Comments on: Murder by the Numbers http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/ the neverending reference interview of life Fri, 24 May 2013 07:03:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: 100 Days of Websites, day 15 » John Klima http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-6543 Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:52:43 +0000 https://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-6543 [...] like me, comes out of a non-library background. He doesn’t just spout the same ‘save libraries because they’re good’ that yo…*. He often finds inspiration in places outside of the library. He asks why a lot. He wants [...]

]]> By: Andy http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-4219 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 21:50:08 +0000 https://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-4219 I link to the original at the top of the post and I say I break it down by sections. Yes, it does encourage people to support their libraries. I just have a problem with the rest.

]]> By: Jared Williams http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-4216 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 19:43:02 +0000 https://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-4216 As much as I agree with what you’re saying in this post, I do see that the infographic makes an attempt to call people to action in the 4th portion of the graphic which you didn’t include. The graphic encourages people to “help support your local library” which is what libraries want patrons, politicians, and citizens to do.
Just to be fair.

]]> By: Weekly Digest: April 16-April 22 « Agnostic, Maybe http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-4179 Fri, 22 Apr 2011 22:34:14 +0000 https://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-4179 [...] Murder by the Numbers (Looking closer at the numbers presented by the Archives.com inforgraphic and the disconnect between our research and our program content.) [...]

]]> By: Andy http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-4148 Thu, 21 Apr 2011 03:47:34 +0000 https://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-4148 Thanks Pat. I hope this helps. Or maybe it’s time for a patron assessment survey.

]]> By: Andy http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-4147 Thu, 21 Apr 2011 03:21:45 +0000 https://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-4147 In hindsight, it might be the smaller or non-branch libraries that are better suited to do cooking programs. They aren’t trying to do the ‘one size fits all’ programming approach that attempts to get the most amount of people coverage.

So, if I’m ever out there, can I come see one of these programs? Will you sneak me in? :D

]]> By: Andy http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-4146 Thu, 21 Apr 2011 03:20:16 +0000 https://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-4146 I’m looking at it for its source material. While the funding middle is a choice by Archives.com to present, the topics at the start and the statements at the bottom represent data coming from the library world. These are data points to which either libraries aren’t connecting the dots between hot topics and programming or making such “Everyone loves puppies!” statements that people would feel like Scrooge to disagree with (even though there were people who did disagree). To me, it represents a patron-library disconnect at the top and a erosion of the “I love libraries!” statement at the bottom. As to the statements, it certainly doesn’t translate into actual support.

]]> By: Turner http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-4132 Wed, 20 Apr 2011 01:35:58 +0000 https://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-4132 Thank you for this post. I think it is great that you used a critical lens to analyze some questionable statistics. When we examining studies that offer consistent percentages in the 80-90s range, questions should always be raised.

I agree that this is not a perfect info-graphic – especially in terms of conveying the budget cut information. But, as someone who did use this graphic on his blog, I still stand by it.

I love visual information. It is a great way to catch the eye and spread a message. However, visual information is messy and easy to muck up. It takes a lot of time, energy and resources to come up with really really good visual data. Especially when the message it’s intending to deliver is complicated and convoluted. And yes, bad info-graphics can be misleading.

The reason why I stand by this graph is that even flawed info-graphics serve the purpose of getting a general message across, and I think that was the intention of archives.com. This wasn’t a research study using scientific methods trying to get published in Nature or New England Journal of Medicine. This was a blog post, trying to highlight the precarious situation that libraries are in. I mean, look at archives.com main audience: genealogists, Who are mostly retired grandparents who use public libraries to conduct local, historical research to support their hobby. I am not saying that this audience doesn’t deserve the best and most accurate information. But they are not librarians or information professionals who live day to day with the current threat of budget cuts. Again – this is a BLOG POST looking to communicate the current realities of libraries, and maybe even sway the pendulum of public opinion a bit in the direction of supporting social services. So a seemingly biased info-graphic containing fuzzy visual data is okay. Not perfect, not ideal, but okay – especially for a blog post.

Is this a flawed chart? yes. Does it get the general point across? yes. Is it worth getting upset over? Maybe just a little.

]]> By: pcsweeney http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-4131 Tue, 19 Apr 2011 23:47:03 +0000 https://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-4131 We have salsa competitions, Yan Can Cook is coming to do a cooking presentation, and we have many other food/cooking related programming. Plus we have some of our events catered by the local culinary school. This community eats like nobody’s business!! Anyway, I’m pretty excited about these.

I’d also like to say that there are many kinds of foods that don’t require cooking and the Raw movement is getting pretty big so folks can look into that one too.

And while I’m totally stoked to say that we also do most of the others… We never have any current events programs. I need to look at that one. Thanks for the good post

]]> By: Leah White http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-4130 Tue, 19 Apr 2011 22:30:49 +0000 https://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/murder-by-the-numbers/#comment-4130 My library (Morton Grove Public in IL) does cooking programs *all the time*. We invite local rock star chefs to give talks, monthly teen cooking classes, and lots more. They are always ridiculously popular. Glad to see we’re on target :)

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