Analytics On Demand Archives | Page 3 of 4 | Gale Blog: Library & Educator News

Bringing the Power of Business Analytics to Canadian Libraries

February 23, 2018July 14, 2015

By Tina Creguer

“In God we trust. All others must bring data.”
– W. Edwards Deming, famed statistician, professor, author

Every day, businesses across Canada use sophisticated data analytics to understand, predict, and gain insight into their customers’ behavior. But why should businesses have all the fun? Libraries have goals and missions to accomplish, and they, too need to understand their customers, er, patrons.

Gale now offers powerful new tools for Canadian libraries that will help them gain deep insight into patrons and improve the day-to-day decision-making and strategic planning. By tapping into your library’s existing data and combining it (in a secure environment) with demographic data using Environics’ PRIZM5 lifestyles profiles, Analytics On Demand helps you learn more about patrons, from income and life stages to online behaviors and preferred social media channels.

Gale Sponsors Library Journal’s Lead the Change Professional Academy

February 26, 2018April 7, 2015

Library Journal’s Lead the Change, a professional development program for librarians available online and in a series of live events across the country, is launching next month. As series sponsor, Gale, a part of Cengage Learning, is helping to fund the event and making unique tools available to librarians.

Lead the Change offers timely resources and tools to help librarians stay ahead of innovations and changes affecting the library profession. Library staff at all levels can participate in hands-on live events, access insightful on-demand webcasts, and participate in a new online learning program.

Gale a CODiE Finalist in Three Categories for Analytics and Education Resources

February 26, 2018April 1, 2015

The 2015 CODiE Awards, presented by the Software and Information and Industry Association (SIIA) has recognized to two outstanding Gale products:

New, Free, Bonus Analytics On Demand Apps

March 30, 2015March 24, 2015

Analytics On Demand users’ access to useful bonus apps keeps growing! Ten are now available in the Free Apps library. Here are descriptions of the most recently added:

Create a Service Area allows users to input an excel worksheet that contains the branch name and a geography code on each individual row. The geography code needs to be either a block group, a census tract, or a zip code. Each row has to be consistent in terms of the geography type selected as you can not mix and match (use block group, census tract and zip code in the same worksheet).

Bring Out the Vote with New Library Advocacy Tool

March 30, 2015March 17, 2015

Across the nation, libraries receive widespread support from the communities they serve because people understand the value of their local library. Mostly. I mean, almost always. Except for when they don’t….

When your library’s funding is at risk, are you willing to wait idly by and see if people show up at the polls? Or would you like to actively reach out to your more enthusiastic patrons to inform and encourage them to support their favorite public institution?

Patron Voter Analysis, a new app available in Gale’s unique Analytics On Demand product, gives you the tools you need to identify voter households who use library resources and develop targeted contact lists to inform them about pending election issues related to your library funding or leadership ballot issues.

Who Are Your Patrons? Where Are They Coming From? And What Branches Do They Visit?

February 23, 2018March 2, 2015

Public Library Branch Insights and User Visits and Demographics

Patrons at your main branch mostly hail from all over town, but patrons at your eastside branch come from within just a few blocks away. Or do they?? Do you know how far people travel to get to a particular location? And, if you did know, how might it change your collection and outreach programs?

Branch Insights, a new Analytics On Demand app, tracks cardholders’ use across various branches in a single library system. With this information presented in maps and tables, you can gain insight into where and how individual patron types are engaging the library system so you can tailor materials, programs, services, and outreach to meet patron needs at each library site.

Analytics On Demand Helps Alabama Library Chart the Path Ahead

March 26, 2018February 3, 2015

Sue DeBrecht is Director of the Emmet O’Neal Library in the municipality of Mountain Brook, a wealthy suburb of Birmingham, Alabama with 20,000 residents. Sue loves information, and Analytics On Demand — a data solution that helps libraries quickly and easily learn more about their users and their communities — provides a wealth of it. Emmet O’Neal turned to Analytics On Demand to gain a more granular view of patrons and potential patrons than other sources of demographic data can provide. “We know where we are now, but we need a better idea of where to focus our attention in the next five years,” says Sue.

The library is tightly involved with its community, and is fortunate to have a healthy budget, loyal donors and volunteers, and a library foundation with a $3 million endowment. Still, directors want to make smart budget decisions, and key insights from Analytics On Demand will inform the library’s programming, strategic planning, and marketing.

Public Libraries Get a Boost with Targeted Marketing and Data Analysis

January 21, 2015

By Kristina Massari

New Analytics On Demand Apps Improve Outreach and Provide Insights to Multi-Branch Systems

Public libraries face challenges demonstrating their value to the communities and stakeholders they serve – just 22% of Americans say they know most or all of the services provided by their public library. To help libraries overcome these barriers, Gale, part of Cengage Learning, has added three new applications to Analytics On Demand, the first affordable big data analytics solution for public libraries. The new apps, Marketing Action (for Patrons and Non-Patrons) and Branch Insights, help libraries deploy targeted direct marketing programs to current and prospective library users, as well as better understand how existing patrons are interacting with individual branches across a system.

Library Directors Need Information, Too! Support Your Library’s Growth

January 21, 2015January 15, 2015

Carla is beloved by patrons at her library. As the new library director, she leads monthly meetings for key community members, networks with local business leaders, and responds personally to patron concerns – promptly. And even though she only has a few reference desk rotations a month, people ask for her, because they know she will provide great service…and know where to find what they need. But Carla is concerned about keeping her knowledge and skills fresh – whether it’s about new collection development strategies or upcoming IT advancements that will affect how the library leverages its MARC records. She recently hit the 15-year anniversary of library school graduation, and she’d like to be sure she has all the knowledge she needs to keep her library as a vital community resource…and continue her career advancement.

Library directors who want to avoid the “cobblers’ children” syndrome (failing to support their own learning and development because they’re focused on supporting others’) can do so easily, with resources we’ve pulled together to meet you and your colleagues’ needs.

Marketing the Virtual Library with the Wizard

September 24, 2018January 13, 2015

By Nick Schultz

I’m lucky. Through my role with Gale Customer Care, I have the privilege of providing consultative services to the People’s University – many call this their local library – and the unsung heroes they employ on their journey to the betterment of society. After engaging with public librarians for the better part of two years, I think the following quote highlights the contrast between a librarian’s ideal library patron, Virginia Woolf, to the current reality.

“I ransack public libraries, and find them full of sunk treasure.” -Virginia Woolf

As much of a modernist as Woolf was – I’m sure she’d be shocked to discover the virtual stream of information that exists in today’s world. The truth is most library patrons don’t allocate hours of time to “ransack” a library’s website troving for an online resource treasure chest. In fact, according to a recent study done by Pew 91% of Americans think public libraries are important to their communities, yet 80% of Americans say they don’t know what their library has to offer. Herein lies the challenge. How do libraries market their evolving services to their communities?