About

As is the case with any unit on campus is important for the Libraries to demonstrate our value to the University. This project will help show, using university metrics of success, what library use does for student success at the U of M. In addition, analyzing the connections between library use and academic success will provide evidence-based data that can inform service improvements and efficiencies, the development of new services, and the allocation of resources for necessary impact.

Scope and initial queries

This project will focus on U of M - Twin Cities undergrads. Initial analysis should focus on the following set of queries.

• How does use of print and digital collections correlate with course pass/fail rates, grades, or GPA?
• How does use of instructional tools or attendance at instruction sessions correlate with course pass/fail rates, grades, or GPA?
• Is there a correlation between library use and university retention measures
• Are there significant trends in departmental use (including use by students in various majors) of library resources and services?
• Are students who use library instructional resources more or less likely to use library collections (print or digital)?

Other queries will develop with exploration and may be recommended for further investigation, but these are the core areas of inquiry for the initial project.

Data Assets

• Circulation data - loans and renewals
• Electronic resource use data - database logins, ejournal logins, ebook usage
• Interlibrary Loan data
• Drupal (main web site) login data
• Workshop registrations
• Library workstation logins
• In-class librarian instruction
• Introduction to Library Research I & II registrations
• Digital reference transactions
• Peer research consultants data

A word about privacy

This project is tracking U of M Internet IDs and their usage of library resources. However, we are not tracking specific usage of resources. For example, while we are tracking if a particular Internet ID checks out a book, or logs into an electronic journal, we are not tracking the specific book or electronic journal. In other words, we are only tracking that something was used, really just a broad category like "a database," but not the actual thing.