Librarian's Corner: Giving Back - Counter 5 Playbook

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[Poster Abstract for the Medical Library Association Meeting May 2-7, 2022, in New Orleans. Accepted February 23, 2022.]

Link to Conference | Link to Program

Counter 5 Usage Statistics Playbook for Librarians

Michele Matucheski, MLIS, AHIP - Medical Librarian - Ascension Health Care

Background / Purpose: Describes the development of a Counter 5 Usage Statistics Playbook for Librarians to standardize and simplify the data collection and reporting process for a large health system with 23 librarians reporting selected local library statistics at the national level.

Description:

Under the guidance of The Library Measurements Team, librarians reported selected usage stats in 2020. For 2021, we needed to upgrade to the Counter 5 (C5) industry standard. After immersing ourselves in C5, we mapped C5 equivalents to previous metrics, adding improved C5 metrics. To disseminate our recommendations, we created a Playbook with C5 training resources, definitions, worksheets, administrative links, screenshots and explanations for each resource. The Playbook led librarians step-by-step through the new process, addressing a previously unmet need as a job aid for standardizing the collection of usage stats. The Measurements Team charted a path through Counter 5, so that individual librarians did not have to struggle on their own.

Conclusions:

Feedback from Librarians and analysis of data submitted via the new process demonstrated the utility and positive impact of The Playbook.

The Counter 5 Stats Playbook resulted in:

More consistent, cleaner data
Faster, more efficient and standardized data collection
Happier Librarians who knew how to pull required metrics, and how to interpret reports.

Why this is important: This data is used to show the value and fiscal stewardship of Library Services to executive leadership and stakeholders.

[Poster Abstract for MidContinental/Midwest Chapter Medical Library Association (MC/MWC-MLA) Meeting October 2021;

See page 19 of the Conference Program]

Counter 5 Usage Statistics Playbook for Librarians

by Michele Matucheski, MLS, AHIP - Medical Librarian - Ascension Health Care

Purpose: Describes the development of a Counter 5 Quarterly Stats Playbook for Librarians to standardize and simplify the data collection and reporting process.

Setting / Participants / Resources:

Twenty-two Healthcare Librarians in 20 states reporting selected local library usage statistics.

Brief Description:

Under the guidance of The Ascension Library Measurements Team, Librarians reported selected usage stats in 2020. For 2021, we needed to upgrade to the Counter 5 (C5) industry standard. Therefore, the team determined what to track going forward. After immersing ourselves in C5, we mapped C5 equivalents to previous metrics, adding improved C5 metrics. To disseminate our recommendations, we created a Playbook with C5 training resources, definitions, worksheets, administrative links, screenshots and explanations for each resource. The Playbook led librarians step-by-step through the new process, addressing a previously unmet need as a job aid for standardizing the collection of usage stats. The Measurements Team charted a path through Counter 5, so that individual librarians did not have to struggle on their own.

Results/Outcome:

The Quarterly Stats Playbook resulted in:

More consistent, cleaner data
Faster, more efficient and standardized data collection
Happier Librarians who knew how to pull required metrics, how to interpret reports.

Evaluation Method:

Feedback from Librarians; analysis of data submitted via the new process determined the utility and impact of The Playbook.

Why this is important:

This data is used to show the value and fiscal stewardship of Library Services to executive leadership and stakeholders.

Presentations

[Abstract for virtual poster at The MidContinental/Midwest Chapter Medical Library Association (MC/MWC-MLA) Meeting October 2021;

See page 19 of the Conference Program]

Poster at Midwest/ MCMLA 2021

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Counter 5 Usage Statistics Playbook for Librarians: Wisconsin Poster at Midwest-MCMLA 2021 Virtual Conference - on the WHSLA Blog October 2021

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MLA 2022 Poster Script for Audio - April 2022

Counter 5 Usage Stats Playbook for Librarians

by Michele Matucheski for Ascension Health Care

When Counter 5 (C5) stats were introduced a few years ago, they were overwhelming and confusing, so The Library Measurements Team at my institution created a Counter 5 Playbook that makes the collection and reporting of C5 stats painless and hassle-free. Yes – It’s true!

One happy Librarian said: “Pulling stats was so easy this time. Everything I needed was right there! The Playbook saved me tons of time and effort. I wasn’t struggling this time.”

What is in this magic Playbook, you ask?

The Playbook includes:

C5 training resources and definitions
Worksheets / Templates
Admin. Links
Screenshots and explanations for pulling C5 stats from each vendor / resource

The Playbook leads Librarians step-by-step through the new process, addressing a previously unmet need as a job aid for standardizing the collection of usage stats. The Measurements Team charted a path through Counter 5, so that individual librarians did not have to struggle on their own.

The C5 Stats Playbook resulted in:

More consistent, cleaner data reported at the national level
Quicker data collection
Happier Librarians who knew how to pull required metrics and how to interpret reports.

Why this is important: This data is used to show the value and fiscal stewardship of Library Services to executive leadership and stakeholders, and to inform decision-making.

What you can do: Build your own C5 Playbook, customized to your specific needs. Ours was set up as a LibGuide.

Who can benefit: Solo Librarians - Academic Librarians - Librarians in larger health systems - Librarians anywhere who have to keep track of usage stats. Even if I was still a solo librarian checking stats only once a year, I still would have created such a resource for myself.

Want to see the Playbook in real life? Follow the QR code on my poster …

Thank you.

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