarketing.com/2020/04/27/videoviews/<https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/G0RbCL9D7gTl8NDSBeo47/>
Has an overview of what counts as attendance.  Gives specific information about how to find statistics on different platforms.

State Guidelines on virtual programming:
Oregon: https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/c.php?g=933551&p=6729377<https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/c.php?g=933551&p=6729377>
Illinois: https://il.countingopinions.com/docs/il/VirtualProgrammingGuidelinesfortheIPLAR.pdf<https://il.countingopinions.com/docs/il/VirtualProgrammingGuidelinesfortheIPLAR.pdf>
Rhode Island: https://olis.ri.gov/stats/pls/instructions/virtualprog-guideFY20.pdf<https://olis.ri.gov/stats/pls/instructions/virtualprog-guideFY20.pdf>
Texas:  https://www.tsl.texas.gov/sites/default/files/public/tslac/ld/summerreading/2020/Counting%20Virtual%20Programming%20handout.pdf<https://www.tsl.texas.gov/sites/default/files/public/tslac/ld/summerreading/2020/Counting%20Virtual%20Programming%20handout.pdf>
Vermont: https://libraries.vermont.gov/covid19/librarystats<https://libraries.vermont.gov/covid19/librarystats>

Best wishes,
Tara Morissette
Library Assistant @ Oregon City Public Library

Hi all,
I wanted to follow up on Steven Engelfried's question posted on Libs-Or and Kids-Lib this Wednesday regarding virtual programming statistics. I would also love to hear from libraries about what you're tracking, what platforms you are using, and what stats are meaningful to you locally. We are all obviously in a weird moment in time right now, but as Steven points out it's looking like virtual programming is likely here to stay.

At the risk of hijacking Steven's thread, I just wanted to mention that we will be adding a number of new questions next year to the 2021 Oregon Public Library Statistical Report to help facilitate better reporting on (and data about) virtual programs statewide, and some of these new measures will eventually be reflected in the IMLS' national Public Libraries Survey data<https://www.imls.gov/research-evaluation/data-collection/public-libraries-survey> we contribute to each year. These changes will attempt to track virtual program efforts during this current fiscal year (July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021), so please consider tracking these efforts now if you aren't already. The good news is that most social media platforms should allow you to pull stats for any given time frame down the road.

For those currently helping report on programming stats at your library for the 2020 Oregon Public Library Statistical Report, I'll share again some basic guidance regarding what to include in the Statistical Report's general programing questions:

*         If your library has offered synchronous/live, programs, please include those in the appropriate program categories in Questions 7.03 - 7.10<https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/c.php?g=933551&p=6729377>. Please do not include stats for pre-recorded/asynchronous programs. I realize this is not capturing the full COVID-era picture of library programming, but this reflects the national consensus for public library stats this year.

Obviously, there is a lot of squishiness (yes, that's a technical term) with social media platform stats, and what we will ultimately ask your libraries to report at the state (and national) level might not totally align with what your library and community finds valuable depending on each platform - and that is totally OKAY! But as Steven has already called for, there is benefit to having these discussions to share what folks are currently finding useful.

As a means of offering some basic help getting started with tracking virtual programming statistics at your library, I've recently posted a copy of some very good guidelines, created by my colleague Yana Demireva at the Maryland State Library, to our Public Library Stats LibGuide (here under Question 7.10<https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/c.php?g=933551&p=6729377>). Just please note that we are excluding stats on pre-recorded/asynchronous programs from the 2020 Statistical Report.

Happy Friday, and please stay safe and sane!

Ross Fuqua
Data & Federal Programs Consultant
ross.fuqua at state.or.us<mailto:ross.fuqua at state.or.us>| oregon.gov/library/libraries<https://www.oregon.gov/library/libraries>
Follow us: Instagram<https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/puReCqx57juJZ30iNVhfi/> | Facebook<https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/6VuPCrk580C4EYVHN2-8D/> | Twitter<https://twitter.com/statelibraryor> | Pinterest<https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/k-KpCwp5VjugKm8uQsz5h/>

Recently I was asked to turn in my stats for our fiscal year, so I understand the confusion in this process.
We decided to track our Facebook posts (Storytime, craft demonstrations, etc.) geared toward kids and families by engagements.
Facebook example: For the month of April we posted 5 virtual programs and had 316 engagements.
Our teen Instagram page didn't start until May and we have been trying to reach this age group through this account and are tracking this one by Likes (or views, meaning who actually saw it). This account was more difficult to really grasp a good understanding.
Instagram Teen example: For the month of May we made 14 posts and had 218 Likes (or views)
I hope this helps and would love to see what other answers you get from other libraries.
Good Luck,
Marian Rose
Youth Services Librarian
Seaside Public Library
503-738-6742
mrose at cityofseaside.us<mailto:mrose at cityofseaside.us>

I'm figuring out how to navigate that as well. I've been tracking our stats from YouTube. First I had been keeping track of the month and then subtracting the stats already counted.

My library director and I have agreed for now to just go back and count the online program stats for the current and previous month (the new ones) and drop those stats after that. It was getting cumbersome to track. And... some storytime videos must be favorites of some kids because they continue to have high numbers that we are missing out on. For the most part the numbers drop off significantly for our posted online programs after the first month.

I'm very interested to hear what others are doing. Especially as we are looking at programming continuing mostly virtually for some time.

Take care,
Korie

Korie Jones Buerkle
Assistant Library Director | Children's Librarian
Newberg Public Library
Office: 503 554 7734 | Children's Desk: 503 537 0304
She, her, hers

This free webinar on Assessing Virtual Programs<https://www.everylibraryinstitute.org/free_webinar_assessing_virtual_programs_with_nick_tanzi?utm_campaign=4_new_free_webinars&utm_medium=email&utm_source=votelibraries> from Every Library has some great info! The TL;DR version is to set consistent guidelines and procedures based on your library's offerings and reporting needs, with lots of different examples of what to consider.

At OC, we're counting stats in 3 categories for our youth services virtual events: live programs, on-demand programs, and passive programs. Live programs count the number of people who attend in real time, on-demand programs count the number of video views in the 2 weeks following the video's debut, and passive programs count the number of engagements with online content in the 2 weeks following the initial post.

Examples: 11 people attended Harry Potter Trivia, 125 people watched our "Very Hungry Caterpillar" video between August 14-August 28, 9 people reacted/shared/commented on our LEGO Lab From Home: Letter P post on Facebook & Instagram between July 1-14.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Thanks,
Barratt

Steven Engelfried
Library Services Manager
City of Wilsonville

503.570.1690
engelfried at wilsonvillelibrary.org<mailto:engelfried at wilsonvillelibrary.org>
www.wilsonvillelibrary.org<http://www.wilsonvillelibrary.org/>
Facebook.com/Wilsonville-Library<http://www.facebook.com/CityofWilsonville>
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29799 SW Town Center Loop East, Wilsonville, OR 97070

The Wilsonville Library is now open limited hours for the pickup of held items, with physical distancing controls in place. During COVID-19, we wish to remain responsive while prioritizing the health and safety of the Wilsonville community. We are happy to meet by call or teleconference as an alternative to face-to-face meetings.

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