Philip, here’s a Friday answer.

Thanks for raising this critical issue on the list. Over the years there has been lots of qualitative research and more than one attempt to create a single location for it … library, database, whatever. Bear with me.

In recent decades a memorable impetus for both output and outcome measures came from the States with the presentation at a PLA conference in the late 1980s on (then innovative, yet still fundamentally valid) Output Measures for Public Libraries for which Eleanor Jo Rogers got a huge ovation. Lots more came from that stable (even now; take a look) making that period the genesis, in my career at least, of assured quantitative measurement, qualitative research and ultimately community consultation and engagement, leading to national standards (normal in other public services but now lost to public libraries) and forward plans.

Today, organisations do their own research and it can usually be found on their respective websites. The Reading Agency for example, monitors use and researches impact (e.g. for the Summer Reading Challenge).

Bookstart was actually founded on the original 1990’s research with Birmingham Libraries, the University of Birmingham and others; this informed, in advance, the value of reading to young children by parents and carers. It was the basis for Booktrust’s ongoing work in this area. Read about it here and here. Often mistakenly called ‘bookgifting’, Bookstart is in fact a proven vehicle for early literacy and all the educational, social and economic benefits that ensue.

Much research is around if you can find it. MLA created Inspiring Learning For All measuring learning and social outcomes of library (and other ) services; MLA gathered accounts of research and started collating stuff (as indeed did SCL) but that like much else was ‘disappeared’ into The National Archives. There must be Scotland-specific stuff too. Lots of it to be found … somewhere if you look. There’s more history I could share but to little avail. Onwards.

Public libraries urgently need an initiative that gathers and collates research for easy access, re-use and application by communities, librarians, staff, leaders and the media. We have a poor history of exploiting research once it’s been completed. This shows up starkly when putting the case for libraries not just in times of stress but to inform service development and innovation and, importantly, to create a culture of progress and improvement within the sector.

There is no shortage of national bodies, professional groups and skilled colleagues that, working together would have the knowledge to create a resource that would house or provide links to existing and new research. This could well be a recommendation (if achievable and sustainable only, please) for the Sieghart Review. That, in turn, would better inform the research gaps to be filled in fostering future innovation.

John Dolan OBE, BA, Dip Lib, MCLIP

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From: lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Philip Wark
Sent: 28 February 2014 10:05
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Qualitative impact performance