Metrics - meaningful or make-work?

In September last year Anne Beaumont became the State Library of Victoria’s first Data analyst – Discovery systems.
So what does she do and how might it affect the State Library’s activities?

Anne’s work is about trying to quantify what people do via the various interfaces to the State Library’s online offerings – the website(s), local systems such as Primo and Voyager, hosted systems such as the Reference Guides and remote databases - and to track these activities over time and between different client groups.

This year the State Library has been lucky enough to participate with other Arts Victoria agencies in a shared trial of the Experian Hitwise product, which as well as producing some comparative website data also provides demographic information which has not previously been available – and is providing the basis for some stimulating discussions.

Anne will talk about her work and share some of what she has learnt – including the odd ‘war story’.

Speaker:

Anne has been working in libraries since 1969, when she started work in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Library. Whilst at the Parliamentary Library she studied part time at ANU where one of her subjects was Statistics – which concentrated on statistical method. After returning to Melbourne to work in one of the CSIRO divisional libraries she resumed her B.Comm. at Melbourne University. They taught statistics differently, so she did Economic Statistics, which covered things like the CPI. Actually the two subjects were complementary and have both helped in her career, as she went from CSIRO to Coopers & Lybrand (now PWC), ACI and the State Library of Victoria as the first Business Information Librarian, where the ability to source statistical information was an important part of the job.

After a period as Reader Services Librarian, Anne moved into information technology and found that she could use the tools the library management system provided to her to find information she would have found very useful when managing the provision of information services to the public. Information such as the usage on a daily/weekly/monthly basis – including public holidays and the effect of changing the order of search options in a menu. A change in the ILMS meant better tools were available and a wider range of information could be found.

After 4 years out of the direct IT area but involved in the slv21 projects, Anne now has the wonderful opportunity to spend all her time counting stuff, using an even wider range of tools, and boring the socks off anyone who will listen!

FREE ENTRY

Not a VALA member? Visitors are welcome at VALA meetings - just come!

VENUE: Tutorial Room, Ground Floor, Baillieu Library, University of Melbourne, Melways Map X871 I6.
See Google Maps for details
(On-site parking available after 5.00 p.m. – have gold coins available for the parking fee. Public transport via tram.)

DATE & TIME: Wednesday 23 June 2010

Drinks and refreshments from 5:30 pm.

AGM at 6:00 pm, followed by Anne's presentation.

Contact: VALA Executive Officer This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Want to join Committee and the speaker for dinner (your expense) afterwards?

Dinner RSVPs only by 5.00 p.m. Monday 21 June: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (03) 9725 2725

See also the topics covered by previous VALA General Meetings