Topic 5: Data Collection

A needs assessment requires collecting data about a community using a variety of sources. According to the Idaho Commission for Libraries (2017), a needs assessment should focus on collecting data regarding:

• Local information and demographics cited from Census/ vital statistic records
• Library statistics
• Community development plans
• Internal (library) & external (community) scanning results
• Community input

There are a variety of resources you can use to collect statistical information. The Community Toolbox is a service of the Center for Community Health and Development (University of Kansas) and offers a list of resources that can help gather information about your community. These include but are not limited to:

• Census data: The Bureau of Census gives demographic information for both communities and the United States as a whole.
• County Health Rankings: The County Health Rankings website provides information on health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic, and the physical environment for numerous counties in the nation.
• The Chamber of Commerce can provide you with information regarding job growth, the unemployment rate, etc.
• Local School districts can tell you graduation rates and test scores. You can also visit your state department of education to compare figures across school districts. For example, NYS School Data can be found at https://data.nysed.gov/.
• Specialized local, statewide, or national organizations are also a great source for information. For example, the Autism Society, as well as Autism Speaks provide information nationally as well as state information. Check out Gale's Encyclopedia of Associationsto find more organizations focused on Autism.

More resources for data collection, recommended by School Library Journal (2018) include:

• Center on Enhancing Early Learning Outcomes gives state-by-state profiles of early childhood statistics.
• Diversity Data Kids is developed by the Heller School for Social Policy and Management of Brandeis University. It provides information for demographics, education, neighborhoods, health, economic status, etc.
• Early Childhood Data Collaborative provides tools and resources that support state policy change via ECE data systems.
• Kids Count was developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation to track the well-being of children in the United States. The organization is focused on bettering the futures of all children. This site collects data from more than 50 Kids Count state organizations (providing state, local, and publication data).

ACTIVITY: Visit and explore three different websites from the above list. Based on your response to Activity #1, what resources could you see being most helpful in gathering data for your needs assessment? What information did you NOT see that you may need to find?