CARLI Counts

Have you wanted your library to…

• Create a powerful impact narrative for your library?
• Use data in a compelling way to tell your library’s story to your stakeholders?
• Demonstrate how your library supports graduation and retention rates?

About CARLI Counts

“CARLI Counts: Analytics and Advocacy for Service Development,” is a three-year project funded by an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grant, in the amount of $243,885. Read the full description.

CARLI Counts is a continuing education library leadership immersion program that prepares librarians to make effective use of research findings on the impact of academic libraries on student success for the twin purposes of service development and library advocacy. Program participants will learn how to use local library data analytics in alignment with institutional data, goals, and strategic priorities to improve their services and demonstrate their value. CARLI Counts deliverables will include a portfolio of local case studies, an evaluation of the collective statewide impact of those cases, and a replicable state/regional training model for equipping librarians to be campus leaders in assessing library impact on student learning and success, all of which has been made openly available to anyone that wants to offer their own program. You can find all of the materials on the CARLI Counts Curriculum Guide page.

CARLI is working in partnership with the University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign and Lewis & Clark Community College.

Under the original terms of the award, the grant-funded project funded two cohorts of participants. Cohort members attended two, three-day in-person sessions, for a total of six in-person days; webinars held in April, May, June, September, and October; and worked online collaboratively throughout the program, culminating in team presentations at the CARLI Annual Meeting in November. Due to the pandemic, and CARLI Counts Cohort 2 moving to an online format, we were able to receive a no-cost extension and offer a third cohort with grant funds.

CARLI Counts Cohort 4

Please join us in extending our congratulations and support to the newly chosen CARLI Counts Cohort 4! 

CARLI COUNTS COHORT 3

Cohort 3 posters were presented via Zoom on July 6, 2022. Cohort 3 completed their work in spring 2022.

CARLI Counts Cohort 2

Cohort 2 poster presentations were included in the CARLI Annual Meeting on November 13, 2020. Cohort 2 completed their work in early 2021.

CARLI Counts Cohort 1

Cohort 1 poster presentations were displayed at the CARLI Annual Meeting on November 15, 2019. Cohort 1 completed their work in early 2020.

In 2019, ten LIBRAS consortium libraries participated in CARLI Counts Cohort I.  As CARLI seeks applicants for Cohort II, several librarians from the inaugural program have volunteered to share their experiences!  Watch the webinar for answers to common questions.

Project Staff

Karen Brown, Grant Evaluator, Professor, Dominican University School of Information Studies
Debbie Campbell, Program Sustainability for CARLI Counts, Library Services Coordinator, CARLI
Anne Craig, Principal Investigator, Senior Director, CARLI
Lisa Hinchliffe, Co-Principal Investigator, Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library
Dennis Krieb, Curriculum Advisor, Director of Institutional Research and Library Services, Lewis & Clark Community College
Beck Tench, Speaker, University of Washington

Advisory Committee 

Kara Malenfant, Senior Strategist for Special Initiatives, ACRL
Greg McCormick, Director, Illinois State Library
Cate Kaufman, Library Services Director, Illinois Central College
Fred Barnhart, Dean, University Libraries, Northern Illinois University

This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Grant Number RE-95-18-0084-18.