HIT: Patron Count, Part 2

[Nancy Voltmer <voltmer@NETINS.NET>]

continued.....
________________
I have kept a count in our middle/high school for the past three years.  We
divide the number according to what they are doing.  (faculty, classes,
study hall signouts, and our study halls - only if they are there for more
than 5 minutes)  I report the numbers to my principal at the end of the
year and she presents it to the board.  This year I will use it to show
that the study halls that are in the library are restricting class use.  I
also use it to show the growth over the years.  I hope that answers your
questions.
_________________
We count everyone who comes to the Media Center with a pass or signs out
from study hall (only students, not staff).  It doesn't matter to me how
long they stay, we have still provided some sort of service to them and
they count in our numbers.

        Do you use these numbers for specific purposes? i.e. bigger
facility, more computers, etc.

I turn in a monthly report to my principal.  Since I started doing this, I
seem to have the numbers to back up the requests I have and they have been
really good about giving me things I ask for.

        Are you required to keep these numbers for administration or merely
for yourself?

I'm not required to keep these reports but they do seem to make an impact.

        Do you keep just a number count or do students have to sign in?
Students must sign in when the come to the Media Center unless they are
with a classroom teacher.
____________________
I try to keep track of the number of students who come in from study hall
(They must sign out on a sheet that comes with them.), the number who come
from classes with a request for materials, copies, etc., the number from
scheduled classes and the number who use the computers (We have a separate
computer lab that many classes use).

I also record my role with scheduled classes.  Levels of instruction -
gathering materials in response to teacher requests, working with students
on a small-group or individual basis during a teacher-planned activity,
teaching classes in support of a teacher-planned activity, and sharing
equal responsibility with the teacher for planning and delivering
instruction.

I also record areas of the information skills curriculum based on the Big
Six.  The book Enhancing Teaching and Learning by Jean Donham has an
excellent chapter on keeping statistics and sample forms.
______________________
I always report our materials circulation in my end-of-the-year report. It is
divided by call number (i.e. Fiction, AV, Reference, 100's, etc.) We did this
before computerized circulation, but the computer makes this task very easy.
It is just to let the administration and school board know that the library
is used heavily.
All of the study halls meet in the library and kids are in and out all day for
class, to read the paper, to use internet, etc. so it would take too much of
my time to record any time a student or teacher came into the library.
____________________
We take count of every student that enters the media center.  Whether they
are checking out a book, using the copy machine, etc, they are using the
resources in the media center.  When I was at the middle school level, I
asked the students to sign in (it's easier with that age group).  At the
high school level, we use a "tic" list of bodies that come in. We don't keep
track of teachers, other than circulation of materials and equipment.

These numbers are used in the annual report (I guess it helps with
enlightening the administration in knowing that we're not just sitting here
reading books all day :-)  !!
_______________________
We have all students sign in.  We have some Xerox Aides and they sign in on a
separate sheet but they do sign in.
_________________________
We keep a count from the library signin sheet of all students coming from
study halls.  We also keep a count of the number of students coming to the
library with classes.  Both figures are included in an annual board report.
It gives us a measuring tool to show that students do come here and the
facility is used.
________________________
I have a sign up sheet for individual kids, I count the pages, 32 lines
per page, and count the classes as 25xwhat ever.
_________________________
We have a sign-in sheet for students who come down on their own.  They are
supposed to put what they are working on, the name of the teacher who sent
them (they should also have a pass) and the time they arrive and depart.
Usually we get a first name illegibly scrawled on the paper.  Lots of kids
"forget" to sign in.  We don't have the staff to stand guard so we get by
with spot checks.  We average about 30 kids per day who sign in.

We also keep track of classes who come down, we average about 25 week.

We keep these records to show our administration (should they care to know)
that the LMC is actually getting used and for me, to see if it is getting
used more or less.  We also keep the sign-in sheet so kids are accountable,
so we know where they are.
_________________________

Nancy Voltmer, Media Specialist         voltmer@netins.net
Saydel High School
Des Moines, Iowa

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