The Data Advocacy Toolkit for Small Libraries seeks to empower libraries with limited time and staff resources by adding value to the data collection work they already do each year. The Toolkit provides ready-made reports and data visualizations using real-time analysis of the operational metrics libraries must collect as part of the annual Public Libraries Survey (PLS). And unlike third-party data analytics platforms, the Toolkit is built using software libraries will already have access to and be familiar with, flattening the learning curve and putting data-driven storytelling within reach.

The information problem to solve is scattered organizational data, the lack of data normalization and non-collaborative information system. Based on our user stories and Entity Relationship diagram, we created a database for Foundry10 hosted on Azure to store our database as a cloud solution. We utilized Microsoft Access as our front-end platform to communicate with the database. Benefits for our sponsor: Built solid foundation for consolidating internal data structure Create more consistent reports for staff; a database system will bring in data consistency Descriptive data normalization for efficient data analysis by reducing duplicates and organizing unstructured datasets

The students at the Seattle World School are newcomers that are currently learning English while adapting to a new environment. By developing a makerspace full of resources that can be lent out, the library can provide those students with opportunities to learn English by making connections with each other and develop new hobbies that can help with their adaptation journey. Through this project, data was collected from surveys in both English and Spanish to learn about the student's interests and create a list of resources that can be used to help develop this space.

To help Microsoft’s Mixed Reality (MR) team manage their Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) processes more effectively in a dynamic, centralized environment, we built a data wrangling pipeline to import Secure Controls Framework data into ServiceNow. We achieved the following key results: 1) data properly structured and imported into relevant ServiceNow target tables, 2) imported data automatically updated with regulatory changes, and 3) a ServiceNow dashboard to visualize and track compliance and control information. Through automated data management and transparent analytics, our work helps the MR team assess organizations’ regulatory compliance in a more efficient and cost-saving manner.

Though the value of collection digitization was well understood, the Mason County Historical Society, like many rural cultural institutions, lacked the funds, support, and knowledge to properly create, tag, and manage their digitized holdings. This project proposes an intuitive workflow for attaching metadata that will follow the artifact through its physical and digital lifecycle. New workflows allow the current MCHS team to tag their digitized artifacts with metadata sans programming knowledge, leading to enhanced accessibility and community engagement.

Over the past ten years, tensions have grown between libraries and the publishing industry as eBooks have become more popular and as eBook costs have risen. As library workers, we are motivated by the core mission of libraries to provide access to information, which is threatened by current licensing models. In this project, we assess the current practices and power imbalances in eBook licensing through interviews with 40 stakeholders. Our research suggests that legislation is one of many possible strategies to achieve a sustainable and equitable system of access to information for future generations.

The project is a landscape analysis of the state of digital equity for people with disabilities in the United States. Through our user-centered design process, big data mapping, and disability culture-based approach, we discovered issues and gaps in the current research. To address these gaps, we designed participatory design sessions for people with disabilities. The design sessions would take place in public libraries and other Internet-capable locations that use Microsoft Airband’s services. Including the perspectives of people with disabilities empowers people in all marginalized communities to participate in designing solutions for their communities and take control over their own stories.

In 2021, the Washington State Library (WSL) purchased Northstar, a program that teaches digital literacy skills. The WSL provides Northstar to libraries and community-based organizations, but the COVID-19 pandemic created constraints around library programming and partnership development. Washington communities need access to this training, but libraries have had limited capacity to provide it. This project streamlines the process of launching Northstar for libraries by providing resources for staff and materials for patron outreach. By creating this infrastructure, we’ve made it easier for patrons to gain access to these essential skills and helped to close the digital divide in Washington state.

After a year of attending school online and their access to cell phones less inhibited, our students needed to practice and learn skills that would help them in their daily digital lives. In partnership with my school’s librarian, I researched and discussed digital literacy and citizenship for over a year. Together, we decided it was time for some action. We created, adapted, and implemented four lessons addressing these concerns. We then reflected with students about that learning and developed a plan for future collaboration.

This project analyzed community feedback and current research on digital programming and the issues that arise in rural communities where internet access, scheduling, and low communication with library patrons leads to lackluster attendance at events and concerns about not serving library patrons effectively. I assisted with the initial steps of creating a Teen Advisory Board to return programming for teenagers to the library, though a first meeting has not occurred yet. This project will help Asotin County Library and other small systems figure out how to adjust to post-pandemic programming that serves all patrons, not just toddlers or adults.