3 Start Here

Is this course for you?

• Do you wish you felt more confident about your data?
• Do you feel frustrated with traditional library usage data and annual reports?
• What would it feel like to confidently speak to your administrators about the library’s contributions to Equity 2030?
  • Wouldn’t it be great to have slides or an infographic you could use when talking to your administrators and in your marketing?
  • Wouldn’t it be nice to make connections with others doing this work and support each other?

Are you prepared to discuss how your library contributes to Equity 2030 efforts? Let’s work on that! This intensive will also help you use data better in your marketing/outreach and with your administration. (We are not expecting you to become a data librarian here!)

Ideal participants are librarians currently working in Minnesota State college or university libraries who have already done some work on Equity 2030 and/or their strategic plans. Participants will at least need to gather relevant mission / vision / values / strategic plan information for their library and institution and use it in their project.

Learning Goals

After completing this course, you will have:

• Improved your general data literacy
• Determined the best library data for your situation
• Practiced talking about your data with a visual aid

Lastly, if you haven’t been a student in awhile, here are some tips:

• Practical Study Tips for Adult Students – https://youtu.be/I20M80PYORk
• Essential Study Skills for Adults Returning to School – https://degrees.snu.edu/blog/essential-study-skills-for-adults-returning-to-school

We want you to take this seriously and do the work. We also don’t want this experience to be too overwhelming. Keep focusing on what seems most relevant and what might be the most impactful improvements you could make for data practices at your library. If you don’t have time for a piece of content now, you can circle back to it later. This course will be available as a resource ongoing.

We also highly recommend keeping a learning journal!:

• Reflective Journals and Learning Logs – https://www.niu.edu/citl/resources/guides/instructional-guide/reflective-journals-and-learning-logs.shtml
• 7 Learning Journals for Students – https://medium.co

One more thing – take a moment to rate how much you agree with the statements below on the following scale:
1 – Strongly disagree
2 – Disagree
3 – Neutral
4 – Agree
5 – Strongly agree

• I am very comfortable discussing data.
• I am very comfortable discussing difficult topics such as racial equity in education.
• I am an expert on data literacy.
• I am an expert on library data.
• My library has implemented excellent equity initiatives.