Data-Driven Opportunities for Library Systems

DENISE LIPPUNER: Welcome back to Cherry Bekaert's Government and Public Sector podcast series. This will be the first in our mini-series about library systems. I'm Denise Lippuner and I lead Cherry Bekaert's State and Local Advisory Practice.

DENISE LIPPUNER: Our state and local practice is part of our Government and Public Sector practice, where we have a dedicated team focused on serving public sector clients throughout the country. I will now hand it over to Paul Folkers to introduce himself. Paul?

PAUL FOLKERS: Thanks, Denise. My name is Paul Folkers, Senior Manager with Cherry Bekaert. I spent almost 30 years working in local government as an assistant city or county manager for two cities and two counties, so from a practitioner standpoint.

PAUL FOLKERS: I'm very excited to support local governments. It's a very exciting time given the vast amounts of data that local governments collect and what data analytics can do to support their missions.

DENISE LIPPUNER: All right. Thanks, Paul. I'd like to introduce Velencia Posso. Velencia?

VELENCIA POSSO: Hi, I'm Velencia Posso. I started working in libraries in 2013 after volunteering in 2012. I received my bachelor's in information and library science and my ALA-accredited master's in information science.

VELENCIA POSSO: I am passionate about library systems and I'm currently with Cherry Bekaert as a data analyst. I'm excited to speak with you both about how data analytics can help improve our library services.

DENISE LIPPUNER: Wonderful. Before we delve into library systems, how are local governments doing with collecting and utilizing data to further their missions? Paul, can you provide your perspective?

PAUL FOLKERS: It's a tremendous opportunity for local governments. Some have moved aggressively to utilize their data to improve performance and achieve stronger outcomes, but it's always a challenge because local governments are very diverse.

PAUL FOLKERS: If you look at all the different departments—parks and recreation, police, fire, planning—there are many lines of business and many demands on these organizations. Local governments are closest to the citizen and deliver services every day, so there is nowhere to hide.

PAUL FOLKERS: Local governments collect huge amounts of data, but the challenge is what they do with it. There's an opportunity to evolve how they use data to track organizational performance, make good use of resources, and achieve mission-consistent outcomes.

PAUL FOLKERS: Resources with the necessary expertise are in high demand in both the private and public sectors, so it's tough for local governments to hire and retain staff. That said, expectations are growing from governing bodies and citizens for local governments to use data to share with the community and demonstrate efficiency and effectiveness.

DENISE LIPPUNER: All right. Now that we have a big-picture view of where local governments are with data, where do libraries typically fit within governmental organizations?

PAUL FOLKERS: It varies. Libraries often operate at the county level for economies of scale, though you can have city library systems. Sometimes libraries are departments within a local government, and in other cases they are independent authorities, occasionally with taxing authority so their governing bodies can set tax rates.

PAUL FOLKERS: How a library is organized affects how it fulfills its mission, who it reports to, and what resources it has. Velencia, having worked in the field, do you have a perspective?

DENISE LIPPUNER: That is very interesting. I was not aware of how varied it can be depending on where the library sits within local government. Thank you for sharing that, Paul.

DENISE LIPPUNER: Velencia, the pandemic affected how every organization conducts business. I'd like to touch on how libraries were affected both pre- and post-pandemic. Starting with pre-pandemic, were there significant changes and trends evident in libraries before the pandemic?

VELENCIA POSSO: Yes. Libraries often face the challenge of staying relevant in their communities. There was a campaign through the American Library Association, ALA, called Libraries Transform, focusing on how libraries transform lives and communities through education.

VELENCIA POSSO: Libraries were already diversifying their offerings to bridge the digital divide, introducing technology like makerspaces and the library of things. Those services were becoming popular before the pandemic and have continued to ramp up.

DENISE LIPPUNER: How did the pandemic impact these trends, and where do you see things headed in the future?

VELENCIA POSSO: Libraries moved many services online. People often think of libraries as physical buildings, but digital libraries and online services became essential. Libraries adapted services to be accessible remotely and implemented measures such as online reservation systems and lending hotspots.

VELENCIA POSSO: Academic libraries loan out laptops, and public libraries explored similar options. Frederick County, one of the systems we work with at Cherry Bekaert, saw online services balloon during the pandemic and usage has remained consistently high even after in-person services resumed.

DENISE LIPPUNER: That's fascinating. Moving to a different topic: the core mission of libraries is to collect and share information with communities. Do libraries have the time and resources to analyze their own data to improve operations? Paul, would you like to start?

PAUL FOLKERS: It's a fascinating topic. As technology evolves, organizations must redefine their purpose and consider whether previous ways of operating are the best fit. Libraries need to show relevance and prove how their work contributes to the overall mission.

PAUL FOLKERS: Data can tell stories that resonate with people. Analytics can demonstrate effective use of dollars, community engagement, and outcomes that support institutional missions. Those stories can help sustain budgets and justify requests for additional resources.

PAUL FOLKERS: Analytics should simplify staff work and relieve burdens by automating tasks and providing timely insights. However, it's difficult for local governments and libraries to hire and retain staff with the necessary technical expertise, which is where external firms can provide support.

DENISE LIPPUNER: Velencia, since you've worked in a library, do you think libraries have the time and resources to analyze their own data?

VELENCIA POSSO: It depends. Each library is uniquely situated based on county, city, or municipality. Resources and data needs vary widely. Smaller libraries may focus on community-based services and circulating books, while larger libraries may manage programs like the library of things.

VELENCIA POSSO: Libraries must decide what data to collect and how to collect it without diverting resources from core services. They need to consider whether they have the staff to collect and analyze data efficiently or whether to outsource analytics to avoid overburdening staff.

PAUL FOLKERS: To add, many service providers are so busy delivering services that they may not step back to analyze their own operations. Analytics should simplify and automate rather than create extra burdens, but it requires staff with technology skills. District library systems with more resources may hire dedicated staff, but retention remains a challenge.

PAUL FOLKERS: External firms can help establish analytics programs, provide ongoing expertise, and enable libraries to run programs independently over time, which can advance analytics efforts significantly.

DENISE LIPPUNER: In addition to staffing challenges, what other typical challenges do libraries face in gathering and utilizing data? Are there examples of libraries that improved operations and outcomes using data?

PAUL FOLKERS: A good example is the work Cherry Bekaert has done in Maryland. For Prince George's County, Maryland Library System, a large system just outside Washington, D.C., we reduced reporting times by 60 percent while increasing system-wide circulation and enabling more targeted outreach for community programs.

PAUL FOLKERS: That example shows how analytics can simplify processes and provide intelligence that benefits the community and allows library staff to focus on high-impact activities.

DENISE LIPPUNER: Velencia, do you have additional examples?

VELENCIA POSSO: I'm currently working on a project with Prince George's County Library System developing a new dashboard with census data. In a published case study, they found only 5 percent of one elementary school's students were visiting a nearby library. They contacted the school, did outreach, and nearly 60 percent of students now consistently visit the library.

VELENCIA POSSO: With the census data dashboard, we can analyze proximity of demographics to branches and tailor services—for example, offering more Spanish-led programs or adding Spanish-language materials where needed. We can also identify support for veteran populations near certain branches.

VELENCIA POSSO: Challenges include limited access to census data, difficulty reading and downloading it, and integrating it into systems for analysis. Libraries may lack automatic door counts and rely on manual tallies, so thinking about data sources and collection methods is important.

DENISE LIPPUNER: Are there other supports available to help libraries better utilize their data?

VELENCIA POSSO: Yes. The Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Public Library Association provide resources. Cherry Bekaert is working with Maryland library systems—27 systems across the state—to consolidate metrics in an easy-to-understand, digestible, and shareable way.

VELENCIA POSSO: Customized analytics, rather than out-of-the-box solutions, help libraries analyze data based on their unique communities and priorities.

DENISE LIPPUNER: We are nearing the end of the podcast. I'd like each of you to share parting thoughts and your email addresses for listeners who want to follow up. Paul, go first.

PAUL FOLKERS: I see great opportunities for local governments and library systems. There are granular ways to collect data and tools to analyze it. If a library system is still relying primarily on Excel for workflows and data visualization, we can help simplify and improve those processes.

PAUL FOLKERS: Many library systems and local governments remain siloed and fragmented in their reporting approaches. Cherry Bekaert can help put you on a path to better use data to support your mission. My email is paul.folkers@cbh.com.

DENISE LIPPUNER: Velencia?

VELENCIA POSSO: Thank you for listening. Please subscribe to the podcast. We have two more library podcasts on the way with the state of Maryland and its local library systems. If you would like to reach out to me, my email is velencia.posso@cbh.com.

DENISE LIPPUNER: We will have more sessions in our mini-series on libraries. Please subscribe to our podcast on your preferred listening platform. The next podcast will discuss the work of the state of Maryland and its local library systems.

DENISE LIPPUNER: Thank you for listening. Have a wonderful day. Bye-bye.

PAUL FOLKERS: Thanks, Janice. Thanks, Nancy.

DENISE LIPPUNER: Thank you.

VELENCIA POSSO: Bye.