Howdy, WTKNers! WSDOT is a member of the Transportation Library Connectivity and Development Pooled Fund, the new and enhanced project following on the footsteps of the just-concluded Transportation Library Connectivity Pooled Fund. As part of our new project, it has been proposed that we attempt to collect some statistics to help generate findings on how pooled fund membership impacts the members.
A.J. Million is the librarian from Missouri DOT (the lead agency for this new pooled fund) and he has asked to get some input from our network (whether Pooled Fund members or not) regarding data collection and /or reporting. His questions follow, and he would like some feedback by our next meeting (or shortly after, if we discuss this during the meeting). Here goes:
How much interest is there in interchangeable and/or comparable data among members?
If there is interest, which of the following areas are most valuable? (Note: the following list is from MTKN.)
1. Circulation
2. ILL – Out
3. ILL – In
4. Number of Long Reference Questions
5. Number of Short Reference Questions
6. Original Items Cataloged
7. Items Copy Cataloged
I would be happy to forward any responses to A.J. and/or take any questions to him. Basically, I think it’s fair to say that if we (Pooled Fund members) are going to collect data, we want it to be as useful and valuable as possible, especially to lay groundwork for further studies or perhaps use in return on investment calculations.
As the Pooled Fund refines this data collection idea, it will be very helpful to know if there’s a broad interest within the wider community in data collection along these lines.
Since we at WTKN have expressed interest in “doing something with data”, here’s an opportunity to do just that!
Kendra – maybe pencil this in for discussion at our December meeting?
Thanks for your consideration!
Kathy Szolomayer
WSDOT Librarian, HQ Building
Washington State Dept. of Transportation
310 Maple Park SE / PO Box 47425
Olympia WA 98504-7425
360-705-7751 Fax: 705-6831 SzolomK@xxxxxxxxxxxx