Presenter: Name: Becca Munson

Title: Coodinator of Library Systems
Organization/School: Blue Valley School District

Program Description
How can librarians leverage data to improve their professional practice and increase advocacy opportunities? Join one school district’s journey to explore this question and others as they utilize a variety of data sources with intention.

Cristy Bolton, K-12 Library Media Coordinator, and Becca Munson, Library Services Coordinator for the Blue Valley School District, provide details to a multistep and systematic process - gathering, reflecting, and presenting the data.

Beginning in 2021, all building librarians provided collaboration and cooperation numbers along with budget details, staffing, and other individual building initiatives to the district library coordinator each quarter. From this initial data, Cristy Bolton developed district advocacy reports for district administrators, including the superintendent. The reports focused on the library program’s mission of flexible scheduling, collaboration, and literacy and how it aligned with the district’s strategic plan. The collaboration data was significant in demonstrating the librarian’s role as an instructional leader in each building.

During the following two years, new data points were added, including online database data, library home page clicks, and library collection data (collection number, age, representation). The collection of data transformed the communication between the building administrators and librarians. Presenting the collection development information to district administrators in a yearly meeting transformed a conversation from having individual book titles approved for purchase by principals to annual meetings between librarians and principals with meaningful conversations about the library collection. Using a collection development data template, librarians discussed how and why they purchase titles, along with how the titles meet the demographic and other needs of the building. This was a game-changer! Librarians were able to educate their administrators about collection development policies, and some librarians were given additional funding based on the presented data.

The following year, the district librarians transitioned to a more systematic approach to data collection. Librarians were trained to select specific data points and discovered how to design and present the information to stakeholders, including administrators and parent organizations. In addition, librarians learned how to reflect on other areas of their practice utilizing prompts. Such prompts included: What is my strongest level of collaboration? How can I enhance existing collaboration opportunities? Where are the gaps in my instruction - department or grade level(s)? How does the data change throughout the school year? Are there opportunities to collaborate that I may be missing?

The next step begins in 2025 as we compare data from more than one school year. Librarians will have opportunities to discover any trend data and how to make decisions based on this data. Data analysis tools will be utilized to guide the reflection process.

While the journey continues to evolve, Cristy Bolton and Becca Munson will share insight into the step-by-step process, providing the why and the how of each step. From circulation statistics, collection development numbers, database sessions, collaboration numbers, and website clicks, participants will discover various methods to gather and analyze the data. Furthermore, discover how the trends guide instructional decisions, building and district purchases, how the data is aggregated, and what changes are being made to the data collected. See examples of data-focused reports and communication that provide quick snapshots of information.

Participants will view how to gather sample data, review provided data in various formats, and utilize reflection questions and templates to discuss conclusions. In addition, participants will leave with a plan of action to gather data, repackage for different audiences, share talking points with others, and analyze for budgetary needs and instructional decisions.

Library programs all need advocacy for numerous areas of their program. Instead of just requesting a need, leverage data to give these requests power. Numbers talk and can make the strongest impact with constituents. See what data the Blue Valley Library program collects and how the data is used at the district and the building levels to build relationships and guide meaningful conversations around the needs of the library program.

Learning Objectives
1. Learn how data gives an extra boost to advocating for library needs.

2. Discover a multi-step process for gathering data and sharing the data.

3. Utilize collection development data to improve communication between librarians and administrators

4. Access resources, including templates and how-to guides.

5. Discover various data collection tools and why/how they work.

6. Develop a plan of action to incorporate the approach in individual school or district settings.

7. Analyze data and draw conclusions based on specific prompts.

8. Gain examples of data points collected.

9. Discover a variety of report formats based on constituents

10. Determine how to best share data points for advocacy.

Program Outline
1. Introduction and overview of the multi-step process
*Using an online poll system, gather information about participants.
*Discuss how utilizing data can be impactful for individual libraries, small and large districts
*Discuss the why and how the plan has evolved
*Purpose: Avoid feeling overwhelmed with a step-by-step plan

2. A brief overview of how gathering data can impact decision-making (Our Why)
*Need for Advocacy: staffing, collection development, collaboration, flexible scheduling.
*Improve professional practice: Collaboration levels, instructional practices,

3. Step 1: Focus on the things related to our mission of flexible scheduling, collaboration, and literacy
*Collaboration and cooperation data
*Circulation data
*Advocacy reports at the district level

4. Step 2: Added Collection Development Data
*Utilize Titlewise and Mackin Collection Development Tools
*How adding this data point led to greater advocacy and conversation with administrators and avoided administrator-managed book lists
*Provide example template
*Discuss game-changing positive results - budget increase, greater understanding, and meaningful conversations.
*Video of librarians discussing the impact

5. Step 3: Continuation of data collection with systematic improvements, adding analysis and reflection prompts
*Tools utilized for data collection - Excel, Google Sheets, Google Forms, Looker Studio
*Librarian new learning sessions - data analysis and developing reports for various groups

6. Step 4: Data comparison from multiple years to recognize trends
*Leverage existing online tools to analyze data trends
*Library new learning sessions - recognizing trends, setting goals, and developing a plan of action

7. The power data collection has provided our library program.
*Provide examples of how data collection has led to positive results
*Video - Feedback from librarians and administrators

8. Implementation of Data collected - View the various data points gathered over three years
*Collection development data
*Collaboration data from schools
*Circulation data
*Database Usage
*Library website data
*Budget
*Staffing
*Individual library activities

9. Demonstrate how information is gathered using Google Sheets and Looker Studio.
*Demonstrate how to gather data from multiple data points
*Discuss the organization of data over time

10. Analysis of Data
*Interactive review of data
*Utilize reflection prompts for discussion
*Interactive activity to draw conclusions for budgetary and instructional decisions

11. Presentation of data - how to design reports for many audiences
*Digital gallery walk of different types of reports with participant feedback
*Provide library learning series details to replicate

12. Analysis of data - interactive review of sample data
*Use the reports and additional data samples to analyze
*Provide reflection prompts and guidance

13. Impact - How each type of report has impacted the library program -
*District level reports
*Required annual librarian/administrator meetings
*Building level reports

14. Next Steps
*Fine-tune the process of comparing data for each year to recognize trends
*Create library daily schedule templates, importing data into district reports

15. Share Resources
*Provide website with presentation and how-to materials.
*Included on the site: Directions for using tech tools, Training session materials, Reflection Prompts, Digital Walk Items and Feedback, FAQs
Let the Numbers do the Talking! How One District is Working Toward Data-Driven Advocacy to Guide Meaningful Conversations on Collection Development, Collaboration, Budgets, Staffing & More

Grade Level: Prek-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Session Strand: Leadership & Advocacy

Presenter
Becca Munson

Becca Munson is the Coordinator of Library Systems for the Blue Valley School District in Overland Park, KS. A National Board Certified Teacher with more than twenty years of experience as a school librarian, she now partners with the District Library Services Coordinator to support over 40 school librarians through the implementation and management of the district’s library system and online resources. In her new role, Becca brings the perspective of a longtime practitioner, emphasizing how strong district-level support empowers school librarians and ultimately enhances student success.

Cristy Bolton

Cristy brings over 30 years of experience as an educator and school librarian, with a deep passion for how libraries can shape student success. For the past 13 years, she has served as the K–12 Library Media Coordinator for Blue Valley Schools in Overland Park, Kansas, where she leads efforts to build inclusive, student-centered collections and support librarians in creating collaborative, instructionally rich programs.
A proud graduate of Kansas State University (B.A. in English & Journalism Education) and Emporia State University (Master’s in Library Science), Cristy has dedicated her career to empowering both students and educators through the transformative potential of school libraries. Her work is driven by one core belief: that every student deserves a library that reflects their identity, fuels their curiosity, and expands their world.


Description: How can librarians leverage data to improve their professional practice and increase advocacy opportunities? From circulation statistics, collection development numbers, database sessions, collaboration numbers, and website clicks, we will share insights into a step-by-step process that can be replicated at any level. Participants will discover various methods to gather the data, analyze the data, and share with others. View how trends guide instructional decisions, building and district purchases, and providing meaningful conversations between librarians and administrators. Participants will leave with a plan of action to gather data, repackage for different audiences, talking points to share with others, and analyze for budgetary and instructional decisions.