Research and Data Services

Two people's hands working on charts and graphs

Whether you need a deep look at your service numbers, a better understanding of community needs, or you are embarking on a project that would benefit from research and data analysis, WiLS has a data analyst with over a decade of experience and library strategists that have completed a variety of library research projects to provide you with the answers you need.

We also understand that sometimes it’s hard to know where to start on a research project or how much data is enough data. Our team is warm and approachable and will craft a process that works best for you and your organization.

For questions about our Research and Data Services, send a message to information@wils.org.

WiLS Research and Data Services Highlights

Education and Training

WiLS offers education to libraries and cultural organizations on how to find and use data to make decisions or tell their stories, either custom to the organization or as part of a cohort like the WiLS Data Classroom, an opportunity to learn practical data skills specifically for public libraries and with public library peers.

Surveys

Five golden stars with the one in the middle larger than the others

Survey development and analysis will help you gather information about your services or community to make informed decisions.

Custom Research

A book, glasses, and a magnifying glass

You can receive customized research, using a variety of methods, to answer pressing questions as well as targeted assessment and evaluation services for everything from grant-funded initiatives to library programming. We also offer the creation of compelling data visualization and infographics, customized to your library’s needs.

How WiLS Research and Data Services have impacted Wisconsin libraries

Data Dashboards for Public Libraries provide automatic visualizations of dozens of Annual Report metrics and basic community demographic data for individual public libraries.
We have facilitated workshops on building data literacy and confidence
Written a report on how to use demographics in library decision-making and planning
Authored a research report and one-pager snapshots of how the Covid pandemic impacted digital collections in Wisconsin utilizing Wisconsin’s Digital Library and Wisconsin Schools Digital Library Consortium as case studies
Built data dashboards for WiLS’ consulting service cohorts, contracts, reports, presentations, etc.
Created, hosted, and analyzed dozens of community surveys as part of our strategic planning services

Recent WiLS Research and Data work