Guides: Learning Commons Manual & Resources: Statistics

Why do we need to keep statistics?

We must document our services with real data to demonstrate our value to administration. If we cannot prove that we need as much staffing at our service desks, staffing needs and work hours will decrease. Statistics justifies why we all have jobs. Keep count!

What data do we collect?

Statistics collected for Learning Support (Tutoring)

For each Tutoring check-in transaction at the LC Service Desk, the following information is collected:

Date
Day of week
Name of student and ID number or Name of Community member or Name of employee
Subject
Course
Instructor
Time in
Time out
Online tutoring or Face-to-Face

Tutoring Transactions are totaled monthly for the Monthly LC Service Desk Statistics.

The Learning Support Coordinator also uses a traffic analysis of the transactions to determine which days of the week and times are the busiest and often uses pivot tables for further statistical analysis.

Subjects Tutors (in Fall 2025) help with include Math, Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Physics, ESOL, Engineering, and Computer Science.

From the Tutoring Reception Handbook: “Anytime you sign someone in or out of tutoring, you are creating a data point for Learning Support statistics. Learning Support runs on these statistics. They help us determine things such as budget and tutor schedules. Statistics also help us secure funding for all Learning Support programs.”

Other statistics that are collected are the “Other” selections.

Other -Non-LSC Course: College course that is not taught at an LSC campus or center
Other- Professional/ Work-Related: For employees wanting help with a work project or anyone looking for help with a resume, cover letter, or CV
Other-Personal: For anyone wanting help with a writing project of a personal nature. This includes transfer essays.
Other- Please explain: For any other purpose not listed above.

We keep track of the number of student IDs and staff badges the library creates throughout the year. This also includes the number of online library barcodes that are requested for use of the databases by online students. The program we use is "ID Credentials."

We monitor the traffic flow in and out of the Learning Commons. This allows us to see how many people are using the space in the course of a day, week, and month. The program we use is "People Counter" or "Smart Counter" which is in infrared door counter.

If gate counter is red, do not touch it and inform Anne.

We monitor the movement of the library's material on a monthly basis. The program to collect the statistics is called, "Blue Cloud Analytics."

The data collected includes:

Interlibrary loans
Number of checkouts (includes circulating and Reserves books, nonprint, and equipment checkout)
Number of renewals
Total number of transactions
Number of books and non-print material received in bins from other libraries
Number of in-house use of material

We monitor the activity in our databases to assess if the usage merits the cost of the subscription.

Face-to-Face Reference transactions

Reference Consultations (documented by five minute durations)

Chat transactions

Email transactions

Data is collected by the lead instruction librarian. It includes:

Requests
Faculty (full or part-time)
Course
Number of registered students in the class
Type of instruction service: instruction, a return instruction, workshop, workday, orientation tour, honors research consultation, or general use of the space
Timing: Month, day, time