Are libraries doing enough with data?  I don’t think so — and I’m on mission to learn how we can make better use of data — in ways that are safe, confidential and trustworthy — to serve patrons more powerfully, to be smarter about how we operate our libraries, and to allow staff to focus on human interactions, growth and enrichment instead of rote tasks.

As part of my quest I’m thrilled to participate (as a panelist and facilitator) in the inaugural gathering of the Research Institute for Public Libraries (or RIPL — pronounced “Ripple” — for short) conference in late July in Colorado Springs.

What is RIPL?  From the RIPL Website:

75-100 participants will engage in three days of hands-on, intensive workshops about…

•  Evaluation design and implementation
•  Data collection and use for strategic planning
•  Measures for reporting library impact
•  Tips for aligning research efforts with national initiatives like Edge Benchmarks and the Impact Survey

Participants will walk away from RIPL with tools for evaluation, confidence in building research into their activities, and a network of colleagues for future learning and success.