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Abstract: Measuring Library Co-Production with Mediation Models
Demonstrating value is as consistent a theme within US public librarianship as discussions of literacy. Many of the empirical challenges in showing causality and causal pathways between library service and individual or community level outcomes is clarity on which actions matter. Levels of participation and use by library patrons confounds causal analysis even further.
This study uses quantitative and qualitative data collected as part of the Libraries in Community Systems project (https://lincs.nnyln.org) to construct service and use to outcomes path analysis. This analysis goes through multiple steps which iterate between analysis of IMLS Public Library Survey data, and collected insights from professionals in the field. Beginning with a replication of the Library Presence and Usage Index constructed for IMLS in “Understanding the Social Wellbeing Impacts of the Nation’s Libraries and Museums” (Norton, et al, 2021), their insight of heterogeneity between libraries based on the level of rurality or urbanity is verified. Library specific reports were constructed and given to 17 partner public library administrators for review and critique. Their recommendations formed the basis of a nationwide survey of library workers on the relative importance of specific library statistics to local outcomes. From insights with public library partners and the 308 respondents to a national survey, the field of indexed variables was expanded, and which library characteristics (e.g. geographic region, governance, and outlet structure) impact the statistical fit.
Exploratory factor analysis of meaningful services showed strong correlation between provision measures and usage measures. For instance, there is a strong correlation between the number of items in a collection and the volume of circulation of that same collection. The strength of that correlation would indicate that both are included in an Index of Library Production, but the library can only directly “choose” the level of service provision. In order to make findings on public library impacts more useful, practitioners must understand service provision in light of community participation in that service.
This study employs a generalized least squares panel regression through three steps of analysis to measure each mechanism on the service to outcome path: provision -> use, provision -> outcome, use -> outcome. Each estimation model incorporates community and library level controls for income, geography, and structure. The results show that the importance of community participation as a mediator of service impacts varies by service pairing and outcome of interest. Incorporating this information into service targeting decisions can help library decision makers improve and communicate outcomes-based impacts.
This study uses quantitative and qualitative data collected as part of the Libraries in Community Systems project (https://lincs.nnyln.org) to construct service and use to outcomes path analysis. This analysis goes through multiple steps which iterate between analysis of IMLS Public Library Survey data, and collected insights from professionals in the field. Beginning with a replication of the Library Presence and Usage Index constructed for IMLS in “Understanding the Social Wellbeing Impacts of the Nation’s Libraries and Museums” (Norton, et al, 2021), their insight of heterogeneity between libraries based on the level of rurality or urbanity is verified. Library specific reports were constructed and given to 17 partner public library administrators for review and critique. Their recommendations formed the basis of a nationwide survey of library workers on the relative importance of specific library statistics to local outcomes. From insights with public library partners and the 308 respondents to a national survey, the field of indexed variables was expanded, and which library characteristics (e.g. geographic region, governance, and outlet structure) impact the statistical fit.
Exploratory factor analysis of meaningful services showed strong correlation between provision measures and usage measures. For instance, there is a strong correlation between the number of items in a collection and the volume of circulation of that same collection. The strength of that correlation would indicate that both are included in an Index of Library Production, but the library can only directly “choose” the level of service provision. In order to make findings on public library impacts more useful, practitioners must understand service provision in light of community participation in that service.
This study employs a generalized least squares panel regression through three steps of analysis to measure each mechanism on the service to outcome path: provision -> use, provision -> outcome, use -> outcome. Each estimation model incorporates community and library level controls for income, geography, and structure. The results show that the importance of community participation as a mediator of service impacts varies by service pairing and outcome of interest. Incorporating this information into service targeting decisions can help library decision makers improve and communicate outcomes-based impacts.