New York SBDC Research Network

comScore describes itself as "a global leader in measuring the digital world and the preferred source of digital marketing intelligence". I'm fond of their "press releases" page, as it provides links to brief articles featuring measurements of users of the Internet from countries around the globe. In the past, I came to rely on sites like this, only to see them stop publication of material without any warning. I'll keep my eye on this one, as it seems pretty hip. Pass it on to your e-clients, too.

I normally post on Mondays, but felt compelled to wait until Friday to write this. I've been tracking our incoming requests a bit more carefully these days. The end of this month will conclude our 16th year. Roger & I have been around for most of them. When we started, we had one CD-ROM, no email, no Internet, and no computer network. Just a handful of librarians with a bunch of books, a used Xerox machine, and well-worn telephones. We've come a long way -- longer than I thought. Late yesterday, we got an email from an advisor in our Binghamton office (thanks, Laura!), looking for information on a client starting an adult day care service. We've researched this subject many times before. Ordinarily, it wouldn't be worth a comment, except that it turned out to be the 25,000th request in our history. Whoa. I'm not used to being part of a number like that (unless it's my car's odometer). But this is something worth noting. Thanks, then, to all the librarian...

I could run numbers all day long. Lately, I have been running numbers all day long. But creating statistics without actually employing them is like taking empty breaths. At the beginning of each month, I calculate such things as the average turnaround time; the number of requests asked; the number that are answered, and by whom; and break down the requests by advisor & by center. It's a part of the management function of the library, and something that my inner accounting-major actually enjoys. But I've never shared this information with any of you in the field. This blog isn't the place (I'd rather not broadcast it openly for the world). If you're interested in knowing how often you're using us, or how often your center in comparison with others, or any other general program data, then drop me an email. I'll put together a package for you. (Keep in mind that my data is available only for the fiscal year starting October 1st.) *** Earlier in the w...