This document summarizes an agenda for an iMapLibraries project meeting. The project uses geographic information systems (GIS) mapping to identify public library locations and their service areas. Meeting topics included project updates on pre-testing a questionnaire, defining libraries' geographic market areas, and a tool for finding comparable libraries. Social media strategies were also discussed. The project aims to help libraries better serve diverse populations by developing metrics to assess user access and inclusion. Products will include maps of library locations and demographic data, as well as guidelines for libraries. The project uses GIS, social media mapping, and virtual forums to engage stakeholders.

1. iMapLibraries:
A National Leadership Forum Grant
School of Library and Information Studies & FREAC
Florida State University
American Library Association
Annual Meeting,Chicago, IL
June 29, 2013

2. Project Leaders:
Christie M. Koontz, GeoLib Program
School of Library and Information Studies
Dean Jue
Florida Resources and Environmental Analysis Center (FREAC)
Lorri Mon
School of Library and Information Studies

3. Agenda
• IMLS Project Review
• Project Updates
– Pre-testing of Questionnaire
– Geographic Market Areas (GMAs) of Outlets
– Comparable Library Locator Tool
– Social Media Activities
• Open Discussion

4. Objective 1.1 of Strategic Goal #1
Invest in projects that provide inclusive and accessible
learning opportunities to individuals of diverse geographic,
cultural, special needs, and socioeconomic backgrounds
Activities and Evidence of Progress
Develop consistent metrics…that enable all IMLS grants to
better assess their effectiveness, with special focus on
inclusive and accessible learning opportunities

5. 1) Identify public library outlets serving diverse
markets using computerized mapping
2) Involve librarians and other public library
interest groups in face-to-face as well as virtual
meetings to discuss best practices and new
performance measures for diverse user groups
3) Document necessary steps to help individual
public libraries better serve their diverse user
populations
Our IMLS National
Leadership Forum Grant

6. Year 1 Products
• White paper describing the best practices,
guidelines, courses of actions, and policies for
helping the IMLS meet its library diversity goals
• Web map of all U.S. library locations with
socioeconomic and demographic data of
relevance to libraries

7. Long-term Project Impact
To help each public library obtain and collect the
data needed to document and secure its role as a
place that serves the diversity of populations within
its local community

8. Balancing Acts and Conundrums
a) Social Media vs. traditional “push” methods
b) Prototyping vs. “real” applications
c) Simple databases vs. enterprise-type databases
d) Maps vs. tables
e) Wide involvement vs. narrower but deeper
f) ……….

9. Virtual Forums
Held on April 3rd and 4th
33 individuals participated in forums

11. iMapLibraries Software Environment
• ArcGIS Server – displays basemap layers
• GeoServer – open-source server for sharing,
processing, and editing geospatial data
• OpenLayers – open source JavaScript library for
displaying map data in web browsers
• Python – programming language
• Jquery – JavaScript API library
• SDE / PostGIS – spatial databases
• ColdFusion – report generator / database queries

12. Questionnaire Pre-test
• Goal: to pre-test a possible future survey on
library services for diverse user populations at
library outlets

13. Pre-test Universe
• 28 state librarians / SDCs
– 19 responses (68%)
• 15 public librarians
– 7 responses (47%)

14. Results
• About 50% found questions clear and easy to
understand
• BUT one librarian’s diversity is another
librarian’s norm

15. Suggestions
• Providing better background information /
purpose of survey
• Focus groups, pre-identified library groups
rather than general diversity survey

16. Non-Reported Library Performance Measures
• Limited sample but 2 of the 7 responding
public libraries (28%) collect library use data
not reported to state coordinator.
• Collected include age, zip code, ethnicity,
meeting room statistics

17. Why Develop Library Outlet
Geographic Market Areas (GMAs)?

18. Each library is similar to a franchise –each has its own
customer market area!

19. Legal service area is not necessarily
the same as the GMA
≠

20. Automated Generation of GMAs
• Radius
• Thiessen Polygons (gravity model)

21. Gravity Model of Library Outlets’
Geographic Market Areas

22. Gravity Model of Geographic
Market Areas – Clipped to State

23. Developing GMAs Using Legal
Service Areas – Counties Example

24. Developing GMAs Using Legal
Service Areas – Multiple LSA Types

25. Developing GMAs – Multiple
Outlets within Multiple Entity Area

26. Developing GMAs
1) For simplicity and ease of comprehension,
utilize gravity model for this project
2) After project, will publish paper comparing
the results of the different GMA-generating
methods and implications for library planning

27. View Your Library’s GMA
Using Gravity Modelling

34. Sample Market Area Report

36. Sample Block Group Report

37. Why GMAs?
• You can overlay the calculated geographic
area polygons with their U.S. Census block
group socioeconomic and demographic data
• This provides a demographic profile ‘scoop’
for critical library decision making data
• Use this socioeconomic and demographic
data in conjunction with your library use data

38. The Power of GMAs
• Optimize library service for residents within
YOUR geographic market area
• Provide per capita usage comparison with
other library outlets
• Locate other peer libraries serving similar
populations, either statewide or nationwide

39. Finding Peer Libraries with
Similar GMA Characteristics

43. GIS Mapping:
Libraries & Diversity Map

44. Social Media Mapping:
Google Fusion Libraries & Diversity Map
Google Fusion Team:
Nathaniel Ramos Jr.,,
Twanisha Presley, Laura
Spears, Jisue Lee, Lorri Mon,
Georgianna Strode
http://bit.ly/diversitymap

45. GIS
• Communicate and share
• Agency-driven
• Good security and
authentication
• OpenGIS Standards
committee
• Legacy-type data
• Slow development cycle
• Communicate and share
• Volunteer-driven/based
• Lower level of security
and authentication
• Lower standardization
• More innovative
• Fast development cycle
• Better collaboration and
sharing
Social Media
Mapping

46. Social Media:
Dissemination & Outreach

47. Social Media:
iMapLibraries in Social Media

48. Social Media:
iMapLibraries Blog
http://imaplibraries.wordpress.com

49. Goal: Social media support of
library advocacy
•Objectives:
– Drive traffic to the iMapLibraries site;
– Develop a consistent presence/voice in the
library/social media sphere;
– Identify top strategies for ongoing social media
support to offer to the iMapLibraries team; and,
– Compile annotated literature review of social media
metrics, both general and library advocacy-related.

50. Imaplibraries-Blog Analytics
Email to
libraries
ALA
Midwinter
24 Tweets 4 Tweets

51. Imaplibraries-Blog Analytics
iConference
1 Tweet
6
Tweets
2
Tweets
7 Tweets

52. Imaplibraries-Blog Analytics
12 Tweets
13 Tweets
Emails to
SDCs/SLs

53. Imaplibraries-Blog Analytics
5 Tweets
2 Virtual
Forums
4 Fb posts
2 Fb Posts

54. Imaplibraries-Blog Analytics
1 Tweets
FLA
Conference
3 Fb Posts
FLA
Conference

55. iMapLibraries/Social Media Report
December January February March April May June
iML Page
Visits
884 358 749 910 526 302 N/A
iML Page
Views 2311 864 2019 2429 1286 521
N/A
iML
Average
Visit
Duration
1:58 3:16 3:49 3:00 2:10 3:04
N/A
iML Unique
Visits (new
visitors)
1720 257 543 713 386 226 N/A
Total Blog
Views
104 104 102 106 75 22 170
Total Blog
Posts
3 3 3 4 0 0 4
Total Tweets
10 28 31 34 7 1 4
Facebook
Likes
59 60 63 68 68 68 70

56. Do Blog views stimulate iML page
visits?

57. Recent
Activity on

58. Interactions on

59. Facebook Insights

60. References
Berkman, R. (2008). The art of strategic listening. Ithaca, NY: Paramount
Market Publishing.
Glazer, H. (2012). “Likes” are lovely, but do they lead to more logins?
Developing metrics for academic libraries’ Facebook pages. College &
Research Libraries News, 73(1), 18–21.
Kleinberg, J. (1999). Authoritative sources in a hyperlinked environment.
Journal of the ACM, 46(5), 604-632.
Paine, K.D. (2011). Measuring the real ROI of social media. Communication
World, Jan-Feb. Retrieved from http://www.iabc.com/cw
Solomon, L. (2011). Doing social media so it matters. Chicago, IL: ALA Editions.
Stuart, D. (2009). Social media metrics. Online, 33(6), 22-24. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/199888325?accountid=4840

61. Social Media: “Put Your Library on the Map”
Google Fusion Mapping
Classes/Workshops
Spanish Services
Senior Services
Special Spaces
Emergency Services
Classes/Workshops Map: http://bit.ly/classesmap
Add Your Library: http://imaplibraries.org/register.html

62. Social Media:
Workshops & Classes in Libraries

63. Social Media:
Spanish Services in Libraries Classes/Workshops
Spanish Services
Senior Services
Special Spaces
Emergency Services
Spanish Services Map: http://www.imaplibraries.org/spanishservices/
Add Your Library: http://bit.ly/spanish-form

64. Social Media:
Senior Services in Libraries
Classes/Workshops
Spanish Services
Senior Services
Special Spaces
Emergency Services
Senior Services Map: http://bit.ly/seniorservices-map
Add Your Library: http://bit.ly/seniors-entryform

65. Social Media:
Special Spaces in Libraries
Classes/Workshops
Spanish Services
Senior Services
Special Spaces
Emergency Services
Special Spaces Map: http://bit.ly/specialspaces-map
Add Your Library: http://bit.ly/specialspaces-entryform

66. Social Media:
Emergency Services in Libraries
Classes/Workshops
Spanish Services
Senior Services
Special Spaces
Emergency Services
Emergency Services Map: http://bit.ly/emergencyservices-map
Add Your Library: http://bit.ly/emergencyservices-form

67. HTTP://IMAPLIBRARIES.ORG/