[Re-]establishing a [free] campus statistical service

Ontario DLI TrainingApril 17, 2015

Vince Gray

History and backgroundThe 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 timeIn 1986, had full-time statistician (SC) staffing 17

of a 35-hour a week walk-up help deskAlso available to be contracted for cost-recovery

projectsBy 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 timeHours 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 campusWho 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 researchHoped to improve Western RDC productivity with SCLooked 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 forTopic: Importance of support for statistical analysis

Very important Important Somewhat Not important Wouldn’t use

46.2% 26.2% 13.8% 6.9% 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

CommunicationsDevelop 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

AssessmentSet 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 serviceWL was unable to carry service in spite of

pilot’s success

Refine and expand the modelDevolution 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 modelSearch for other faculties / units to provide

support for serviceE.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 feedbackWork 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!