More Information About Data Collection for Virtual Programs

Please note the following additional information in reference to the following post: http://yssevents.blogspot.com/2020/03/data-collection-for-virtual-programs.html

"When thinking about quantifying your library’s efforts to provide programming virtually - whether that be livestreaming on social media, recording programs and posting the recording to a video sharing website, or some other method for connecting with your library users - be sure you are tracking that attendance in a way that is meaningful to your library.

For the Wisconsin Public Library Annual Report, it is important to remember if you are providing virtual programming for your users you may only include livestreaming views and live interactions with programs in the Programs and Program Attendance Annual Count portion of the annual report. Views of program recordings (after the fact) are not counted on the annual report, though you are encouraged to share those numbers with your library board if you track them.

We have made extensive resources available in the Wisconsin Public Library Annual Report Instructions Library Programs section to help you determine the difference between what counts as a program and program attendance and what is something you may be interested in counting locally to help quantify your local efforts but is not reported on the annual report.

We anticipate seeing a decline in hours and weeks open to the public, program numbers and program attendance, circulation of traditional materials, and public computer use in Wisconsin public libraries. It is more important that you can communicate in a meaningful way to your library board and your community your efforts to serve them during a public health crisis by discussing the ways your service has adapted to meet users where they are. Telling your story to your community and being available to serve them is the most important thing you can do right now."

Looking for more information?

Check out the DPI's COVID-19 page: https://dpi.wi.gov/pld/boards-directors/disaster-planning/coronavirus

A huge thank you to Tessa Michaelson Schmidt for sharing this information!

Wisconsin Resources YSS blog COVID-19 series:

• WI Annual Report Summer Programming Update  7/8/20
• Data Collection for Virtual Programs 3/17/20
• More Info on Data Collection for Virtual Programs 3/19/20

Friday FAQs with Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

• 4/10/20 recording      
• 4/17/20 recording          
• 4/24/20 recording       
• 5/1/20 recording        
• 5/8/20 recording
• 5/15/20 recording     
• 5/22/20 recording
• 5/29/20 recording
• 6/5/20 recording
• 6/11/20 recording
• 6/19/20 recording
• 6/26/20 recording
• 7/10/20 recording
• 7/17/20 recording
• 7/31/20 recording
• 8/14/20 recording
• 9/11/20 recording
• 10/9/20 recording
• 11/13/20 recording
• 12/11/20 recording

Data Collection for Virtual Programs

[Note: For additional updated information on this post, please see this March 19 update on the blog]

Dear Library Staff Serving Youth,

Compassionate greetings to you all during these unprecedented times. I know that many of you are responding to library closures, cleaning materials, and offering virtual resources to children and families, amongst numerous other efforts right now.

Specifically regarding virtual programming, I wanted to share the following detail about data collection for virtual attendance. Livestreaming numbers should be counted for attendance - views of recordings should not. 

It's tricky with online platforms to measure attendance in a meaningful way. This article from Boxcast that explains the differences in measuring using those platforms. For example, if you're scrolling through your Facebook feed and the library's livestream starts auto-playing and you let it auto play for 3 seconds - Facebook counts that viewer as viewer who watched for "a significant amount of time."

I hope this information is helpful to you.

Be well,

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

Public Library Consultant – Youth and Inclusive Services

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

(608) 267-5077

tessa.schmidt@dpi.wi.gov

Wisconsin Resources YSS blog COVID-19 series:

• WI Annual Report Summer Programming Update  7/8/20
• Data Collection for Virtual Programs 3/17/20
• More Info on Data Collection for Virtual Programs 3/19/20

Friday FAQs with Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

• 4/10/20 recording      
• 4/17/20 recording          
• 4/24/20 recording       
• 5/1/20 recording        
• 5/8/20 recording
• 5/15/20 recording     
• 5/22/20 recording
• 5/29/20 recording
• 6/5/20 recording
• 6/11/20 recording
• 6/19/20 recording
• 6/26/20 recording
• 7/10/20 recording
• 7/17/20 recording
• 7/31/20 recording
• 8/14/20 recording
• 9/11/20 recording
• 10/9/20 recording
• 11/13/20 recording
• 12/11/20 recording

It's Time For the Annual End-of-Summer Survey!

Calling all Wisconsin Public Library Staff who offered a Summer Reading Program/Summer Library Program in 2019!  We need you...yes, YOU...to fill out an end-of-summer survey and help advocate for youth services. 

The following email was sent earlier today by Tessa Michaelson Schmidt:

This is a friendly reminder to complete the end-of-summer survey. The audience for the survey is public library staff who played an active role in administering or running 2019 summer library programming regardless if you used the “Universe of Stories” theme. Please complete the survey between now and September 27, 2019.  Multiple library staff from the same library should complete the sections of the survey most relevant to their work; e.g. children, teen, or adult programs.

Beginning in 2019, the Public Library Development (PLD) Team will conduct an annual end-of-the-summer survey about the summer library program in concert with the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP).  PLD coordinates a summer reading program on behalf of Wisconsin's public libraries through membership to the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) and free access to the all-ages manual. Through the state-sponsored membership to CSLP, Wisconsin libraries are able to purchase high-quality program materials at a low cost. Your input on this survey is vital to the future of this program.

If you've already taken the time to fill out the survey, thanks so much!  If you haven't, there's still plenty of time!  Click HERE to get started and help validate the importance of support and available resources for all of Wisconsin's library staff serving youth and the communities they serve.

Data on Kids in WI

Kris Adams Wendt, Public Library Consultant for Wisconsin Valley Library Service shares some great info with state youth consultants and we share it with YOU. Kris writes:

I ran across Wisconsin Council on Children and Families changes name to Kids Forward during my morning media scan and wondered how many around the YSANDSN table were aware of this organization and the work they do.

When you have a minute, I encourage you to poke around the Kids Forward website, paying particular attention to the WisKids Count page. 

WisKids Count tracks, analyzes, synthesizes, and communicates data about the health and well-being of children and families in Wisconsin. WisKids Count is a part of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Kids Count project which seeks to enrich local, state and national discussions concerning ways to secure better futures for all children.


The Kids Count Data Center provides access to a wide range on data on indicators of child well-being in Wisconsin. Using the tools in the Data Center, you can easily create a profile of your county or school district. For more information on how to use the Kids Count Data Center, see our instructional presentation.

Demystifing Youth Services Counts and Definitions on the Annual Report

That time of year has arrived. Yes, it's annual report time! As you compile Youth Services statistics for the report, there are two documents that will help clarify and demystify what you want to report posted on the WI Department of Public Instruction website.

The first document is Definitions and Examples which covers information about YS-related data included in the annual report.

The second document A Closer Look at Literacy Offerings does a terrific job explaining and illustrating just what comprises a literacy offering and how to count it and associated programs. It will make your job easier.

Major kudos to the folks on the Public Library Development Team and Tessa Michaelson-Schmidt, our Youth and Inclusive Services Consultant at the WI Department of Public Instruction, for their work on taking the mystery out of how to define and count the important work we do in Youth Services throughout the state.

Kids Count Data Center

 

 Here's another great resource for understanding kids and families in our communities!  KIDS COUNT is a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation to track the well-being of children in the United States. By providing high-quality data and trend analysis through its KIDS COUNT Data Center, the Foundation seeks to enrich local, state and national discussions concerning ways to secure better futures for all children - and to raise the visibility of children's issues.

Librarians can use this powerful database  to search demographic information by age, race, and location.  The data can be broken down by county/school district/city/region and into a number of topic areas, including: demographics, economic well-being, education, family & community, health, and more.  KIDS COUNT is easy to navigate, offers a wealth of information to librarians, and can be a go-to for data regarding local communities.  Visit the site HERE.