Chief Officers of State Library Agencies

Log Number: RE-00-16-0181-16

Purpose: The purpose of this cooperative agreement between the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA) and IMLS is to create Measures That Matter, a national Public Library Data and Outcomes Action Plan for the collection, storage, use, and dissemination of public library data and service outcomes that equitably engages all stakeholders and validates the purpose and value of public libraries.

Activities to be performed: The project will generate a Data Map describing purposes, inputs, outputs, and outcomes of ongoing collections; develop a series of educational webinars to address Data Elements; Methods; Data Collection, Storage and Access; Responsibility; and Funding; and host a Library Data Summit to plan for future data collection efforts with the goals of reducing redundancy, improving the timeliness of data release and quality of data collected, and increasing the capacity of public libraries to track and measure outcomes that align with community-based measurement systems. The project will then develop an Action Plan that will be made available through a project web presence, disseminated through regional and national library association meetings, and webinars co-led by COSLA and IMLS.

Expected outcomes: The project will create a common understanding of current issues and concerns, explore the conceptual underpinning of data collection decisions, and begin to engage participants in aspirational thinking about future needs. Stakeholders will better understand how data collection is conceived and implemented in various library sectors and in aligned fields such as community development, education, informal learning, museums, social services, and workforce development. They will also better understand how library data collection efforts align with larger local and national measurement systems.

Intended beneficiaries: The plan generated by this work can be used by the public, State Library Administrative Agencies, professional associations, librarians, researchers, services and equipment providers, and funders.

Subrecipient activities: The recipient does not intend to subaward funds.

Amendment 2018: $196,140 in additional funds were awarded in 2018 to establish priorities and to recommend next steps for implementing the Action Plan and to clarify issues relating to state additions to annual surveys.
Amendment 2019: $424,370 in additional funds were awarded in 2019 to support a pilot evaluative project linking public library activities to community outcomes.
Amendment 2021: $124,600 in additional funds were awarded in 2021 in response to the disruption of library services due to the COVID-19 pandemic to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on library services with particular focus on workforce and business development.