Sunshine & Stories Captures the Art of Capturing Impact

What is Sunshine & Stories?

Sunshine & Stories is a Colorado State Library podcast dedicated to all things summer in public libraries. During our 2024-25 season, keep an eye out for new episodes twice a month from August to May. We’ll explore topics like performers, incentives, outreach, volunteers, capturing impact, and many more ideas related to designing a summer public library program for your whole community (adults included!). Featuring interviews with other Colorado State Library staff and ideas from Colorado library professionals around the state, this podcast aims to provide valuable insight and spark creative ideas in your public library’s own 2025 summer planning. Whether you’re a veteran in the summer library program planning world, a newbie looking to start a summer program for the first time, or someone who’s considering changing up your program a little or a lot this year, we hope this podcast will be a valuable resource for you.

Episode 103: The Art of Capturing Impact

Episode Summary:

What happens when one Kate asks another Kate what she thinks about how we capture the impact of what happens during our summer library programs? A whole lot of reflecting on why capturing impact might be meaningful to us, what playful ways might be out there to collect the numbers and stories we can use to measure impact in ways that are relevant to our unique outcomes, and all the bits and bobs we might need to remember to plan for before the summer begins.

00:00 – Introduction
00:58 – Defining success and capturing impact
02:21 – Collecting numbers and stories
14:00 – Logistics to consider
16:58 – We captured, now what?
22:12 – Book and program highlights
24:09 – Closing

Resources:

Collaborative Summer Library Program
5 Steps of Outcome-Based Planning & Evaluation for Public Libraries by Melissa Gross, Cindy Mediavilla, and Virgina A. Walter
5 Steps of Outcome-Based Planning & Evaluation for Youth Services by Melissa Gross, Cindy Mediavilla, and Virgina A. Walter
Research Institute for Public Libraries (RIPL) 12 Months to Better Library Data
Public Library Association Project Outcome
Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us by Susan Magsamen & Ivy Ross
The Power of Art: The Human History of Art: From Babylon to New York City by Caroline Campbell

Next Drop-In Chat:

Join us on September 10, 2024 at 11:00 am to noon Mountain Time for our next online Summer Drop-in Chat. No need to register. Come when you can, stay for as long as you can. See you soon!

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