When I first started out as a middle school librarian, I had no idea what a “normal” number of checkouts should look like. Was 500 books a month good? 3,000? I honestly didn’t know. That’s when I turned to historical data to inform my expectations.

By looking back at historical circulation data, I got a glimpse of how the students interacted with the collection before I arrived. That gave me a starting point. I wasn’t just pulling numbers out of thin air. Instead, I had real context for what was typical. From there, I could set realistic goals and track our progress.

And let me tell you, sharing those goals with students and staffmade all the difference. In my first year, circulation jumped by 60%. The next year, we climbed another 28%.

Data doesn’t just prove our library is being used. When we share it, it can actually drive more use.

Why Sharing Data with Students Works

As librarians, we use data all the time. It’s a tool for collection development, a way to advocate for and to justify purchases, and it’s the numbers used to inform our collection development plans. I have found, though, that when you share the data, students pay attention to the numbers, too.

I post our stats outside of the library as well as inside the library behind my circulation desk. Students look at the numbers and comment on what they see. Having a posted goal also encourages students to keep checking those books out!

Here are some examples of how posting the data sparks engagement:

•  Overdue and Lost Books: When students see how many books are overdue or missing, they get curious. They ask questions. They help brainstorm ways to bring those numbers down. And yes, sometimes they finally return that lost book that’s been sitting under the bed for a year or two.
• Holds: Even though I explain the hold process during orientation, not everyone remembers it. But when they see the holds number on the poster, suddenly it clicks – “Oh, I can do that too.”

• Checkouts: It’s so simple and yet so effective. Kids love watching the checkout number climb. They take pride in helping us reach our monthly goal, and it becomes a school-wide win when we surpass the goal.

Students like being in the know. When you make the data visible, they buy in!

Making the Most of Your Dashboard

The Follett dashboard shows you circulation, holds, overdue books, and top books at a glance. I love the dashboard because it gives me a quick snapshot of how the library is doing and helps me spot trends, make decisions, and celebrate wins.

One of my favorite tricks is filtering by grade level. Who’s checking out the most books? Who might need a little nudge? Sharing that info fuels some fun, low-stakes competition between grades or homerooms. Bragging rights are powerful motivators!

At the end of the school year, I flip it around. Instead of tracking checkouts going up, we count books coming back down to zero. It turns returns into a game, and kids love seeing the progress.

Using Data for Collection Development

Beyond motivating students, data is also a powerful tool for building a stronger collection. Every year I do a full inventory and run a collection analysis. It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it to get the fullest picture of our collection and its needs.

Diversity

Using Titlewave® Analyses, I can break down my collection by diversity categories. One of my goals has been to curate a diverse, representative, and engaging collection. I can toggle between each diversity category to compare my collection size in each category to our demographic makeup. My personal goal is that every student sees themself adequately and authentically represented on our shelves as well as for every student to build empathy by reading about experiences and cultures different from their own. The data shows me where I need to keep curating.

Bonn’s Use Factor

This formula helps me to curate with a focus. When using the calculation to compute the Use Factor, I know whether I should curate, deselect, or maintain my sublocations. Using data from Follett reports, we divide the percentage of circulation for a sublocation by the percentage of the collection that category represents to get the Use Factor.

For example, our novel in verse sublocation makes up 0.38% of circulations but only 0.18% of the collection. The math showed a Use Factor of 2.1, which meant student demand was more than the books we have to offer in that sublocation. This data provides concrete evidence to advocate for more titles in that category. Using Follett reports to pull this data to then calculate a Use Factor, I can now make data-backed decisions that truly match student demand.

Fun Ways to Share Data

Some easy ways I’ve shared data:

• Posters showing our circulation goals and progress
• Chalk markers on a window in our library to show our stats
• Infographics for staff meetings or newsletters that show library usage, collaborations, checkouts, titles added, and more
• Top 10 book or series lists based on actual stats
• A March Madness–style bracket for most popular titles based on our historical data

Students as Data Partners

What I love most about sharing data is that it shifts ownership. When kids see our checkout numbers creeping up, they know they are part of that! When they remember holds are a thing, they start placing them in the system. When they notice their grade is behind in circulation, they step it up. Students go from being passive users to active partners in the success of the library. And that’s a powerful transformation.

Why This Matters

Here’s the thing: so much of what we do as librarians isn’t automatically measured (or seen). We can use the data to advocate for the library’s value and for a budget that supports our students’ needs. When we share the data, the library’s value is undeniable. Don’t keep the data to yourself. Share it with students and all stakeholders. Celebrate the wins. Follett has so many ways for you to dig into the data. You might be surprised what motivates your school community and the impact that the data has on the students.

Want to see how Destiny Library Manager is helping educators do more with their time and data? Explore how Destiny AI brings powerful insights to your library workflows.

Jennifer Miller, known on social media platforms as @MeetMeInTheMediaCenter has spent the last 20 years with middle schoolers. First as a teacher and then as a teacher librarian.  She holds a BS in elementary education, an MA in educational psychology and an MLIS. She is passionate about literacy, and she uses her social media presence to advocate for libraries.