Ontario DLI Training April 17, 2015 Vince Gray

History and background The Map and Data Centre has only existed within Western Libraries since May 2009 From 1972 on, the Data Resources Library was in the Computing Lab (SSCL) in the Faculty of Social Science Statistical consulting was offered in SSCL by 1986

Consulting over time In 1986, had full-time statistician (SC) staffing 17 of a 35-hour a week walk-up help desk Also available to be contracted for cost-recovery projects By late 1990s, full-time statistician position was lost; half help desk hours staffed by full-time staff, half by SC hired from a statistical unit on campus (Statlab) Early 2000s, full timers gone from help desk, half staffed by Statlab SC; half by part time students (gave computing/software assistance, but not statistical)

Consulting over time Hours of statistical consultants reduced after Statlab closed up shop; student hours increased By approximately 2007, no statistical service offered SSCL consulting had been a de facto campus-wide service (officially available only to Social Science) Closure of SSCL service left void on campus Who to support undergrads, grads, faculty, researchers?

How did we get it back?

Persevere! At first meeting (2009) on becoming part of Western Libraries, raised need for statistical consulting service Need for computing service was raised in annual submissions to supervisors and at regular meetings Pilot project approved in Fall, 2013; launched February 2014; current incarnation launched September 2014

Trumpet good examples! Raised models being used at other institutions (which we happened to visit during evaluation of what Map and Data model we wanted) Grad students seconded to library to do statistical consulting as their TA-ship (Carleton) Hiring staff with depth of statistical expertise to support SC (e.g., Michelle Edwards and others, Guelph) Asking if they can do this, why can’t we?

Find champions! Need for statistical computing support was raised by the Research Data Centre’s Academic Director after meeting with Heather Dryburgh (ex-boss of DLI) Need taken to Associate Dean in Social Science (2010) I was asked for background, which was forwarded to library supervisors to make them aware of request/need Statistical consultant had been able to assist in RDC and non-RDC based research Hoped to improve Western RDC productivity with SC Looked to tie RDC & MDC closer together

Canvas / rouse users! Talked to RDC board to determine their interest in this service, canvassed their support, hunted for partners and/or funding Western Libraries decided to ask users about what a merged Map and Data Service might look like (2010) Provided an opportunity to s0w questions and hope that they provided the answers we hoped for Topic: Importance of support for statistical analysis Very importantImportantSomewhatNot importantWouldn’t use 46.2%26.2%13.8%6.9% Importance: Users hope to see the new service providing statistical computing support: this is a knowledge gap for the existing staff. Adding staff to serve this role would address a campus-wide gap.

Write proposal(s)! If at first you don’t succeed... Multiple submissions / job descriptions / communications plans were written – last one succeeded in getting the pilot project Scaled down original request to ask for a pilot project whose success could be evaluated Timing may have been important – pilot project was approved while had acting University Librarian

Communications Develop a communication plan before launching How to tell users that this [new] service is available? What do you tell them it can do? Who are key stakeholders who might be interested? Tailor messages for different groups – profs, grads, research office, etc. Serendipity can be your friend! Provide data assistance to a student who Happens to be a VP of the Society of Graduate Students, to whom You mention the planned statistical consulting service, and who Offers use of the SOGS mailing list to advertise service

Assessment Set up an assessment program at the outset Develop a short web form; assign simple URL Ask every user of the service to provide feedback on their experience Emphasize that the only chance to continue the service rests on their honest feedback

Find unexpected partners? Once we launched the pilot, we were approached by a faculty member from the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Sciences (SAS) who serves on RDC board Wanted to partner with us to provide the service SAS approached the Dean of Science, who was willing to provide funding to continue the service WL was unable to carry service in spite of pilot’s success

Refine and expand the model Devolution of responsibilities Western Libraries provides space, assistance with developing assessment tools, advertising Statistics and Actuarial Sciences hires students, pays them, schedules them, provides training, etc. Statistics and Actuarial Sciences has partnered with Western Libraries to conduct workshops on the R software package in the Weldon Instruction Room: initially free, then nominal charge ($25)

Continue to work on the model Search for other faculties / units to provide support for service E.g., approach Social Sciences to see if they will provide funds or staffing Assessment current service to provide grounds for request Have heard concern that SPSS expertise of current staff may be inadequate: need to evaluate feedback Work on plan with Stats to develop specific expertise – a pool of faculty members who can be drawn upon from different faculties to assist SC with tricky cases

Remember the goal! The goal is to improve the ability of undergrads, grads, and faculty to do statistical analysis Western Libraries no longer controls the service – but it doesn’t matter as long as the service meets the goal!