Impact Evaluation at the Calgary Public Library
Details
We are thrilled to have an opportunity to learn about impact evaluation from the Calgary Public Library. This will be a very interesting presentation and it will also be extremely valuable in the context of the work that Data for Good does with non-profit / social organizations.
Evaluation is more than data and anecdotes, it is storytelling. Depending on organizational needs, more than one kind of story may need to be told. For non-profit and service organizations, the ability to tell stories that resonate with their audiences both intellectually and emotionally is key to securing funding, connecting with potential partners, and improving public perceptions.
Lori Graff will provide an overview of the evaluation approach at Calgary Public Library from operational monitoring to tracking progress towards the achievement of strategic goals to Results-Based Accountability (RBA) for patrons (performance accountability) and Calgarians (population accountability). In addition, she will talk about moving from theory to practice, including some of the positive consequences of this evaluation work as well as the challenges faced to date in refining these stories.
If you are interested in learning more about Results-Based Accountability prior to this session, please check out http://resultsaccountability.com/about/what-is-results-based-accountability/ or read Mark Friedman’s book Trying Hard is Not Good Enough (available at the Calgary Public Library (https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/item/show/946174095_trying_hard_is_not_good_enough)). Don’t have a library card? You can register for your free card online here: https://reg.calgarypubliclibrary.com/ !
A note about the presenter: Lori Graff has been with the Calgary Public Library since 2011. She held a number of Public Service Librarian positions before moving into her current role of Business Analyst in Planning & Research. Lori supports the achievement of strategic and operational goals by guiding activities in the Library’s Project Management Office and Innovation program as well as overseeing change management on projects of strategic import. Her primary evaluation responsibility is the Library’s Strategic Scorecard.