Add It Up: Using data to make informed spatial decisions

Abstract

Librarians are no strangers to data. We collect circulation statistics, download usage reports, and gather gate counts regularly. One area that is more difficult to assess, however, is how patrons are using our building space., , Over the course of the last four years, Marian University utilized SUMA, an open-source web-based assessment toolkit, to collect spatial statistics to see how individuals were using our building. Through the use of additional tools like surveys and observational data collection, we were able to get a clearer picture of how patrons used our building and make spatial decisions accordingly. , , This poster will cover what SUMA is, what sort of data can be collected, and how it can be tailored to your library's needs. Additional data collection tools will be covered.